by Norio Hayakawa
September 17, 1999
 

ELECTROCHROMATIC PANELS

There are quite a number of new technologies being researched, developed and tested at various leading-edge defense contractor facilities, for example, at Groom Lake/AREA 51's highly compartmentalized, multi-faceted conglomerate complexes.

Besides a new generation of VTOL-based UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - remotely-controlled surveillance platforms, some of which may be disk-shaped), there are ongoing development and testing of electrochromatic panels as part of innovations relevant to "daytime-stealth" capabilities.

The electrochromatic panels are comprised of thousands of tiny sensors that function as video-cameras that take images of background sceneries, transferring them to the other panels on the other side of the aircraft. This gives the illusion that the aircraft is almost transparent. What the ground observer sees is whatever background images behind (or above) the body of the aircraft that are transposed to the "observer's" side of the body of the aircraft.

For example, in an artist's rendition of a proposed "Stealth Blimp" (POPULAR SCIENCE), one can see the stars from above (and behind) the blimp, giving it an illusion of being transparent, and making detection somewhat difficult.

That an ongoing research, development and testing of such electrochromatic panels at locations such as at Groom Lake/AREA 51 may be taking place was first suggested in an article written by aviation writer, Bill Sweetman (POPULAR SCIENCE - May of 1996).

Coincidentally, after that article (suggesting that Groom Lake/AREA 51 was still abuzz with various projects) appeared on POPULAR SCIENCE of May, 1996, the June, 1996 issue of POPULAR MECHANICS, in turn, strangely came out with an article by Jim Wilson suggesting that Groom Lake/AREA 51's operations were transferred to Green River missile launch complex in Utah. This was the beginning of the false rumor that AREA 51 had moved to a new location in Utah.
 

HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS AND HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE MAXIMIZATION TECHNOLOGY

Research, development and testing is also taking place in another related aspect of electrochromatic panels, namely, the attachment of holographic projection devices capable of causing image size distortions, such as distorting the "size" of the aircraft "observed" by ground observers. For example, with this technology a black triangular aircraft, for example, could be seen to be three or four times its actual size to the ground observer.

This type of technology is part of the Department of Defense (DOD)'s emphasis on Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) or Psychological Warfare.

Recent years' sightings of huge black triangular aircraft (such as at Phoenix, Arizona in 1997) could possibly be related to testing of such devices to observe the reactions of the observers.