In recent months it has become clear the fundamental role played by radar systems and electronic warfare in modern conflicts. News from China indicates that scientists there have taken a significant step in developing new Technological solutions designed to defeat the defenses of US F-35 fighters, considered among the most advanced in the world in terms of stealth and avionics.
The weapon developed in China represents a transformation in electronic warfare, using 6G's own capabilities to perform interference, communication, and spectrum analysis tasks from a single, compact system. Unlike traditional mechanisms, which must decide between blocking signals or communicating, this Chinese advancement achieves both functions simultaneously, thanks to the so-called full-duplex communication on the same frequency, without compromising the integrity of the transmissions or the effectiveness of the blocking.
A photonic solution for the war of the future
The key to this system is in its three-dimensional photonic processor and microwave architecture, which replace conventional electronic components by using light for signal processing. This approach allows for greater bandwidth and speed, facilitating jamming of multiple targets and generating over 3.600 false targets per attack, even against modern radars such as the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-85 on the F-35, which operate in the demanding X-band.
In addition, the tool integrates a dual-polarization IQ modulator and an active fiber optic storage system This allows the creation of phantom targets with microsecond time precision. Its ability to dynamically shift frequencies and saturate enemy sensors significantly increases the difficulty for enemy pilots in identifying real threats during a mission.
Data transmission and adaptability on the battlefield
Beyond interference, the system highlighted by Chinese researchers It also provides a powerful communications center, capable of moving large volumes of information to more than 300 ground platforms simultaneously, using fiber optic infrastructure. This approach, much more efficient and simpler than traditional electronic architecture, allows for both real-time force coordination and the use of technology in civilian applications in peacetime.
Contrary to the Western tendency to rely on bulky and expensive platforms, they allow for massive and flexible deployment, adapting to both war contexts and dual situations.
What does this mean for the F-35 and military doctrine?
The emergence of this technology implies New challenges in traditional air defense. The ability to fool and block the most advanced radars makes the F-35 and similar systems vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated electronic warfare actions. With this development, China anticipates the rise of electromagnetic warfare as an autonomous domain, placing it on the same level as space or cyberspace as key areas for military supremacy.
Future battles will not only be decided by the deployment of physical weapons, but by the control and manipulation of the electromagnetic spectrum, where the domain of the 6G photonic technology can tip the balance.
China's push to develop this technological arsenal is redefining the balance of power in the global arena. Technologies like the one presented, capable of integrate communications, analysis, and interference into a single platform, clearly show how innovation in the field of 6G transcends civilian boundaries and promises to change the course of future armed conflicts.