New “invisibility” technology is being developed in the US that could have a number of military uses and possibly lead to the creation of a new breed of weapons – military aircraft,  tanks and warships unable to be detected by the enemy.

Information relating to the testing – carried out by scientists working at the University of California – has been published online by Nature magazine.

Bending Light

Nature’s coverage describes how these scientists have developed a material capable of bending light around 3-D objects, effectively making them become invisible.

The principle behind it is that - with the light not being absorbed or thrown back by the object - the person looking at it, rather than detect the object, instead sees light showing behind it.

Referring to the research’s future potential, Xiang Zhang – head scientist involved in the research – stated: "In the case of invisibility cloaks or shields, the material would need to curve light waves completely around the object like a river around a rock."

Stealth Technology

The principle is not the same as that of stealth technology. A fair number of modern combat aircraft employ stealth technology to some degree, but significantly so in the case of the (now retired) Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk (‘Stealth Fighter’) and the Northrop B-2 Spirit (‘Stealth Bomber’), as well as the ultra-hi-tech Boeing F-22 Raptor.  

Radar Profile

The aim with stealth aircraft is to use aerodynamic features to create a minimal radar profile. In terms of the F-117 Nighthawk, for example, its design features a number of dramatically-angled panels,           designed to radiate away the majority of what would normally show up on radar.

However, the aircraft, while essentially disguised/ cloaked, is not rendered entirely invisible – something which this new technology could have the potential to offer.

Before now, the technology developed by the US scientists could only be used to veil two-dimensional objects.

One of the bodies funding the research was the US Army Research Office.

Source – Armed Forces International’s US Correspondent

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