Chinese researchers have created a new communication system known as “telepathy” radar system that could allow military units to communicate without sending out any detectable signals. This new system uses smart surfaces and satellite radar to send messages secretly, blending into the natural electromagnetic environment.
For more than a century, radios have been at the center of military communication. From World War I to modern conflicts, soldiers have relied on electromagnetic waves to share information. But this comes with risks. Every radio transmission can be tracked, intercepted, and even used to target its sender.
A team from China’s Aerospace Information Research Institute, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says it has developed a way to communicate without revealing its position. The team, led by scientist Liu Kaiyu, shared their research in the Journal of Radars, where they explained how their system works.
The researchers designed a “smart surface” made of hundreds of programmable metamaterial tiles. These special tiles can switch their phase states between “on” and “off” when illuminated by satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), like China’s Gaofen-3.
When the SAR satellite beams hit the tiles, the system modulates the returning telepathy radar echoes by turning the tiles on or off. This process encodes messages directly into the radar reflections without actively sending any signals.
“This communication system works by scattering and modulating received SAR echoes, eliminating the need for active electromagnetic wave transmission,” the researchers wrote in their paper. “It ensures communication concealment and security while significantly reducing detection risks.”
An unnamed communications researcher in Beijing told the South China Morning Post, “This seems like telepathy radar, very different from existing communication methods. If validated, this could fundamentally reshape future battlefields.”
The system has been tested only in laboratory settings. The team reported that their method could achieve data transmission rates of up to 127 kilobits per second, similar to NATO’s Link 16 network.
They also developed adaptive algorithms that improved the signal-to-noise ratio by 300 percent, allowing their system to work even in environments with a lot of interference, like cities or at sea. Additional features, such as inertial sensors and autofocus software, helped counteract movement, like a ship rocking in waves.
The system underwent simulations of Sea State 4 conditions. These conditions represent moderate sea waves. The system kept its bit error rate at just 0.77 percent. It also kept radar image degradation below 10 percent. These results show that the technology could remain reliable even in real-world situations.
If successful in field tests, this silent communication system could change how military forces operate in electronic warfare. It would allow tanks, ships, and aircraft to send and receive data while remaining completely radio silent. This means they would be invisible to enemy surveillance systems that search for radio signals.
“This is a breakthrough if it works outside the lab,” said the anonymous researcher. “It’s like soldiers talking to each other with their minds. No emissions. No interception. That would be a nightmare for any opposing force.”
While the system shows promise, experts note that no one has yet tested it in the field. Real-world conditions, such as extreme weather, unexpected satellite interference, or battlefield noise, could present new challenges. The next phase of development will likely involve extensive outdoor testing with moving military vehicles and under different environmental conditions.
If China can successfully deploy this system, it could force rival militaries to rethink their electronic warfare strategies. Traditional methods of detecting and jamming radio signals would no longer work against units using this technology.
