Isn't it an oxymoron.
Almost everybody believes that the more you reduce the RCS of an aircraft the greater the chances of it going undetected.
Of course it would be very difficult for an aircraft to achieve all round 360 degree stealth. And the heat signature generated by stealth aircraft engines compromises it's ability to hide especially at short ranges where an IR sensor
can work efficiently.
Now coming to the L and S band radars. I am sure that they are not magic bullets to render all very low observable flying objects totally naked and vulnerable.
Both the S and L band radars will have some weaknesses and technical limitations. Please list out the advantages and disadvantages of each type of radar technology.
I believe L band radars suffer from increased ground clutter/noise problems.You can perhaps confirm whether it is true.
Some type of radars can spot very low observable aircraft but cannot track it accurately enough to generate a firing solution.
Is it not necessary to pinpoint the location of an aircraft for providing the guidance data to an SAM .Especially at ranges where an IR sensor cannot function.
What is the utility of an radar if we cannot shoot down an intruder aircraft.
I believe you are well versed in radar technology knowledge. So I guess we can expect an detailed technical answer for the benefit of all members of the forum.
Im not an expert but Ill explain as best I can
You actually named the biggest limitation of large wavelength radars -
Some type of radars can spot very low observable aircraft but cannot track it accurately enough to generate a firing solution.
They can detect aircraft in a general area, but the accuracy is low enough that SAM systems cannot be used. Exact numbers are not available for obvious reasons, but I think it is accurate enough to act as a ground controler system for guiding your own stealth aircraft.
Another issue is the obscene size of low frequency radars, just a picture to give you some reference
Even the newest type of these radars like the one above that are supposed to be more mobile, take a long time to deploy and retract, hence becoming easier targets for SEAD platforms (especially since these radars cant defend themselves with SAMs)
Some russian claims are there about L band radars on SU35s, I find that dubious, but the claim is that they act as a way for aircraft to detect enemy stealth platforms even if they cant combat them.
To be honest, a better way of tracking stealth fighters may be distributed radar systems (transmitters separate from recievers) where you try to catch the radar return after it is bounced off by the aircraft. Though if someone is able to use VHF radars with some processing techniques to actually track stealth platforms even with relatively mediocre accuracy, it might make it possible to target those with SAMs where terminal detection and tracking is done with alternate means.
Even without it, it makes sense to invest in these platforms as early warning radar systems.
