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SuckmyBlunt545 t1_j6m95u7 wrote

This is fantastic. A wing that uses current to change air resistance. These will have many applications and open up radically new designs. ThNks for sharing

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TheLit420 t1_j6nsids wrote

I guess those are the UFOs people are seeing? DARPA admits to things when they already have a working prototype.

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SuckmyBlunt545 t1_j6nsttf wrote

Hahaha dude a ufo design could finally be possible

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TheBertinator3000 t1_j6o8727 wrote

You gotta get inside the head of the enemy. To chase down the UFOs, we must first learn to become the UFOs!

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TheLit420 t1_j6ntmkg wrote

Yeah, they showed a UFO-shaped military aircraft once on AHC. It was designed in the 50s and it was hovering and UFO-shaped. I think they already have stuff that they are still experimenting on in the hopes it becomes economically feasible someday. People aren't happy with a 2 billion dollar plane, imagine a plane that cost 20 billion dollars? That wouldn't sit with people.

But oddly enough a 10 billion dollar aircraft carrier is fine.

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MEMENARDO_DANK_VINCI t1_j6oowuf wrote

The aircraft carrier is a mobile oil defense platform, it pays for itself, it doesn’t pay for the labor and cost of maintenance, but it does pay for itself

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TheBertinator3000 t1_j6ovgsn wrote

>Yeah, they showed a UFO-shaped military aircraft once on AHC. It was designed in the 50s and it was hovering and UFO-shaped.

Are you talking about the sketchy experimental hovercraft, that they were playing around with?

We have publicly available hovercrafts. We've had them for a long time. They're just platforms/vehicles built around giant fans that face downwards.

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NoSoupForYouRuskie t1_j6phvff wrote

You mean the big metal balls? I saw one like 4 years ago so if they claim to release one soon for "the first time" they are full of it.

Sorry. Making a point to post about it when I see ufos mentioned.

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Beardedbreeder t1_j6n14k2 wrote

They actually incorporate similar logic to this technology on the F-35, B-2, F-22, and B-21 raider, except it's for stealth purposes.

They use a radar absorbent/scattering tape that has different levels of conductivity along any bay door edges and on certain areas of the wings, except in this case, they're using current to change the scattering of radar waves as radar waves will scatter in different directions over different levels of conductivity resulting in multiple small radar waves scattering in many directions instead of a large return signal back to the source

here is a good video about the f35 and its capabilities that mentions use of the scattering tape

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SuckmyBlunt545 t1_j6nitit wrote

That is not what the article tech pertains to tho

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Beardedbreeder t1_j6nrsts wrote

I know. It's about using electrical charge to manipulate the airflow around a plane as opposed to using mechanical in flight adjustments of the stabilizing components and appears to imply that you could be able to do away with the stabilizing components all together making flying wing style fighter jets possible perhaps.

I was just pointing out that the same principles of manipulating charge were present in stealth aircraft technology for a different reason, is all.

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scooby_doo_shaggy t1_j6op7z4 wrote

Wait does that mean they can use the scattering tape to actively change it's RCS/shape in real time?

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Beardedbreeder t1_j6oyrvr wrote

From what I understand, they use it around weapons bays and other openings as well as serated openings together to scatter waves when they are otherwise in a vulnerable position by having a larger and non stealthy profile while they are open, so it's not so much actively changing the radio cross section but it's drawing the radio wave along the tape and causing it to dissipate in small bursts at different electrical charges as opposed to being one unified return wave, while the serrations. I imagine instead of looking like a long object, maybe the return signal appears more that of some birds, perhaps.

If you look at the f35, you'll see the light gray patterns; that's all radar scattering tape cuz it doubles in benefit being easier to maintain than regularly repainting a plane that has supersonic capabilities.

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