Quantum radars detect what’s invisible to regular radars

 

Dr. Ahmed Bassyouni has research works and presentations on Photonic Microwave and Entangled Photonic Quantum Radars from 2001 to 2010. His pioneer work has globally inspired scientists and engineers to achieve patents and great progress in the field, such as a relevant that patent has been granted to Lockheed Martin in 2008.

Dr. Bassyouni's paper in the IASTED radar conference of Cambridge MA, USA in 2010 has presented a new radar system based on the concept of quantum entanglement property termed by Albert Einstein as a spooky action at a distance.  The predicted Entangled Photonic Radar (EPR) System employs the non-classic strong correlation of the quantum states of two entangled photonic beams over radar range. Here, a block diagram of the EPR system is presented, which includes high power signal and idler entangled photonic beams generator. The signal beam is transmitted via the antenna towards the target and the idler beam is detected directly into the idler detector array that carries the quantum states changes of the radar signal beam simultaneously before the echo arrival. The returned signal from the target is detected by the signal detector array. The output information of idler and signal detectors are applied to the coincidence estimator to be processed to characterize the target parameters and its clear image. The EPR system diagrams and analytical method are presented. The developed efficient detection devices for different quantum states may lead to a significant radar resolution in displaying the target image and location as soon as the beam impinges the target. This system will overcome many of drawbacks of the classic radars.
 

Quantum physics says that if you create a pair of entangled photons by splitting the original photon with a crystal, a change to one entangled photon will immediately affect its twin, regardless of the distance between them.
 

The theoretical basis of the quantum radar is that an object will change its quantum properties after receiving photonic signals. The quantum radar can easily detect stealth aircraft and is highly resistant to becoming jammed. Military experts have stated that once a stealth aircraft is located by the radar, it stands little chance to escape the strikes of air defense missiles. Quantum radars defeat stealth by using subatomic particles, not radio waves. Subatomic particles don't care if an object's shape was designed to reduce a traditional, radio wave-based radar signature. Quantum radar would also ignore traditional radar jamming and spoofing methods such as radio-wave radar jammers and chaff. 
 

China has announced the development of the Quantum Radar System in 2016. The radar can allegedly detect objects at range of up to100 miles. If true, this would greatly diminish the value of so-called stealth aircraft, including the B-2 and F-22 Raptor fighter. The quantum radar system, generating a large number of entangled photon pairs and shooting one twin into the air, would be capable of receiving critical information about a target, including its shape, location, speed, temperature and even the chemical composition of its paint, from returning photons.
 

In the June 16, 2017, issue of Science, Yin et al. report setting a new quantum entanglement distance record of 1203 km.