Stealth is a myth

The point of the american stealth is to shrink the radar signature to disguise it's radar signature as a bird. Most radar systems don't see birds in the radar and the stealth technology is trying to use that.

Theres a reason why theres two different words with two different definitions of stealth and invisible. They are not the same.

Low observable is a more accurate definition of stealth on planes or ships.

This thread is ridicules, stealth is not "fake", it is indeed real and immensely helpful in combat, it is why the F-22 is top dog. To the OP, can you describe to me where you saw a Raptor being detect 100+ miles by a hornet? Thanks.

Again to the OP, type in Google "LPI ANPG-77".

For 1: Stealth is fake

Yeah, whatever. Try shooting down a B2 bomber in war time.

Good luck.

Reason: B-2 was detected by the RAF on approach to Farnborough 2004 but still in unfriendly airspace

Your point is? 1. That was a F-117 with a IR scope. 2. F-117 has older stealth technology.

3. A B-2 at 50 000 feet will be virtually indetectable from the ground using a Infrared scope. A radar wouldn't do crap either.

If the ground radars can't detect it then who is going to scramble the fighters? Noone, then the B-2 will pass undetected and will drop is payload.

Mission accomplished.

F-18E superbug detected a F-22 in a one on one engagement BVR

Uhuh.

That F-22 pilot was stretching the combat envolope and came in really close to the F-18. In real life the F-22 would of blown the F-18 long before the F-18 saw him.

Originally posted by timski
Stealth might work for the aircraft, but what about the pilots?
There may be no plane visible on the enemy radar-operators screen, but how would you explain the on-screen image of two guys in a sitting position at 40,000 feet????

I'm assuming you meant that as a joke but it is actually a big point in the design of stealth aircraft. Obviously the pilots bodies can be hidden by the fuselage of the plane with radar absorbing coatings but what about their heads?

The pilots have to see out and you cant apply radar absorbing paint to a windscreen and glass isnt a very good stealth material.

This problem was discovered during the RCS testing of the F-117A when the pilots heads returned a signal a few hundreds times larger than that of the whole plane! The problem was eventually solved by delevoping a glass coating which allowed some frequencies in but reflected most.

The canopy covers used by the F-22, F-117, B-2 and some F-16's have special coatings to stop radar waves from entering and reflecting off the stuff in there.

A few points of fact:

-Stealth Aircraft are Low Obserable, this means they are Hard to see. Noone with knowlege in the subject Ever claimed they were invisible- And they aren't

- In peace times stealth aircraft are fitted with radar reflectors to make air traffic control easier.

- Both radar and Stealth are evolving! Some of the eariliest stealth aircraft don't work against newer radars! This is why they are being upgraded or replaced.

Please take a look at this thread on how Stealth Technology Works: Stealth Teachnology Explained

Tim

Ok "stealth" does not, I repeat, does not mean invisible or invincible!!!! It means alot harder to detect.

It works. 1 stealth plane got shot down because it was flown during the day. Just because a radar has a hard time seeing something doesn't means human eyes can't see it.

Yes other planes and radar can see a stealth plane but have to be very close well within the raptor's kill range.

The raptor doesn't need its radar on to see other planes. It has a data link and can lock on to its enemies using data from other active sources... One tactic has multiple raptor flying together with only one using its radar active and sending data to the others. They can also recive info from awacs and ground stations.

Jesus some people... Just harder to spot electronically not optically invisible or invincible. No one said its was a romulan cloacking device... Your hate for the US blinds you.

The difference between spoting something 2 miles away and 100 miles away is huge. The raptor has no plans of flying as close as it can to engage...

First shot first kill...

If you have a basic understanding of how a radar works then stealth isn't something magical, its basic. deflect or absorb radar energy so that it doesn't return to the source... Whats so hard about that...

People also forget that during demonstartions and test certain variable are made static. Its like when the US loses to india in flight drills, but then the US says oh btw we weren't using our BVR equipment and were outnumbered 5-1.



[edit on 19-11-2006 by American Madman]

[edit on 19-11-2006 by American Madman]

Originally posted by ShadowKeeper
The F-22 has to turn on it's Radar to detect aircraft by doing so it highlights its signature.

Umm... no. An LPIR radar system is a means of stealth in itself... The F/A-18 variations and the F-22 both carry such a package.

Originally posted by amehrich
I was watching a special that was on the History channel and they were talking about the F117. They interviewed one F117 pilot who bluntly stated the stealth technology doesn't make the plane invisble to radar, it just shrinks its signature. To that effect I think it's still an advantage to have, but it doesn't make you invincible.

The purpose of stealth when discussed by the majority of documentaries is to make the aircraft as near to invisible (to radar!) as possible. How? Shrinking the radar signature. I don't see how that is confusing.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
This thread is ridicules, stealth is not "fake", it is indeed real and immensely helpful in combat...

This thread is rather unsubstantial and fruitless as WestPoint23 has mentioned. The comment "stealth is a myth" is rather unintelligent considering stealth technology is a system/technique used by aircraft/ships/missiles/etc. to make them less visible to radar and any other means of detection for which the stealth concept is implemented.

ShadowKeeper, in future, please don't provide one-liners as your arguments. Give us some hard evidence as to why you think your hypothesis is correct.

Yes, while a stealth aircraft may be detected on different occasions, that is not evidence enough to substantiate that "stealth is a myth"...

As the ability to detect vehicles carrying stealth technology improves, newer and better techniques of masking radar signatures are no doubt already in development or implementation.

Closed.