Chinese researchers have proposed equipping air-to-air missiles with a high-sensitivity photon-counting lidar system capable of theoretically detecting the stealthy F-35 fighter jet from tens of kilometers away, according to a study published in September 2026.
Stealth aircraft are engineered to hide from radar, but they remain vulnerable to optical detection. A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Air-to-Air Missiles addressed this vulnerability by proposing a specialized optical tracking system for air-to-air missiles. Their findings, published in the journal Aero Webinar on September 18, 2026, detail a mathematical model for a compact lidar system designed to spot the American F-35C stealth fighter.
Single-Photon Lidar Increases Detection Sensitivity
Traditional radar transmits radio waves and listens for their reflection. Lidar operates on a similar principle but replaces radio waves with laser light pulses.
The proposed single-photon lidar system increases sensitivity to such an extreme degree that the device can register tiny handfuls of individual light particles returning from a target.
Solar Interference Reduces Daytime Detection Range
Through computer simulations, the researchers calculated the theoretical detection ranges for the system against the F-35C under varying lighting conditions.
In ideal dark environments at night, the mathematical model suggests the sensor could spot the aircraft from up to 61.5 kilometers away. During daylight hours, however, that maximum detection distance drops sharply to approximately 27.7 kilometers.
The steep performance drop between night and day comes down to solar interference. While the detector attempts to isolate a few photons bouncing off the aircraft, daytime operations force the sensor to sift through a massive flood of background photons scattered by the sun. Darkness removes that ambient clutter, making it significantly easier to isolate the returning laser signal.
Narrow Laser Beams Create Targeting Challenges
Despite the striking simulation figures, the concept has distinct operational hurdles. The study is strictly a computational model; no published evidence indicates that the lidar system has been built and tested on a physical missile against the targeted fighter jet.
A more fundamental obstacle involves the physical properties of laser beams. Because a laser beam is exceptionally narrow, knowing that a sensor can spot a target at 60 kilometers does not solve the problem of finding that target within a vast expanse of sky.
Military Developers Continue Refining Aircraft Countermeasures
Rather than rendering stealth obsolete, a successful implementation would add another layer to the enduring competition between low-observable aircraft design and advanced detection methods. Military developers will continue refining aircraft countermeasures, while researchers push forward with new optical missile seekers in an ongoing cycle.
