The Obninsk Research and Production Enterprise “Technologiya”, part of Rostec State Corporation, has improved the technology of manufacturing cockpit glazing for stealth aircraft. The solution improves the characteristics of aircraft cockpit glazing by 20%, including reducing the radar visibility of military aircraft. The Obninsk Research and Production Enterprise “Technologiya” has unique experience in independent development and serial production of structural optics products with applied multifunctional thin-film coatings. Engineering and software solutions implemented by the company’s specialists have allowed creating the metal-optical structures with more than 200 layers, each 0.25-0.3 nm thick.
“Today, the samples produced with the upgraded equipment confirmed the pre-calculated characteristics during measurements and tests. The new technology will be used to create structural optics for advanced aviation systems. This will reduce the radar visibility of the aircraft and increase their combat capabilities,” said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy CEO of Rostec State Corporation.
The stealth glass acquires special properties due to thin films of metals and metal oxides, deposited onto its surface by magnetron sputtering in a vacuum machine. The modernization of the unit increased the peak performance of the magnetron more than threefold, allowing for the deposit of films with significantly lower surface resistivity. The engineering and design solution significantly improves the quality of the coating applied to mass production aviation glazing products so that the cockpit gets improved optical characteristics and low radar visibility. These factors increase the combat potential and survivability of stealth aircraft.
The Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed with stealth technology. The aircraft canopy is coated with 70-90 nm thick metal oxide layers with enhanced radar wave absorbing to minimize the radar return of the cockpit by 30% and protect the pilot from the impact of ultraviolet and thermal radiation. The aircraft uses a two-piece canopy, with the aft section sliding forward and locking into place. The canopy is treated with metalized coatings to reduce the aircraft’s radar signature.
