Abstract: The fourteen different plates with folded structure made of aluminium foil are designed; their radar cross section (RCS) is calculated using the electromagnetic numerical simulation software. The effect of geometric parameters on the RCS of the plates is investigated. The specimens of the fourteen different plates with different geometry are made from LFY aluminium foil. The RCS experiments of the plates are carried out in the anechoic chamber. The comparisons of experimental and simulation results indicate that simulation results are agreement with the experimental results. It is found that the RCS of the plates with folded structure is much lower than that of the common plates. In some cases, the reduction of the RCS can reach 20 dBsm. In conclusion, the plates with folded structure made of aluminium have good features in terms of manufacture, mass and cost. This kind of plates can be used as a covering structure for airfor aircraft components to reduce the RCS.

Key words: radar cross section, folded structure, sandwich plate, numerical calculation, experimental investigation