China claims that its new space-based radar can detect stealth jets, signaling a significant shift in global air power dynamics. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology developed the Ludi Tance No 1 (LT-1) system, which is defined as a dual-satellite radar arrangement capable of functioning constantly in any weather situations, according to Chinese news outlet SCMP.
It claims to identify even low-observable aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor and the upcoming B-21 Raider, which have long been regarded as the pinnacle of American stealth technology.
The LT-1 uses one satellite to produce radar pulses and another to receive the reflected signals, resulting in a bistatic radar configuration. This design enables the system to decrease background clutter that often obscures stealth aircraft, especially when reflections from the Earth’s surface distort readings.
The study team, led by Chen Junli, simulated a realistic detection scenario involving a stealth item with an effective radar cross-section (RCS) of around 10 square meters when detected from above. Under particular bistatic angles ranging from 30 to 130 degrees, the radar achieved its maximum sensitivity, reducing background noise even across turbulent or rough marine terrain.
The LT-1 radar system provides continuous coverage, unlike optical satellite sensors that rely on visible or infrared light and are weather-dependent.
The researchers’ solution addresses a key drawback of spaceborne radars: weak signal returns due to long-range reflection from small, low-RCS objects. They claim that by utilizing bistatic geometry, they may boost effective radar reflections at greater azimuth angles, hence improving the detectability of maneuvering stealth aircraft.
Since the LT-1’s deployment in 2022, China has expanded its radar satellite constellation and implemented a multi-domain approach to anti-stealth operations. The JY-27V ground-based radar system, announced in 2025, uses VHF bands and active electronically scanned arrays for long-range stealth detection.
Simultaneously, news of Chinese tests with quantum radar technology continue to emerge, indicating the potential for ultra-sensitive photon detection capable of exposing aircraft hidden behind radar-absorbent materials.
Additional study into the use of civilian satellite networks, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, for forward-scatter radar applications indicates that Beijing’s research ecosystem is examining every viable framework for long-term global monitoring.
Strategically, such improvements help China’s desire to decrease or eliminate the US stealth advantage, particularly in vital areas such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. If these systems become operational, they may pose a threat to American stealth assets, which are essential for air superiority and precision strikes.
Analysts believe that real-time radar cueing from spaceborne systems might interact with terrestrial air defenses and aerial early warning networks, significantly improving Chinese situational awareness.
Nonetheless, Western defense analysts remain skeptical about how these projections perform in war. Orbital geometry, radar power constraints, and data processing limitations can all make it difficult to consistently identify and track quickly moving stealth platforms.
While appreciating Chinese achievements, US Space Force officials warn that simulated success does not imply battlefield reliability. Until proven live experiments demonstrate continuous detection of stealth aircraft in complicated operating circumstances, assertions about making American stealth obsolete are essentially speculative.
