Researcher develops 'spray-on' stealth coating for drones

Turkish researcher Yunus İnce and his small defense firm have developed a sprayable radar absorbent material (RAM) called Kürşat 3.0, designed for drones and small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Cla... Read original →

If validated, Kürşat 3.0 could catalyze a paradigm shift in UAV stealth—from structural integration to surface-applied coatings—disrupting established RAM supply chains dominated by carbon nanotube or ferrite-based solutions from U.S. and EU firms. Its basalt-pumice formulation signals a strategic decoupling from controlled rare materials, pressuring upstream suppliers to innovate with non-restricted absorbers. Regulatory risks loom: spray-on delivery may skirt Wassenaar Arrangement controls by masquerading as commercial paint, triggering NATO concerns over gray-zone tech proliferation. In response, Israeli and American defense contractors will likely accelerate convergence of electronic warfare and stealth coating into integrated counter-stealth suites. Within 18 months, demand for low-RCS micro-drones will spur a modular stealth-kit market, forcing semiconductor players to enhance mmWave radar AI algorithms to detect such low-cost, high-effectiveness camouflage.