Broadband 3D-Printed Honeycomb Absorber Integrated on Wing Structure for RCS Reduction

Abstract

This paper presents the design and analysis of a 3D-printed hexagonal honeycomb frequency selective surface-based absorber integrated with a NACA 2412 wing-shaped structure for stealth applications. The absorber is designed using polylactic acid substrate and patterned resistive ink. Unit cell simulations show strong absorption performance within the X-band, with a peak reflection loss of -37.38 dB at 10.03 GHz. Parametric studies validate the sensitivity of absorption performance to geometric and material variations. The absorber is then conformally wrapped over the leading edge of a wing-shaped model, and its radar cross-section (RCS) performance is evaluated under both HH and VV polarizations. Results indicate a minimum 10 dB RCS reduction across 7 - 1 3 GHz compared to a PEC wing. This study demonstrates that the proposed honeycomb FSS absorber is a promising candidate for conformal radar-absorbing structures in stealth aircraft. © 2025 IEEE.