Stealth technology

An Amun-Ra class stealth frigate.

Stealth technologies are the various way in which ships and weapons platforms are built/coated to hide them from detection. Whilst no true stealth exists with anything being able to be detected if focused on, panels of certain materials, usually positioned at unusual angles with specialist coatings can be used to deflect radar and lidar waves that hits them. Active cooling systems are also necessary to any stealth ships to hide or reduce the ship's heat signature.

For ships however, this only works when the ship is running silent with its fusion drive deactivated and using only passive systems.

Materials used for stealth

• Black composite materials - These are often used for dedicated stealth ships, with it being able to absorb or reflect radar signals.
• Active cooling systems - Used to conceal the ship's detectable heat signature, able to reduce ambient temperature onboard a ship to match that of an asteroid or even that of background radiation.
• Coating paint - A paint-like substance that when painted over the hull of an existing ship greatly reduces surface reflections.

Events

• Books
• TV

A stealth ship destroyed the water hauler the Canterbury as it investigated a distress signal from the Martian freighter Scopuli .

After escaping Eros the crew of the Rocinante traced the location of where Julie Mao's shuttle came from to an asteroid. Here they found the stealth ship Anubis abandoned. Upon boarding and investigating a sample of the Protomolecule was found and taken. The ship was then destroyed by the Rocinante.

When it was discovered that those responsible for the Eros incident were located at Thoth Station in the Belt the Rocinante was launched towards it at high speed to get as close as possible before being detected. Upon detection, the Rocinante fired its drive and engaged two stealth ships that were defending the station. Both stealth ships were destroyed.

During the Siege of Laconia at least eight old stealth ships were a part of the resistance fleet. Although decades outdated with old stealth composites and internal heat sinks, they were still considered "not bad"

Then-UN Deputy Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala ordered the interrogation of captured OPA operative Heikki Sabong, smuggling stealth technology for a purpose ultimately unknown due to his eventual suicide. An Amun-Ra-class stealth frigate, the Anubis, laid an ambush for the water hauler Canterbury, destroying it with torpedoes. The frigate was completely undetected until it powered up and fired its salvo of nuclear missiles.

After secretly contacting Fred Johnson to see if he could provide her with any evidence of what was happening Chrisjen Avasarala received the coordinates of the Amun-Ra-class stealth frigate Osiris that had been knocked out by the Rocinante and had its logs scrubbed by the Outer Planets Alliance to hide evidence of the assault on Thoth Station. A spec-ops unit investigated the shipwreck and discovered that the crew on board were all employees of Protogen. The ship was then pushed into shipping lanes so as to let it be found publicly.

The MCRN Morrigan-class patrol destroyer, Shandian, was modified with stealth capabilities before investigating the Eros crater site on Venus, whilst also shadowing the UNS Arboghast. The research vessel did not see the MCRN ship until it made its presence known by having its pair of PDC turrets deployed.

Watchtower spy satellites at Earth were able to identify the location of two MCRN Stealth C ballistic missile platforms during the UN-MCR War. Using this, the United Nations determined the locations of the three other platforms that were prepared for a possible nuclear strike on Earth. Previously, the United Nations had never been able to detect them and used the opportunity to destroy all five simultaneously and the first strike capability of the MCR with it. Four were successfully destroyed before being able to launch any missiles, however, a brief delay in the final platform's destruction enabled one missile containing 20 nuclear warheads to be launched. This missile fired its warheads upon reaching Earth, of which one successfully detonated above South America.

Media

• Images
• Videos

Stealth Technology in The Expanse (TV)

Notes

• Although there are dedicated stealth ships built for this purpose, smaller non-stealth ships can be retrofitted/modified to include stealth technology. This has been shown in both the TV show with the books.
• Ships built at Laconia Station were shown to possess some stealth qualities due to their self-healing plate system.