Originally posted by WestPoint23
As our understanding, manufacturing, design and technological capabilities of VLO aircraft increases so does our ability to make them practical. The B-2 and F-117 are "old" aircraft which as you pointed out have a lot of issues involved with maintaining their low RCS. Weather, man hours, etc... The F-22 and F-35 are a different generation, weather and high G don't effect them nor are they as maintenance demanding as the B-2 and F-117.
[edit on 4-6-2007 by WestPoint23]
Right on! The early VLO aircraft like the F-117 and B-2 used several different types of RAM and other LO materials to achieve stealth. Newer planes like the F-22 use lewer types of RAM as well as newer types that are much more weather resistant. For example, the RAM paint for the F-117 is what is known as Iron Ball. Iron Ball is a really old type of RAM origionally developed in the earily 1960's for the A-12 Blackbird. That paint is now over 40 years old. In fact most of the F-117's RAM was developed from the Blackbird prgrams.
To get a good assessment of what the next generation of stealth might be like, we need to look at the evolution of LO technology.
Tim





