Much of Ufimtsev's work was translated into English, and in the 1970s AmericanLockheed engineers began to expand upon some of his theories to create the concept of aircraft with reduced radar signatures.[2]
While working in Moscow, Ufimtsev became interested in describing the reflection of electromagnetic waves. He gained permission to publish his research results internationally because they were considered to be of no significant military or economic value.[4]
A stealth engineer at Lockheed, Denys Overholser, had read the publication and realized that Ufimtsev had created the mathematical theory and tools to do finite analysis of radar reflection.[5] This discovery inspired and had a role in the design of the first true stealth aircraft, the Lockheed F-117. Northrop also used Ufimtsev's work to program super computers to predict the radar reflection of the B-2 bomber.
In the 1960s Ufimtsev began developing a high-frequency asymptotic theory for predicting the scattering of electromagnetic waves from two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects. Among such objects were the finite size bodies of revolution (disk, finite cylinder with flat bases, finite cone, finite paraboloid, spherical segment, finite thin wire). This theory is now well known as the Physical Theory of Diffraction (PTD).
The first results of PTD were collected in the book: P. Ya. Ufimtsev, Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Soviet Radio, Moscow, 1962. In 1971 this book was translated into English with the same title by U.S. Air Force, Foreign Technology Division (National Air and Space Intelligence Center), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 1971.[6] Technical Report AD 733203, Defense Technical Information Center of USA, Alexandria VA. This theory played a critical role in the design of American stealth aircraft such as the F-117 and B-2.[7][8][9]
See also the Forewords written by K. Mitzner to the books:
Ufimtsev, P. Ya. Theory of Edge Diffraction in Electromagnetics, Tech Science Press, Encino, California, 2003.
Ufimtsev, P. Ya. Fundamentals of the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 1st edition 2007 and 2nd edition 2014.
In these two books, P. Ya. Ufimtsev presented the further development and application of PTD and its validation by mathematical theory. In particular, a new version of PTD, based on the concept of elementary edge waves, is presented in his book Fundamentals of the Physical Theory of Diffraction (2007, 2014). With appropriate modifications, PTD can be employed for the solution to many practical problems. Among them are the design of microwave antennas, mobile radio communication, construction of acoustic barriers to decrease a noise level, evaluation of radar cross sections for large objects[10] (tanks, ships, missiles, etc.).
P. Ya. Ufimtsev, Theory of Edge Diffraction in Electromagnetics, 1st edition Tech Science Press, Encino, California, 2003. ISBN0-9657001-7-8, 2nd edition SciTech Publishing, Inc. Raleigh, NC, USA, 2009. ISBN9781891121661
P. Ya. Ufimtsev, Fundamentals of the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 1st edition 2007. ISBN0-470-09771-X; 2nd edition 2014, ISBN978-1-118-75366-8
P. Ya. Ufimtsev, Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Soviet Radio, Moscow, 1962
^J. M. L. Bernard, G. Pelosi, P. Ya. Ufimtsev, [eds.], "Radar Cross Section of Complex Objects", Annales des Telecommunications (Annals of Telecommunications), 50, 5–6, May–June 1995. p. 471–598.
3. P.Ya. Ufimtsev, The 50-Year Anniversary of the PTD: Comments on the PTD’s Origin and Development" published in the journal IEEE Antennas & Propagation Magazine, vol. 55, no.3, pp. 18-28, June 2013".