Device for reducing effective radar cross section

Abstract

A device for reducing the effective radar cross section (RCS) of a naval vessel is proposed, the device comprising a cladding panel, which can be mounted on vessel superstructures or cargo of the naval vessel, the cladding panel being permeable to radar beams, the device also comprising a reflection means, which reflects radar beams, and the reflection means also being embedded in the cladding panel and being aligned at least partially inclined with respect to a main plane of extent of the cladding panel.

Claims

1. A device for reducing the effective radar cross section (RCS) of a naval vessel, the device comprising: a cladding panel configured to be mounted on one of vessel superstructures and cargo of the naval vessel, the cladding panel being permeable to radar and comprising: two outer layers; and a core disposed between the two outer layers; and a radar reflector, which reflects radar beams, wherein the radar reflector is encased inside the core and is at least partially inclined with respect to (i) a main plane of an extent of the cladding panel and (ii) an outer planar surface of the cladding panel, the outer planar surface extending substantially parallel to the main plane of extent.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the radar reflector is formed in such a way that radar beams that are incident on the radar reflector along a direction of incidence that is substantially perpendicular to the main plane of extent are reflected by the radar reflector in a direction of reflection that deviates from the antiparallel direction of incidence.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the radar reflector comprises a sawtooth profile.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the radar reflector is made up of a plurality of first and second reflection slopes, which are arranged alternately along a main direction of extent of the radar reflector.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein a first angle is formed between the main plane of extent and the first reflection slope and wherein a second angle is formed between the main plane of extent and the second reflection slope, the first angle being smaller than the second angle.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first angle lies between 5 and 60 degrees.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the first angle lies between 10 and 30 degrees.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the first angle lies between 15 and 25 degrees.

9. The device of claim 5 wherein the second angle lies between 60 and 100 degrees.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the second angle lies between 70 and 90 degrees.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the second angle lies at substantially 85 degrees.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein each first reflection slope includes a first end and an opposite second end, and each second reflection slope includes a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the first reflection slope first end is disposed at a first acute angle relative to the main plane of extent and a second acute angle relative to an adjacent second reflection slope first end, and wherein the first reflection slope second end is disposed at a third acute angle relative to the main plane of extent and a fourth acute angle relative to an adjacent second reflection slope second end.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the outer layers respectively comprise glass-fibre reinforced plastic and the core comprises a foam core.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the radar reflector comprises a conductive film.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the radar reflector comprises at least one of a metal inlay, a woven fabric and a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic inlay.

16. A naval vessel comprising a vessel superstructure or cargo, the naval vessel having mounted thereto: a cladding panel being permeable to radar beams and including a core disposed between first and second layers; and a radar reflector, which reflects radar beams, wherein the radar reflector is encased inside the core and is at least partially inclined with respect to the first and second layers of the cladding panel.

17. A device for reducing the effective radar cross section (RCS) of an object, the device comprising: a cladding panel configured to be mounted on the object, the cladding panel being permeable to radar and comprising: opposed first and second outer layers, the first outer layer configured to be coupled to the object, and the second outer layer defining an outer planar surface of the cladding panel, wherein the first outer layer and the second outer layer extend along a main direction of extent of the cladding panel; and a core disposed between the first outer layer and the second outer layer; and a radar reflector which reflects radar beams, wherein the radar reflector is encased inside the core of the cladding panel and is inclined with respect to the outer planar surface of the cladding panel.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising: wherein the outer planar surface of the cladding panel is arranged to face away from the object toward a radar source, wherein the radar reflector includes a plurality of first and second reflection slopes arranged alternately along the main direction of extent of the cladding panel.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the first and second outer layers are parallel such that the outer planar surface of the cladding panel does not include any regions with an alignment that is inclined with respect to a main plane of extent of the cladding panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a sectional image of a device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic partial view of a naval vessel with a device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(3) In the various figures, the same parts are always provided with the same designations, and are therefore in each case also generally only referred to or mentioned once.

(4) In FIG. 1, a schematic view of a sectional image of a device 1 for reducing the effective radar cross section (RCS) of a naval vessel 14 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is represented.

(5) The device 1 comprises a cladding panel 2, which takes the form of a rigid or semirigid sandwich panel. For this, the cladding panel 2 comprises two outer layers 3 of glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) and a core 4, which is arranged between the two outer layers 3. The core 4 comprises a foam core, preferably a polyurethane foam (PU). The composite of the outer layers 3 with the foam core provides the cladding panel 2 with a high load-bearing capacity and great stiffness, with at the same time very low weight. Moreover, the cladding panel 2 is permeable to radar beams 6, so that no appreciable radar echo emanates from the planar surface of the cladding panel 2, which extends along a main plane of extent 7.

(6) The cladding panel 2 is intended to be mounted on vessel superstructures (17) of the naval vessel 14 or on cargo (18) that is transported on the deck of the naval vessel 14, in order to reduce their effective radar cross section (RCS) (see FIG. 2). The low weight of the cladding panel 2 considerably facilitates mounting. Being formed as a panel also makes easy mounting or retrofitting on planar surfaces possible. Securement on mounting openings, flaps or in niches can also be achieved. The smooth surface of the cladding panel 2 also allows a coating or colouring of the cladding panel 2 that is adapted to the conventional visual appearance of a naval vessel 14. In this way, the cladding panel 2 can for example be made marine grey.

(7) The cladding panel 2 also comprises a reflection means 5, which is integrated or adhesively incorporated in the foam core 4. The reflection means 5 takes the form of a metal inlay, whereby radar beams 6 are reflected by the reflection means 5. The reflection means 5 takes the form of a sawtooth profile or is stepped, so that the surface subregions of the reflection means 5 are always inclined with respect to the main plane of extent 7 of the cladding panel 2. Alternatively, the reflection means 5 comprises a woven fabric (gauze) and/or a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic inlay (CRP).

(8) In order that the cladding panel 2 can nevertheless be made as thin as possible along a direction perpendicular to the main plane of extent 7, the reflection means 5 is made up of a plurality of first and second reflection slopes 8, 9, which are arranged alternately along a main direction of extent 10 of the reflection means 5 that is parallel to the main plane of extent 7. In this case, a first angle 11 is formed between the main plane of extent 7 and the first reflection slope 8 and a second angle 12 is formed between the main plane of extent 7 and the second reflection slope 9, the first angle 11 always being smaller than the second angle 12. Furthermore, the area of the second reflection slope 9 is always smaller than the area of the first reflection slope 8.

(9) The reflection slopes 8, 9, inclined with respect to the main plane of extent 7, ensure that radar beams 6 that are incident on the reflection means 5 along a direction of incidence that is substantially perpendicular to the main plane of extent 7 are reflected by the reflection means 5 in a direction of reflection that deviates from the antiparallel direction of incidence. In other words: radar beams 6 that are emitted from a radar source 13 and are incident perpendicularly on the cladding panel 2 are not reflected frontally back to the radar source 13, but are deflected by the reflection means 5 in other spatial directions with directional components parallel to the main plane of extent 7. This has the advantage that a radar set connected to the radar sources 13 receives a smaller radar echo, and radar detection of the naval vessel 14 provided with the device 1 according to the disclosure is made more difficult. The effective radar cross section (RCS) of the naval vessel 14 is therefore reduced considerably.

(10) In FIG. 2, a schematic partial view of a naval vessel 14 with a device 1 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is represented. The device 1 corresponds to the device 1 explained above on the basis of FIG. 1 for reducing the effective radar cross section (RCS) of a naval vessel 14.

(11) In the present example, part of the vessel hull 15 and the deck 16 of the naval vessel 14 are shown. The cladding panels 2 are in this case mounted on vertical areas of vessel superstructures 17 and cargo 18 secured on the deck 16 in order not to reflect the incident radar beams from radar sources 13 of other vessels back in the direction of these radar sources 13, but to send them in other spatial directions, and consequently make radar detection of the naval vessel 14 more difficult.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

(12) 1 Device

(13) 2 Cladding panel

(14) 3 Outer layer

(15) 4 Core

(16) 5 Reflection means

(17) 6 Radar beams

(18) 7 Main plane of extent

(19) 8 First reflection slope

(20) 9 Second reflection slope

(21) 10 Main direction of extent

(22) 11 First angle

(23) 12 Second angle

(24) 13 Radar source

(25) 14 Naval vessel

(26) 15 Vessel hull

(27) 16 Deck

(28) 17 Superstructures

(29) 18 Cargo

(30) 19 Waterline