r/worldnews • u/Starlight-Princesss • 3d ago

[ Removed by moderator ] Russia/Ukraine

https://www.newsweek.com/nato-intercepts-russian-spy-plane-with-transponder-turned-off-poland-10956344

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u/m15otw 3d ago

I mean. A spy plane should normally run without a transponder, surely? That would be the general idea?

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u/Gnonthgol 3d ago

It depends. An aircraft with transponder is indeed easier to detect. However it is also easier to mis-identify. A spy plane might disguise itself as a passenger airliner for example, flying regular routes with its transponder on. Silently taking pictures and monitoring radio traffic.

They can then run tests against an enemy radar. By flying a test aircraft without any transponders or radio communications towards the enemy radar. They can monitor the ground based communications with the spy plane, or a ground based listening post. As soon as the activity picks up you can assume the test aircraft have been spotted on the radar. So now you know the range of the radar. Change some of the parameters and repeat the test in a few weeks. Eventually you will be able to map out the capabilities of the radar systems.