How simple is it to build a stealth plane?

Are we talking about planes - i.e something that you shave wood with, or are we talking about aircraft.

If we are talking about planes - yes they are stealthy, apart from a rather large metal blade which shaves the wood, but they don't have the ability to fly, no matter what you choose to launch it.

If we are talking about the latter - an aircraft, no matter how technologically advanced and no matter how much it costs to develope or produce, aircraft are not stealthy! PERIOD!

As I have repeatedly said on an earlier thread, a stealthy aircraft can easily be detected - especially in stormy weather.

Rain often has the ability to increase the radar signature of even the most stealthiest of aircraft. hence the downing of an F117A over Kosovo.

Another way to detect stealthy a/c is to narrow your radar bandwith and increase the wattage output. Sooner or later, the rader will get a nil return, (relection) off the a/c indicating that 'something' is up there.

Once you know that 'something' is up there and where to look, you simply increase radar bandwith, increase power to get a lock on it. Problem solved!

Only in theory, fritz, since of course, you are referencing the Tamara passive radar system.

The F-117 shot down over Yugoslavia in 1999 was nothing but what has been called 'dumb luck', hitting the lottery, or simply extremely lucky. Don't think so, then please explain why they never shot another one down, among a host of other questions I could ask you. I also understand that according to official Russian sources, they claim to have shot another down. Other military analysts think it is hearsay. Also interestingly, the Yugoslavians claimed that the F-117 was shot down by by a Yugoslavian MiG-21. Further claims can be found and posted here, as well.

Do note that the Tamara passive detection system and S-300 has been compromised to US military intelligence services, and the S-400 is nothing but an adaption of the S-400. Nothing new. Do the Russians or Yugoslavians have the advantage because they supposedly now have the F-117 wreckage to mull over? Maybe. Time will tell, but stealth is still highly viable, as well as being one of the most sought after technologies still to be had. The Russians have yet to build anything remotely having such capabilities.
Downing a Stealth Jet: Shrewd Tactics or a Lucky Shot?






seekerof

[edit on 25-9-2005 by Seekerof]

Very easy Cessna did it back in the 70's. Just ask Mathais Rust and Moscow. If you want stealth all you have to do is to build an aircraft that can fly very low and very slow. Radar will lose it in the ground clutter if it is low and modern military radar's range gate settings won't let it pick up something slow.