ISNE Bélos

ISNE Bélos
Belos in prototype camouflage
Role	air superiority/multirole fighter
National origin	Willink
Manufacturer	Institoúto Stratigikón Naftikón Erevnó
First flight	7 June 2021
Introduction	Q2 2025
Status	In development
Primary user	Willink
Produced	2025-
Number built	12

The ISNE Bélos is a sixth-generation air superiority fighter, electronic warfare, and SIGINT platform in development by Willinkian defense contractor Institoúto Stratigikón Naftikón Erevnó. The Bélos is designed to replace aging fourth-generation aircraft (the Questarian Dauntless and Shrike), augment the 4.5 generation single seat Bantam, as well as replace the F/A-77 Kovas (Havenfighter) as the primary air dominance fighter in Willinkian use; the latter is to be adapted to a multirole/strike role. Initially conceptualized in 2014 as ISNE worked on missile block and cockpit support system updates for the Kovas, the Bélos undertook its first flight in 2021, and is scheduled to reach initial operation in early 2025. In air defense, the Bélos is intended to out-class its regional competitors such as the Project 352 Nukefighter, Supermarine Sea Kestrel (Libertyfighter), and F-23 Helios (Setofighter). The versatility of the platform later caused an expansion of design goals to include replacing all existing electronic warfare and signals intelligence platforms currently in service.

Development

ISNE, under its anglicized trade name Strategic Naval Research Institute was a development partner with ARES Group on the F/A-77 Kovas, also known as the Havenfighter. Tasked with cockpit support systems and weapon system integration generally, ISNE was one of two Willinkian manufacturers involved with the project alongside Gloucester Aviation. Further, in Willinkian examples of the aircraft, ISNE took on a greater role in systems integration, translation of software into native Willinkian, as well as designing a large percentage of the dedicated missile platforms carried by the plane in Willinkian service. Thereafter, it maintained an important localized role in maintenance and service upgrades, having close access to the production process, as well as test-bed aircraft to prototype and integrate new systems. In 2014, amid system upgrades intended to integrate the new Cheiron Block II SRAAM, ISNE started conceptualizing a successor craft to the Kovas, based on feedback from Willinkian pilots operating the platform, as well as their own experience with the plane's electrical and cockpit management systems.

Generally, the Kovas is a highly regarded platform by pilots; capable of (arguably) best in class maneuverability, stability at both low and high speeds, a complex, effective, powerful sensor suit, and possessing high survivability. However, several persistent issues were identified: the modular dual-layer RAM system required frequent inspections and replacements, especially in harsh environments like naval operations; at speeds above Mach 1.5–1.8, the Kovas RAM and composite materials over its lifespan tended to degrade due to aerodynamic heating, reducing stealth performance; the Kovas struggled with heat dissipation due to its powerful radar and engine, leading to IR detection risks and operational inefficiency; and the Kovas skin panels were designed for specific operational wavelengths, limiting adaptability to emerging threats with different radar bands or advanced detection methods. Combat experience with the aircraft demonstrated that the diamond wing and large canards of the Kovas would exacerbate drag and airflow disruption at slow speeds, reducing stability in dogfights or low-speed engagements or at extreme angles of attack. Finally, over time, as systems were upgraded (e.g., avionics, sensors, weapons), the airframe's weight and radar cross-section (RCS) increased, negatively impacting its stealth profile and agility; the "future proofing" intrinsic to the design process of the Kovas was under increasing strain with improvements made in machine learning and computing power, stressing the power supply systems in an already complex, electrically demanding aircraft.

Design

Aerodynamics

The Bélos sought to improve lift-to-drag ratios while maintaining low observability, electing for a cranked-kite wing layout. The aircraft retains a similar rear layout to the Kovas, opting for a v-tail with "humped" engine integration into the fuselage. The Bélos mounts diamond-shaped canards as frontal control surfaces. This cranked-kite-v-tail-canard configuration was selected for its high AoA performance, excellent post-stall maneuvering, excellent yaw and pitch controls, and adaptability to both supersonic and subsonic regimes. At high speeds, the cranked-kite wing reduces wave drag, while at low speeds, canard-assisted vortex lift improves control and stability for landing or dogfighting. The combination of cranked-kite wings and canards ensures excellent longitudinal stability, even in scenarios where the aircraft's center of gravity shifts (e.g., as fuel is expended or weapons are deployed). The V-tail reduces cross-sectional drag while maintaining effective control authority for pitch and yaw, particularly important during high-speed flight. This configuration strikes a balance between stealth, maneuverability, and efficiency. Compared to other configurations, it offers superior multi-role performance by blending stealth optimization with aerodynamic versatility, enabling operations in high-threat environments against advanced radar and missile systems. The inclusion of canards and V-tail enhances agility and control, making it a more robust platform for high AoA and post-stall maneuvers. While it may not achieve the extreme stealth of a tailless design or the simplicity of a conventional wing-tail configuration, it is a well-rounded choice for scenarios demanding both survivability and dominance in contested airspaces.

The Bélos is set up in a configuration reminiscient of the Saab Viggen; its wings mounted nearly flush to the lower fuselage, minimizing the frontal radar cross-section (RCS) by reducing exposed edges and surfaces; above-wing engine intakes, mounted on the lower half of the fuselage and blended into the body line via a leading-edge extension; and canards mounted on the intakes above the wing. The loss of airflow beneath the aircraft, particularly during low-speed, high-angle-of-attack (AoA) conditions by the wing placement is mitigated by intake and canard placement generating vortex lift at high AoA. This layout blends stealth, high-AoA stability, better lift-to-drag ratios, and superior airflow control to the airframe.

Aerodynamically, the positioning of the engines and V-tail imposes specific challenges and opportunities. The "humped" engine integration creates a broader fuselage cross-section, which slightly increases drag, while also improving lift by contributing to the lifting body effect of the fuselage itself. Furthermore, the outward placement of the V-tail stabilizers enhances yaw and pitch stability by increasing the moment arm relative to the center of gravity. This configuration synergizes well with the diamond-shaped canards and cranked-kite wing, as the canards improve maneuverability and stability at high angles of attack, while the cranked-kite wing offers strong lift-to-drag ratios and low-speed stability. The V-tail's upward and outward angling also contributes to minimizing interference with the airflow over the wings and canards, ensuring smoother aerodynamics overall.

In terms of systems integration, the positioning of the V-tail and engines impacts the internal structure and layout of subsystems. The outward V-tail placement allows for more streamlined heat and airflow management around the engines, improving thermal dissipation and reducing the risk of thermal hotspots that could compromise stealth or operational efficiency. However, this arrangement requires precise engineering of control linkages and structural reinforcements to handle the aerodynamic loads transferred through the extended stabilizers during high-speed or high-G maneuvers.

Stealth

The Bélos employs a multimodal approach to stealth. Its cranked-kite airframe with frontal aspect optimization minimizes radar cross-section (RCS) while maintaining excellent aerodynamic efficiency. The V-tail and carefully blended canards are sculpted to reduce radar returns from all critical angles, leveraging anisotropic materials that scatter radar energy in controlled directions. Its contoured air intakes with boundary-layer diverters are seamlessly integrated into the fuselage, designed to reduce radar exposure while maintaining efficient airflow and minimizing turbulence. The airframe's leading-edge extensions and blended contours work in tandem with structural radar-absorbent material (RAM), ensuring broad-spectrum radar absorption across the X-, S-, C-, and Ku-bands.

The Bélos’ use of structural RAM, woven directly into the thermoplastic-polyamide composite skin, represents a generational leap in Willinkian stealth materials. Unlike traditional stealth coatings, prone to degradation under environmental or operational stress, the carbon-nanotube-based RAM is integral to the airframe itself, providing greater durability, thermal management capabilities, and broad-spectrum radar absorption. Anisotropic elements further enhance this capability, reducing scattering from exposed surfaces such as wing leading edges, canards, and V-tails. Advanced thermal management subsystems, including metallic foam heat exchangers and loop heat pipes, dissipate heat generated by radar absorption and high-speed flight, preserving the aircraft’s thermal signature and reducing infrared visibility.

From a subsystem perspective, the Bélos incorporates active electronic countermeasures (ECM) that exploit advanced signal processing to detect, jam, or deceive enemy radars. Paired with its stealth-optimized propulsion system, including variable-cycle engines with thrust vectoring, the Bélos can operate at supercruise speeds without compromising stealth. The exhaust nozzles, integrated with plasma suppressors and advanced turbine cooling, minimize infrared and radar visibility while maintaining high thrust efficiency. Additionally, the Bélos’ mission systems and sensor suites are designed for low observability, employing stealthy apertures and emitters while ensuring robust situational awareness through data fusion and passive sensor arrays.

Materials

Material engineering was a prime interest in the project, given the experience with the RAM systems of the Kovas. The Bélos employs cutting-edge materials to ensure superior performance in the high-stress environments characteristic of modern aerial combat, prioritizing thermal management, structural integrity, and stealth. Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are integrated into high-heat regions, such as engine nozzles and leading edges, due to their exceptional heat resistance, low density, and durability at temperatures exceeding 1300°C. These materials outperform traditional aluminum-titanium alloys, which are prone to thermal fatigue, offering lightweight strength ideal for sustained supersonic operations.

The airframe and structural components rely on thermoplastic-polyamide composites (principally PEEK), reinforced with carbon fibers, to create lightweight yet tough skin panels. These composites, fabricated through additive manufacturing, enable the formation of monolithic, seamless panels that eliminate radar-reflective seams, fasteners, and joints while enhancing damage resistance and operational flexibility. Nanostructured titanium-aluminum alloys are selectively used in high-stress areas such as wing spars and fuselage frames, offering unparalleled strength-to-weight ratios and compatibility with surrounding materials, reducing fatigue under extreme aerodynamic loads.

To address the Bélos’ thermal signature and operational heat loads, an active thermal control system combines loop heat pipes and metallic foam heat exchangers. These systems ensure even heat distribution across the airframe, reducing infrared detectability while improving system reliability during prolonged supersonic or supercruise flight. High-temperature radar-absorbing coatings mitigate traditional stealth degradation caused by heat buildup, ensuring consistent low observability even under extreme conditions. Advanced coatings also offer multi-spectral absorption, targeting both radar and infrared frequencies, while resisting erosion and environmental wear.

The Bélos opts to incorporate structural radar-absorbent material (RAM) woven directly into the thermoplastic-polyamide composite skin of the aircraft, rather than being sprayed, painted, or affixed. By embedding carbon-nanotube-based RAM into the skin itself, the aircraft achieves an inherent radar-absorptive capability that eliminates the need for traditional external RAM coatings. This structural RAM exhibits broad-spectrum absorption, effectively countering radar systems operating across X-, S-, C-, and Ku-bands, as well as lower-frequency systems increasingly used in early warning applications. The carbon nanotubes, renowned for their exceptional conductivity and electromagnetic properties, are finely tuned to dissipate radar energy through magnetic and dielectric losses, converting it into heat. To manage this thermal load, the RAM incorporates heat-dissipating properties, leveraging the Bélos' thermal management system to disperse the heat uniformly, preventing hotspots that could compromise performance or stealth.

Additionally, anisotropic materials are strategically woven into the structural RAM at critical points, such as the leading edges of wings, canards, and intake lips, as well as the V-tail surfaces. These materials guide radar energy along controlled paths, redirecting it away from the emitter and preventing backscatter. This design significantly reduces the radar cross-section (RCS), particularly at oblique angles where scattering is most likely. Unlike traditional RAM coatings, which may degrade under environmental stressors or high speeds, the structural RAM is inherently bonded to the aircraft's skin, making it exceptionally durable and resistant to delamination, erosion, or wear caused by extreme temperatures, supersonic flight, or adverse weather conditions.

The benefits of this approach are manifold. First, the weight savings achieved by eliminating separate RAM coatings improve overall performance, including range, agility, and fuel efficiency. Second, the durability of structural RAM reduces maintenance demands, minimizing downtime and life-cycle costs compared to aircraft requiring frequent reapplication of external coatings. Third, the seamless integration of RAM into the Bélos’ skin ensures uniform stealth across the airframe, with no weak points susceptible to radar detection. The broad-spectrum absorption also allows the Bélos to remain stealthy in the face of modern multi-frequency radar systems, including advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and low-frequency over-the-horizon systems.

Powerplant

The Bélos is powered by twin variable-cycle engines, designated internally as the Xiphos-Aether Mk.IV propulsion system. This system outputs roughly 80,000 lbf of thrust. These engines represent the cutting edge of Willinkian aeronautical engineering, combining adaptive-bypass technology, fluidic thrust vectoring (FTV), transpiration cooling, and advanced materials such as nanostructured titanium-aluminum alloys and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Each subsystem is meticulously crafted to ensure the platform achieves superior stealth, agility, fuel efficiency, and durability under extreme conditions.

At the heart of the Xiphos-Aether Mk.IV engines lies an adaptive bypass system, permitting three operational cycles the engines can switch between: high-bypass for subsonic fuel efficiency, medium-bypass for transonic maneuvering, and low-bypass for supersonic thrust. This system enables the Bélos to supercruise—sustaining speeds of Mach 1.8–2.2 without afterburners—while maintaining fuel efficiency superior to legacy designs like the F-22’s Pratt & Whitney F119. The engine's bypass ducts are embedded with additively manufactured metallic foam heat exchangers, which efficiently dissipate thermal loads, allowing the engines to operate for extended periods without overheating. This subsystem is critical for enabling extended patrol missions, long-range interception roles, and survivability in contested environments where fuel and thermal management are paramount.

The combustion process is governed by a Staged Combustion Assembly (SCA), which utilizes rich-quench-lean (RQL) combustion techniques. This staged combustion process ensures complete and efficient fuel burn across a range of operational demands. During low-power settings, the system employs a lean mixture for fuel economy, while high-power settings rely on a richer burn to maximize thrust. The quench zone, located between the two combustion stages, rapidly cools the flame to minimize nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, a significant advantage in reducing the Bélos’ heat signature. The SCA is reinforced with CMCs, which provide heat resistance up to 1,800°C, ensuring durability and reliability under high thermal stresses during combat maneuvers or prolonged supersonic flight.

To manage extreme turbine temperatures, the engines employ a transpiration cooling system. This system uses micro-perforated turbine blades through which cool air flows, creating a protective boundary layer that prevents heat buildup. This cooling innovation extends the lifespan of critical engine components while supporting the Xiphos-Aether Mk.IV’s capability to sustain high-speed flight for extended durations. The rotor and stator assemblies of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) and high-pressure compressor (HPC) are constructed from nanostructured titanium-aluminum alloys. These materials provide exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, enabling the LPC and HPC to compress airflow with high efficiency, supporting the variable-bypass system’s adaptive needs.

The inlet ramps of the engines feature adaptive geometries that precisely control airflow to the compressors. These ramps adjust to compress air efficiently at supersonic speeds while minimizing shockwaves and turbulence. Their stealthy faceted design deflects radar energy away from detection systems, seamlessly integrating with the Bélos’ overall low-observable profile. During transonic and subsonic flight, the ramps optimize airflow to maintain efficiency, ensuring that the engines operate at peak performance across all flight regimes.

The Xiphos-Aether Mk.IV engines incorporate fluidic thrust vectoring (FTV) technology, eliminating the need for complex mechanical actuators that might compromise the Bélos’ stealth profile. The FTV system uses streams of compressed air injected strategically into the exhaust plume to redirect thrust. This allows the Bélos to achieve extreme agility at high angles of attack (AoA) and improves its ability to recover from stalls or execute complex post-stall maneuvers. The system is particularly advantageous during dogfights or evasive actions, offering unparalleled maneuverability while maintaining a smooth, stealthy profile. The rear nozzles are axisymmetric with stealth enhancements, incorporating serrated trailing edges and advanced coatings to minimize both radar and infrared signatures. The nozzles also feature variable-area geometries, allowing them to expand or contract based on thrust requirements. This adaptability not only improves propulsion efficiency during takeoff, supercruise, and combat but also enhances the engines’ ability to dissipate heat, reducing their thermal signature. The rear nozzles are coated with heat-resistant RAM materials, further enhancing their stealth capabilities by absorbing radar energy and minimizing reflective surfaces.

Compared to the Kovas, the Bélos benefits from superior efficiency at subsonic speeds, greater thrust at supersonic speeds, and extended endurance in loitering scenarios.

Avionics

The approach to the avionics of the Bélos represent a generational leap in systems engineering, leveraging ISNE's experience with the systems of the Kovas, Willinkian air to air combat experience against Parthia, Allanea, and Prestonia, as well as familiarity and interoperability with numerous technologically advanced platforms flown by Willinkian allies in Haven, Gholgoth, and Greater Dienestad. Whereas many of the aforementioned legacy platforms were engineered in the early 2000s, the Bélos is able to more effectively leverage emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence systems, advanced computation, and material and energy engineering to outclass all known existing avionics suites married to fighter aircraft.

Building on the work of Dat' Pizdy Aerospace on the ALRQ/R75 VIAESA mounted in the Havenfighter, ISNE developed a propriety ALRQ/R90 Multi-Band Advanced AESA System (MBAAS), named "Hagion Phos" (Willinkian: Ἅγιον Φῶς - "Holy Light"). This system is claimed to be the most advanced mounted to a fighter airframe in the known world, cost nearly 7 billion dollars USD to develop, and incorporates a host of revolutionary features, materials, and design elections. This system is designed not merely as an enhancement over existing active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems but as a transformative leap forward that redefines sensor-airframe integration, operational capability, and doctrinal flexibility. ISNE, in examining the landscape of aerial battlefields settled on an emphasis on "see first, shoot first"; engagements often occur at vast beyond visual range distances, and adversaries are able to employ massed fifth generation aerial units, multispectral electronic warfare, near-worldwide reconnaissance, and a multitude of sophisticated surface to air armaments, including hypersonic and direct energy weapons. Further, the friendly nation of No Endorse had experimented with exotic attempts to avoid the traditional problem of "active/passive" emissions with the Nukefighter, which influenced ISNE's design efforts with the Bélos.

Distributed Aperture Integration

Diverging significantly from traditional AESA radar systems that are typically modular and confined to the nose cone or specific radar housings, the ALRQ/R90 opts to radically employ distributed aperture integration; advancement in metamaterials and additive manufacturing permit the ALRQ/R90 to distribute its thousands of compact transmitter/receiver (T/R) modules across the aircraft's airframe and skin. This Dynamic Multi-Layered Array (DMLA) system represents a significant leap forward in radar architecture, leveraging cutting-edge advancements in material science, signal processing, and distributed aperture technology. The DMLA architecture consists of thousands of fully 3D-configurable T/R module arrays, integrated seamlessly across the airframe using distributed aperture configuration (DAC). These T/R nodes are built using micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and metamaterial waveguides, allowing for precise control over electromagnetic wave propagation and interaction. These modules are 3D-configurable, meaning they can dynamically adjust their orientation and beamforming characteristics to achieve optimal angular coverage in real time. MEMS actuators within each module enable fine-grained tuning of phase and amplitude, crucial for adaptive beamforming and interference nullification. The waveguides employ tunable metamaterials, which can dynamically alter their electromagnetic properties (e.g., refractive index, permittivity) to optimize signal transmission and reduce losses. This allows the system to manipulate radar waveforms with unprecedented precision, enhancing beam control and enabling capabilities like simultaneous multi-band operation and frequency hopping.

Each T/R node integrates multiple functional layers, including: primary emission/reception layers for handling radar signals; auxiliary EW layers for jamming, deception, and other countermeasures; and cooling layers that utilize microfluidics and graphene-enhanced materials to manage heat generated during high-power operations. The DMLA’s distributed design spreads these T/R nodes across the entire airframe, including the wings, fuselage, and tail. Nodes are arranged in a modular grid, which allows for redundancy and resilience—if one node is compromised, others can take over its function seamlessly.

The DMLA system is capable of performing a wide range of functions simultaneously, thanks to its adaptive beamforming and cognitive radar capabilities. AI-driven algorithms dynamically shape and steer radar beams in real time, allowing the system to track multiple targets, suppress interference, and perform simultaneous search-and-rescue (SAR) operations. 3D beamforming ensures true spherical coverage, eliminating the need for mechanical actuators. The ALRQ/R90 operates across VHF, UHF, L, S, C, X, Ku, and Ka bands, leveraging the DMLA's layered architecture to optimize each frequency band for specific tasks: VHF/L bands for anti-stealth operations, and Ku/Ka bands for high-resolution imaging and targeting. AI-optimized frequency modulation allows the radar to adapt its waveform characteristics to the target environment dynamically, improving resilience against jamming and deception. The ALRQ/90 utilizes "cognitive radar" systems; employing neural-network-based algorithms to analyze target movements, predict trajectories, and refine beam focus dynamically. Self-learning signature databases improve the radar’s ability to recognize and categorize targets without requiring prior manual tagging. In passive mode, the DMLA utilizes coherent passive location techniques, analyzing scattered RF energy to detect and track targets without emitting signals, enhancing stealth. Active mode integrates quantum signal processing (QSP) for improved signal-to-noise ratios and mitigation of interference.

This setup is revolutionary, in several respects: traditional towered designs are limited to directional coverage, requiring mechanical actuation or multiple arrays to achieve broader angular fields. The distributed aperture of the ALRQ/R90 provides true 360° spherical coverage, eliminating blind spots and ensuring comprehensive situational awareness. Existing towered arrays are single-point systems—if the tower is damaged, the radar loses functionality. The distributed design of the DMLA is inherently redundant, with thousands of nodes sharing the workload. This modularity ensures that the radar remains operational even in the face of physical or electronic damage. Distributed apertures enable simultaneous operation of multiple radar modes, including search, tracking, and electronic warfare, without requiring separate systems. The DMLA’s distributed nodes operate with lower individual power demands, spreading the thermal load and reducing cooling requirements. Distributed T/R modules are also easier to maintain and upgrade, as individual nodes can be replaced or enhanced without affecting the entire system.

The communication and coordination of distributed T/R modules across the airframe of the Bélos is achieved through a highly advanced interconnected data-sharing and signal-processing network. This network integrates high-bandwidth optical interconnects, photonics-based processing, and adaptive synchronization protocols to ensure seamless operation and dynamic task allocation. The distributed T/R modules communicate via an intricate web of fiber-optic connections embedded within the aircraft's structure. These connections enable ultra-high-speed, low-latency data transmission between nodes. Signal distribution relies on photonic waveguides to route radar and communication signals across the system. These waveguides provide near-instantaneous data sharing, critical for real-time beamforming and multi-mode operations. An Airborne Processing and Computational Unit (APCU) oversees the system's broader coordination. The APCU handles resource allocation, prioritization of tasks (e.g., radar, EW, or SIGINT), and ensures synchronization of T/R module operations. The APCU employs quantum processing cores for high-speed computation, enabling it to adapt dynamically to mission requirements.

While the APCU manages overarching system tasks, each T/R module incorporates local computational units (called Logothetis Nodes). These nodes handle basic signal processing, self-calibration, and localized beamforming tasks. This distributed intelligence framework ensures the radar can continue operating even if some modules are damaged or communications are disrupted. The system employs high-precision timing synchronization using GPS-independent atomic clock technology distributed throughout the airframe. This ensures all T/R modules remain phase-locked and can collaborate on tasks such as beam steering and interference cancellation. Phase alignment algorithms, managed by the APCU, dynamically adjust the relative timing and phase of transmitted and received signals across the array to optimize coherence and maximize performance. The T/R modules communicate real-time waveform data to ensure seamless multi-node operations, such as forming a single coherent radar beam or distributing multiple simultaneous beams for different functions (e.g., target tracking and jamming).

Advanced AI systems manage the real-time allocation of T/R modules for specific tasks, such as target tracking, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), or electronic warfare (EW). The AI continuously evaluates mission requirements, environmental conditions, and threat profiles to optimize how each T/R module contributes to the overall system performance. The AI uses predictive machine learning models to anticipate potential challenges, such as jamming attempts or evasive maneuvers by targets, adjusting T/R module behavior preemptively. A modular power grid, referred to as the Ekklision Grid ("Gathering Network"), connects all T/R modules to a centralized yet adaptive power management system. This grid ensures that power is allocated dynamically based on the operational demands of each module. Communication is augmented by the system’s phase-change heat transfer network and graphene-enhanced microfluidic cooling layers, which ensure that the increased heat generated by high-bandwidth communication and radar operations is dissipated efficiently.

All data exchanges between T/R modules and the APCU are protected using quantum-encrypted communication protocols, preventing interception or spoofing by adversaries. This ensures that even in contested electromagnetic environments, the system's distributed architecture remains resilient and secure. The T/R modules communicate over adaptive, frequency-hopping channels that shift in real time to avoid interference or jamming attempts. The application of tunable metamaterial layers and AI-driven frequency modulation in the ALRQ/R90 enables unprecedented adaptability for truly multi-spectral operation across the electromagnetic spectrum. This is a significant leap forward from traditional phased array radar systems, which are typically limited in their ability to adapt dynamically across multiple spectral bands.

The ALRQ/R75, while extremely powerful, suffered from high active radiation emissions that made the aircraft more detectable in contested environments. The ALRQ/R90 addresses these issues through several innovations: by distributing T/R modules across the airframe, the ALRQ/R90 spreads the energy output over a larger area, significantly reducing the power density and overall electromagnetic signature of the system. The ALRQ/R90 integrates passive radar techniques to leverage existing RF energy in the environment (e.g., civilian or military broadcasts) for detection and tracking, reducing the need for active emissions. This includes Passive Coherent Location (PCL), where the system analyzes scattered RF signals from other sources, allowing it to operate in a photonically silent mode. Each T/R module operates independently with adaptive power scaling, ensuring that only the necessary nodes are active at any given time and at the minimum power required for effective operation. The system employs real-time null steering, where the radar beam is shaped to minimize side lobes and focus energy only on the target direction. This drastically reduces unintended emissions, further masking the system’s activity from enemy sensors. Finally, the airframe’s tunable metamaterial layers can absorb or redirect stray radiation from active T/R nodes, ensuring that unnecessary emissions are minimized. This creates a cleaner, more directed output signal with reduced side effects.

The distributed, low-emission nature of the ALRQ/R90 enhances the low-observability profile of the Bélos; adversaries will find it significantly more difficult to detect, locate, or jam the radar, versus extant systems. Spreading emissions across a distributed array also reduces interference and clutter, resulting in cleaner radar returns and enhanced detection capability. The ALRQ/R90's ability to emit low-power, distributed signals makes it more resistant to enemy jamming and anti-radiation missile targeting, which rely on detecting concentrated radar emissions. With AI-driven power management and distributed energy demands, the system consumes significantly less power than its predecessor while achieving far greater coverage and performance. In essence, the ALRQ/R90 turns the entire Bélos airframe into a sensor network, achieving unparalleled adaptability, emission control, and operational flexibility. These advancements directly address the emission challenges of the ALRQ/R75, making the ALRQ/R90 not only more powerful but also stealthier and more resilient in highly contested environments.

Cognitive Radar

The ALRQ/R90 is thought to be the first AESA system to employ cognitive radar capabilities, integrating machine intelligence, quantum-enhanced processing, and electromagnetic innovations. These capabilities enable the system to autonomously adapt to dynamic environments, analyze targets, and counter threats in real time. The advanced cognitive systems not only eliminate the need for a dedicated weapons/systems officer (as present on the Kovas) but also allow for a smaller radar cross-section (RCS) by enabling the airframe to be optimized for stealth, without compromising operational functionality. While airframes such as the Macabéan Lu-45 Hawk employed a supercomputer to perform computations, the Bélos demands massive parallel computation and ultra-high-speed signal processing, dwarfing extant data management systems mounted on fighter aircraft, performing computations at an estimated at 50–100 trillion operations per second (TeraOPS) or 50,000–100,000 BOPS. This incredible processing power allows the ALRQ/R90 to perform real-time, adaptive EW tasks, maximize survivability in contested environments, and dominate the electronic battlespace.

The ALRQ/R90 employs AI-driven beamforming algorithms to optimize the shape and direction of the radar beam in real time. Using data from the radar's distributed aperture, the system adjusts: phase, synchronizing the phase of radar waves emitted from multiple T/R modules to focus energy on specific targets or areas; amplitude, dynamically altering the power distribution among T/R modules to prioritize specific scan zones or threat vectors; and frequency, adjusting the wavelength of the radar beam to maximize resolution, range, or penetration, depending on the operational requirements. Tunable metamaterials surrounding the T/R nodes further enhance beam control by dynamically altering electromagnetic properties to suppress side lobes and direct energy precisely. This setup provides higher resolution targeting and tracking of fast-moving or stealthy objects, efficient energy use, minimizing emissions and power draw, and flexibility to scan multiple targets simultaneously or to focus on a single high-priority threat.

The ALRQ/R90 is capable of real-time interference nullification, and features machine learning (ML) algorithms trained on a vast library of jamming techniques and environmental noise patterns. It can: detect and identify interference sources, including barrage jamming, spot jamming, and deceptive jamming; adaptively adjust its operating frequency, waveform, and phase relationships to nullify interference signals; and utilize null steering, directing electromagnetic "nulls" toward the jamming source to cancel out its effect while maintaining target tracking. Metamaterial waveguides play a crucial role by dynamically filtering unwanted electromagnetic noise, allowing the radar to remain operational in heavily contested environments.

Using neural-network-based predictive algorithms, the ALRQ/R90 anticipates the future positions and movements of targets based on signature data collected from past engagements, information gathered from the radar's high-resolution scans, and kinematic modeling of target velocity, acceleration, and trajectory. The system autonomously adjusts its beam focus and waveform characteristics to maintain continuous tracking, even against maneuvering or low-observable targets.

The ALRQ/R90 leverages quantum signal processing, evolutionizing radar data management by leveraging quantum computation to enhance signal processing, particularly in environments with high noise levels or complex signal returns. QSP uses quantum superposition to encode multiple radar pulse returns into fewer qubits, significantly reducing the size of raw data without losing fidelity. Through quantum entanglement, the system processes these compressed signals simultaneously, rather than sequentially, achieving faster analysis speeds. Compressed data maintains high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) by preserving critical information while discarding irrelevant noise. QSP exploits quantum decoherence effects to separate useful signal data from background clutter and adversarial jamming. This provides exceptionally clean returns, enabling accurate identification of stealthy or partially obscured targets. QSP enables real-time adjustments to radar pulse shape and duration to extract additional details from reflected signals. This supports advanced imaging modes like 3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and micro-Doppler processing, which reveal fine details such as the rotation of an aircraft's propellers or the gait of a moving ground target. Quantum-processed radar returns are fed directly into the radar’s AI systems, allowing the radar to learn from each scan and adapt its waveforms and detection algorithms autonomously. This system provides vastly improved radar resolution and clarity, even at extreme ranges, greater resilience to noise and jamming, ensuring reliable data in contested environments, and reduced computational overhead for signal processing, freeing resources for other systems.

Passive Coherent Location

While the Nukefighter had experimented in its "Silent Stalker" configuration with foregoing radar and operating solely with IRST in 2010, the ALRQ/R90 represents a breakthrough system in passive coherent location and photonically silent detection architecture, overcoming the traditional limitations of active and passive sensing while providing unparalleled situational awareness. The ALRQ/90 PCL system exploits ambient electromagnetic radiation (e.g., commercial radio, television broadcasts, GPS signals, communication satellites, or even hostile radar emissions) to detect and track targets without actively emitting signals. By analyzing the distortions caused by moving objects in these signals (via Doppler shift and signal path variations), the ALRQ/R90 can identify and track airborne, maritime, and ground targets. The ALRQ/R90’s distributed T/R nodes embedded across the airframe allow for precise time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) and frequency-difference-of-arrival (FDOA) calculations. These enable the system to triangulate target positions with extreme accuracy, even when the target is operating in a stealthy, low-RCS mode. The PCL system integrates multi-band inputs from external sources (e.g., RF, L-band, infrared, and ultraviolet), fusing them with data from the aircraft’s own EOTS and other sensors. This provides a coherent and highly detailed picture of the battlespace, even without emitting radar pulses.

The ALRQ/R90 employs QSP to analyze minuscule variations in the phase and amplitude of received ambient signals. QSP ensures greater sensitivity and precision than traditional signal processing techniques, allowing for detection of low-RCS targets without exposing the aircraft’s position. The ALRQ/R90 utilizes advanced metamaterials that suppress electromagnetic backscatter, ensuring the system itself does not emit detectable RF noise, while also enabling adaptive wavefront shaping, allowing the system to selectively amplify or suppress incoming signals to enhance resolution or nullify interference. Nano-photonic arrays within the sensor architecture process light-based emissions (e.g., IR and UV spectrums) with extreme precision, complementing RF-based detection methods. The use of low-loss dielectric materials, plasmonic waveguides, and quantum-coherent superlattices allows for efficient signal absorption while maintaining low thermal and RF emissions, and high durability in operational environments without compromising electromagnetic stealth. Traditional passive systems are limited by their reliance on the availability of external emissions (e.g., enemy radars, ground-based transmitters). The ALRQ/R90 addresses this by leveraging a wide spectrum of ambient signals (radio, GPS, satellite uplinks) and combining them with multi-spectral optical sensors to maintain comprehensive situational awareness even in low-EM environments (e.g., adversary-imposed radio silence). With the ALRQ/R90 acting as a multi-sensor node that passively detects and shares battlefield information, the need for large, high-RCS AWACS platforms is be reduced, especially in high-threat environments.

The ALRQ/R90's fusion of active and passive data ensures it can maintain a full picture of the battlespace, leveraging passive observations to optimize active sensor use when required: when operating passively, the ALRQ/R90 monitors adversary emissions without transmitting, making it nearly undetectable by enemy electronic support measures (ESM); in contested or non-permissive environments, the ALRQ/R90 can engage its active sensors, including DRFM-enhanced radar emissions, to gain comprehensive situational awareness or countermeasure capabilities.

Electronic Warfare and Signals Intelligence

The ALRQ/R90's electronic warfare (EW) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities are highly advanced, leveraging cutting-edge hardware, quantum signal processing, and material engineering to provide a multi-functional, adaptive platform capable of dominating the electromagnetic spectrum in contested battlespaces. The ALRQ/R90 employs Dynamic EW Interleaving (DEWI), which seamlessly integrates and alternates between multiple electronic warfare functions in real time without performance degradation or revealing its presence. This is achieved through advanced signal management algorithms, AI-driven threat analysis, and distributed processing capabilities. The ALRQ/R90 can conduct jamming, deception, and SIGINT operations concurrently, dynamically prioritizing tasks based on the tactical environment (e.g., suppressing enemy radar while collecting SIGINT from communication nodes). AI algorithms constantly monitor the electromagnetic environment and allocate resources (e.g., bandwidth, power, and frequency usage) to maintain effective EW coverage while minimizing emissions. All signals emitted by the ALRQ/R90 are phase-matched and frequency-agile, ensuring precise synchronization for jamming, deception, and countermeasure deployment. During a high-threat engagement, the ALRQ/R90 alternates between targeted radar jamming, missile spoofing, and enemy communication interception without needing distinct operational phases. This reduces reaction time and increases the probability of mission success.

The ALRQ/R90 permits a flight of Bélos aircraft to engage in distributed jamming, leveraging the sensor-airframe integration and networked capabilities of multiple ALRQ/R90-equipped platforms to create a coherent, distributed electromagnetic attack. Multiple aircraft work together to emit jamming signals in a highly focused, phase-aligned manner, concentrating energy on specific targets such as enemy radars or data links. This reduces energy wastage and increases jamming effectiveness. The system can generate wideband noise to saturate enemy radar and communication channels, degrading their ability to coordinate or detect threats. Distributed jamming can target specific radars or nodes within a network, exploiting vulnerabilities to blind adversaries or disrupt command and control. A flight of Bélos aircraft can act as a distributed EW platform, performing the role of a dedicated jammer while remaining combat-capable, while eliminating the need for dedicated EW aircraft.

The ALRQ/R90 employs Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) to deceive enemy radars and missile seekers. This is a highly advanced form of deception, capable of replicating and manipulating radar signals with extreme precision. This system employs wideband receivers embedded into the airframe, utilizing the same distributed aperture concept as the ALRQ/90’s radar and electronic warfare systems. Receivers use metamaterials designed to achieve high sensitivity across a broad frequency spectrum. These materials exhibit unique electromagnetic properties, such as negative refractive indices, allowing them to capture weak signals with exceptional fidelity. Advanced materials like graphene and carbon nanotubes are incorporated into the receiver elements. These materials provide ultra-low signal loss, high thermal conductivity for efficient heat dissipation, and lightweight construction for integration into the airframe without compromising performance. The receivers are coated with radar-absorbent materials (RAM), ensuring they do not act as reflective surfaces that could compromise the ALRQ/R90’s stealth profile. These receivers allow the system to listen across a broad portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, ensuring it can detect radar emissions from various systems, even those using advanced frequency-hopping or low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) techniques. Incoming radar signals are rapidly digitized with minimal distortion. The ALRQ/R90’s Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) operate at ultra-high sampling rates, capturing fine-grained details of the radar signal, including its phase, amplitude, and frequency characteristics. Advanced algorithms employ adaptive filtering to distinguish radar signals from background noise or clutter. These filters are dynamically adjusted in real-time to isolate radar emissions of interest, even in dense electromagnetic environments. The system leverages the structural RAM's embedded antenna arrays to ensure signal capture from multiple angles and directions. This distributed architecture allows the ALRQ/90 to monitor radar emissions without needing external hardware, improving stealth.

Once radar signals are captured, the DRFM system processes them using high-speed, high-resolution digital signal processors (DSPs). This step is critical for creating deceptive countermeasures that mimic or distort the original signal. The system dissects the captured radar signal, analyzing its key characteristics such as frequency, pulse repetition interval (PRI), phase, polarization, and waveform type. AI-driven algorithms classify the signal against a library of known radar signatures, identifying the emitter (e.g., a specific radar model or platform). Using the information extracted during analysis, the system generates an exact digital replica of the original radar signal. This is done with ultra-high precision to ensure the replicated signal is indistinguishable from the original. The system can modify specific aspects of the signal to create desired effects, such as: generating false targets, introducing time delays or altering doppler shifts to create phantom echoes that appear at different ranges or velocities; amplifying parts of the signal to exaggerate the size or RCS of certain objects, making them appear more threatening; employ Range Gate Pull-Off (RGPO), gradually shifting the characteristics of the signal causing radar or missile seekers to lose track of the actual target and "pull off" toward a false target. This system can also alter the polarization of the transmitted signal to confuse radar systems that use polarization for filtering or target identification, as well as flood an enemy radar with noise or false returns, overwhelming its processing capabilities and degrading situational awareness.

3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and micro-Doppler processing

The ALRQ/R90 is a capable of advanced imaging modes like 3D Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and micro-Doppler processing by leveraging its QSP capabilities. Distributed T/R nodes are coordinated to function as a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), effectively creating an enormous, virtual radar array using the entire airframe. This approach maximizes resolution and focusing power, even at long ranges, by leveraging the spatial separation of nodes. Unlike traditional SAR, which generates high-resolution 2D images of the terrain or objects, 3D SAR produces volumetric reconstructions, allowing for precise height measurements in addition to latitude and longitude. This is achieved through multi-angle radar data acquisition. In practice, the ALRQ/R90’s active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs) rapidly steer radar beams to collect data from multiple perspectives. Multiple radar nodes distributed across the aircraft (e.g., wings, canards, and fuselage) employ interferometry to capture phase differences from reflected signals, enabling accurate height mapping. Algorithms adjust for the Bélos’ movement and turbulence to maintain imaging accuracy, even at supersonic speeds.

The Bélos’ airframe incorporates radar-absorbent material (RAM) that is selectively transparent to outbound radar frequencies. This allows radar waves to propagate unimpeded from embedded AESAs while maintaining low observability. These materials include composites infused with carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives, providing both structural integrity and low dielectric properties. Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based transmit/receive modules provide high power output and efficiency, crucial for maintaining long-range, high-resolution imaging. The radar’s quantum signal processors handle the massive computational demands of processing 3D SAR data in real time. Data fusion algorithms combine SAR images with data from other sensors, such as EO/IR and IRST, to enhance situational awareness. This system permits high-resolution target identification, distinguishing between vehicles, buildings, and natural terrain features with sub-meter accuracy, enables all-weather imaging, unaffected by cloud cover, darkness, or smoke, and provides utility for targeting ground installations and supporting precision-guided munitions.

Micro-Doppler processing identifies subtle movements, such as a rotor blade’s spin, a person walking, or vibrations from a vehicle engine. These movements induce micro-Doppler shifts in reflected radar signals, which are analyzed to extract information about the target’s physical and mechanical characteristics. Signal processing of this system employs time-frequency analysis: Short-time Fourier transforms (STFT) and wavelet transforms isolate micro-Doppler signatures from background noise, after which AI-driven models recognize specific micro-Doppler patterns (e.g., human gait, spinning UAV rotors) and classify targets accordingly. The ALRQ/R90’s AESA modules operate across multiple frequency bands, optimizing the radar’s sensitivity to micro-motions at varying ranges. Advanced low-noise amplifiers reduce signal degradation, enhancing detection in cluttered environments. Micro-Doppler data is fused with optical and thermal imaging to verify target identity, while micro-Doppler patterns can also assist in identifying the operating state of enemy radar systems or electronic devices.

IRST and EO/IR Systems

The Bélos employs an advanced multispectral IRST and EO/IR suite, fully integrated with the ALRQ/R90 system. These modules are designed to operate both as independent sensors and in tandem with the ALRQ/R90 for seamless data fusion and superior situational awareness. The IRST and EO/IR modules are mounted in a distributed configuration similar to the ALRQ/R90's TR nodes and DRFM receivers. These modules consist of optical domes and lenses, constructed of magnesium fluoride, coated with anti-reflective (AR) and stealth coatings to minimize detection and optimize sensitivity. The focal plane arrays utilize mercury cadmium telluride for mid-wave and long-wave IR (MWIR/LWIR) detection, ensuring high sensitivity to thermal emissions. Miniaturized stirling coolers are utilized to maintain optimal operating temperatures for the FPAs, ensuring maximum sensitivity to faint thermal signals. The sensor housings are made of carbon-fiber composites, balancing durability and weight. Internal components are shielded with radiation-hardened coatings to withstand electromagnetic interference (EMI) in contested environments.

In operation, the IRST modules detect the thermal signatures of objects, such as jet engine exhaust, missile plumes, or heated surfaces, without emitting detectable signals. These modules operate across MWIR (3-5 μm) and LWIR (8-12 μm) bands to optimize sensitivity under varying atmospheric conditions (e.g., day/night, humidity, and cloud cover). Distributed apertures on the Bélos (e.g., nose, fuselage sides, and tail) provide triangulated data for highly accurate angular localization. EO/IR modules incorporate visible light sensors (CCD arrays) for optical imaging and multi-spectral IR sensors for heat-based visualization. Mounted on stabilized gimbals, the EO/IR systems provide a wide field of view (FoV) and precise zoom capabilities.

The sensor fusion processor integrates EO/IR and IRST data with radar and electronic intelligence (ELINT) inputs, ensuring a comprehensive, multi-spectral operating picture. Algorithms then combine thermal and optical imaging with radar returns to cross-verify target classifications and improve confidence levels. The ALRQ/R90 uses machine learning models to dynamically optimize sensor tasking based on tactical needs, directing EO/IR to focus on radar-detected anomalies for visual confirmation, and utilizing IRST to detect and track heat-emitting targets that may evade radar (e.g., low-speed UAVs, stealth aircraft).

Tracking Capabilities

The architecture of the ALRQ/R90 yields the Bélos significant improvement in tracking capabilities over that of the Kovas. In airborne search, the system is capable of detecting 1 m² RCS targets at 450 km in active mode and 250 km in passive mode using passive coherent location techniques and photonically silent detection. For stealthier targets (e.g., 0.01 m² RCS), detection occurs at 100-120 km in active mode. The system can actively track up to 500 airborne targets simultaneously with precision, prioritizing and designating threats based on their velocity, size, and threat level using AI-driven algorithms. Employing sub-meter discrimination at long ranges, enabled by quantum signal processing (QSP) and adaptive beamforming, the system can distinguish individual aircraft in tight formations or differentiate aircraft from UAVs and missiles in complex airspaces.

In ground search, the system can track armored vehicles or stationary radar systems at 300-350 km, depending on terrain and target size. High-resolution ground mapping modes with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) provide photographic-quality imaging at 50 cm resolution, distinguishing individual vehicle classes or camouflaged installations. The system further exploits RF emissions from ground-based radars and communications at up to 500 km away, even in heavy electromagnetic clutter. Naval search functions are capable of detecting medium-sized vessels (1,000-ton above) at 400 km in active mode and smaller vessels at 200 km. Passive RF detection works up to 600 km, leveraging surface-reflected RF signals. The system can tracks up to 250 maritime targets in complex environments, including littoral zones, with real-time classification of vessel type and movement patterns.

Electrical and Thermal Management

Managing the immense thermal and electrical demands of the Bélos and its ALRQ/R90 sensor and electronic warfare suite requires a sophisticated combination of power generation, thermal management, and system integration technologies. The Bélos employs cutting-edge power generation technologies designed to deliver sustained electrical capacity without compromising flight performance: powered by the aircraft's main engines, the Bélos employs advanced variable-frequency generators that scale output as needed. Materials such as advanced silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors are used to improve efficiency and reduce weight compared to traditional systems. The airframe employs Integrated Starter-Generators (ISG), functioning as both a starter motor for the engines and a generator during flight. ISG technology reduces reliance on multiple electrical subsystems, streamlining power delivery. The airframe further incorporates high-capacity lithium-titanate batteries to buffer short-term power demands during high-load scenarios like full-spectrum jamming, ensuring power continuity during transient engine loads. The Bélos possesses a Modular Power Management Systems (PMS): this intelligent PMS dynamically allocates power to systems based on operational needs (e.g., prioritizing radar and EW during combat, reducing non-critical loads). Fault-tolerant architecture allows rerouting power to maintain system stability if one subsystem is damaged. Power generation is designed with 30-40% overhead capacity, allowing for upgrades to avionics and sensor systems without requiring a fundamental redesign of the electrical infrastructure.

The Bélos incorporates a suite of integrated thermal management technologies to dissipate heat efficiently and avoid degradation of sensitive systems. The avionics and ALRQ/R90 modules use an embedded liquid cooling network with advanced heat transfer fluids (e.g., nanofluid-based coolants). These systems transport heat away from critical components like processors, DRFM systems, and high-power amplifiers to heat exchangers integrated into the airframe. The aircraft employs active heat exchangers, integrated into non-critical structural areas such as the leading edges of wings and fuselage surfaces. Materials with high thermal conductivity, like graphene composites, disperse heat while minimizing radar signature. Heat is further absorbed by distributed heat sinks embedded in the structural RAM skin, which act as a passive thermal buffer, particularly during high-load operations. Sensitive avionics are separated from high-power systems, and their compartments are equipped with localized thermal management, such as thermoelectric cooling plates or vapor chamber heat spreaders. Excess heat is converted back into usable energy via thermoelectric generators (TEGs) integrated into the cooling systems, reducing the strain on primary power generation while enhancing overall system efficiency. Heat from the engines and avionics is routed into a cooled exhaust system with infrared suppression technology, minimizing the aircraft's infrared signature.

This novel system resolves persistent heat-emission issues with the Kovas' twin engines. First, the hot exhaust gases generated by the engines are routed through a series of advanced heat exchangers constructed from high-temperature alloys and ceramic composites. These materials are capable of withstanding extreme thermal loads while transferring heat away from the exhaust stream to specialized cooling fluids circulating in the aircraft’s liquid cooling system. The heat exchangers are embedded within the tail section and are strategically insulated to prevent the transfer of heat back into the airframe, ensuring structural integrity and stealth. Next, the cooled exhaust gases are directed into a bypass duct system integrated with the engine nozzles. This system mixes the hot exhaust gases with ambient air drawn from inlets located along the tail or fuselage. By introducing cooler air into the exhaust stream, the system significantly reduces the overall temperature of the gases expelled from the nozzles. The blending process is carefully controlled using variable geometry nozzles and air inlets, allowing for real-time adjustments based on flight conditions and operational demands. This mixing process also disrupts the characteristic shape and intensity of the heat plume, making it harder for IR sensors to detect and track. To further suppress the infrared signature, the exhaust nozzles are coated with infrared absorbent materials such as advanced ceramic-polymer composites. These coatings are optimized to absorb and dissipate residual thermal radiation before it can escape into the environment. Additionally, the nozzle shape and placement are engineered to minimize the direct line-of-sight exposure of hot engine components, further reducing the likelihood of detection by IR systems.

The entire system is tightly integrated with the aircraft’s broader thermal management network, allowing excess heat absorbed by the liquid cooling system to be routed to heat sinks or radiative surfaces embedded in the wings and fuselage. This disperses thermal energy across a larger area, preventing localized hotspots and enhancing overall heat dissipation efficiency. Some of this waste heat is also redirected to thermoelectric generators, where it is converted back into electrical power to reduce the strain on the aircraft’s power systems. In combat, this cooled exhaust system enables the Bélos to maintain its stealth profile even during high-thrust operations such as afterburner use or evasive maneuvers. By effectively masking its IR signature, the system enhances the aircraft’s survivability against infrared-guided threats, such as heat-seeking missiles or long-range IR tracking systems used by adversaries.