Sir,
I have a question. What happens if two stealth aircrafts face off each other? Like let's say J 20 faces off with F 22 or the PAK-FA against the F 22 over South China sea? they both detect each other at 20 kms and both are flying in air-superiority configuration....at that time what will happen?
And does F 22 have an IRST like the PAK-FA (something in lines of OLS-35)?
Assuming both are of equal RCS? Then it depends on who is the better pilot with the better radar because during maneuvers, an aircraft's RCS will changes with respect to the seeking radar. The system with the quickest response to when it sees the largest RCS return and the pilot with the quickest response to take advantage of his technical superiority -- winner.
But it is safer to assume that both the J-20 and the PAK-FA will
NOT be the F-22's equal in terms of RCS, unless we are talking about looking directly from atop or below, then
EVERYBODY, from the F-22 to the B-52, will be glaring.
The general rule is...In radar detection, a difference of 10dB equals to a difference of 50% in effective detection distance. In other words, if initially A and B are detectable at 100 km and A did <something> to reduce its RCS by 10dB
COMPARED to B, then A will be detected at 50 km. Or if B did <something> to increase its RCS by 10dB
COMPARED to A, then B will be detected at 150 km.
Let us be
very
generous and say that the J-20 is 2dB greater than the F-22. Or that the F-22 is 2dB less than the J-20. Depends on how you want to look at them. But the essence is that there is a 2dB difference in RCS between the two aircrafts.
First you need to read our former F-15 pilot's explanation of air combat tactic as he once lived...
http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...-tactics-combat-formations-5.html#post1502645
http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...-31-fighter-contract-syria-2.html#post1255243
So instead of a 'wall of Eagles' we have a 'wall of Raptors' spread out over a span of several kms.
Now you need to understand something called 'radar resolution cell'...
Definition: radar resolution cell
The volume of space that is occupied by a radar pulse and that is determined by the pulse duration and the horizontal and vertical beamwidths of the transmitting radar. Note: The radar cannot distinguish between two separate objects that lie within the same resolution cell.
What we have is a spread of Raptors with very capable radars using very tight beams in LPI mode looking at one or more 'stealth' targets in different aspect angles and the Raptors are communicating with each other over secured channels. The greater the angular differences between these seeking radars looking at a target the greater the diversity of RCS values they will see
OF THE SAME TARGET.
Giving the J-20 a 2dB difference to the F-22 is well within statistical generosity where we say the two items are essentially the same. But we are talking about situations where lives are at stakes and the difference of a few meters or a few troops or a few tanks or even a few bullets have made or break many combat situations.
Outside of cyber warfare, it is difficult to think of any arena where technical advantages matters more, in the fight for superiority, than in the air. And it is equally difficult to think of any combat arena where we depends so much on the individuals, whether alone or in concert with each other, to get that supremacy, than in air combat. Combine the two: technical advantages and persistent high quality training to exploit those technical advantages and we have a better than average odds of victory in any potential war.