Desert Fox
Senior Airman
There have been few stealth aircraft in service so far, but which has been the best?
Edit: I've got one too many 1's on the Nighthawk
embarrassing
Edit: I've got one too many 1's on the Nighthawk
embarrassing
Best Stealth Aircraft
- Thread starter Desert Fox
- Start date
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ScOoTeR1992
Senior Airman
this will get interesting. Uhm is this poll rating A/C that were and in current service. is there any reason why you left out the YF-23 because that bird is pretty stealthy because i'm just wondering
<simon>
Airman 1st Class
Is the F-35 very stealthy though??
Is is an amazing aircraft and carries the best technology in the world but i didn't think it was particuly stealthy, especially when compared to these other aircraft.
The Raptor is awesome but i had to give it to the Blackbird
Good quiz though!
Is is an amazing aircraft and carries the best technology in the world but i didn't think it was particuly stealthy, especially when compared to these other aircraft.
The Raptor is awesome but i had to give it to the Blackbird
Good quiz though!
Um Desert Fox correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe the SR-71 was ever really a stealth aircraft.
<simon>
Airman 1st Class
Didn't it have radar absorbent paint? I thought i was designed to be a high altitude stealth recce aircraft.
Thats interesting
What d'you reckon was the best Adler?
Thats interesting
What d'you reckon was the best Adler?
Probably the F-22, but honestly I don't know.
About the SR-71, some features on the plane were designed to reduce its radar signature but the plane wasn't stealth, it could be seen from hundreds of miles on the air traffic control radar.
I'm not that smart, here's the link:
SR-71 Blackbird - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I'm not that smart, here's the link:
SR-71 Blackbird - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Exactly. It was not a stealth aircraft.
ToughOmbre
Senior Master Sergeant
The SR-71 was observed many times by the USSR, in fact over 1,000 SAMs were fired at the Blackbird during her career.
Speed and altitude, not stealth, made the SR-71 untouchable.
TO
Speed and altitude, not stealth, made the SR-71 untouchable.
TO
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
HO-229, because it started the whole thing....
B-17engineer
Colonel
I am going with B2
yardbird78
Airman
Granted, the SR-71 was not even close to 100% stealthy, but it was one of the earliest attempts at that objective. It's RCS was amazingly low for such a large aircraft. The physical shape plus the ironball paint plus ECM made it impossible to determine the exact position, altitude, course and speed of the SR-71. The bad guys knew it was flying over their area, but had to guess at those four parameters, thus it became an unsolveable problem to aim a missile at the correct point in space to shoot it down. Once a SAM is launched, there is a relatively small area of space where it can reach. The SR-71 pilot/RSO determined where the missile was headed and if necessary, just turned away from that space. It requires something like a minute for the SA-2 to reach 80,000 feet. The SR-71 travels 30 miles in that minute, which means the missile had to be aimed 30 miles in front of the airplane. That gives the crew quite a bit of time and space to avoid the missile.
If the vote is for "stealthiest" aircraft, then the SR-71 is definately not the winner. If the vote is for ability to penetrate bad guy airspace with the least chance of getting shot down, the SR-71 wins.
Darwin, 12 year veteran of the Blackbird program
If the vote is for "stealthiest" aircraft, then the SR-71 is definately not the winner. If the vote is for ability to penetrate bad guy airspace with the least chance of getting shot down, the SR-71 wins.
Darwin, 12 year veteran of the Blackbird program
Very true Darwin.
In the context of the poll I voted for the F-22 although I would say that had the F-35 being up there it would of got my vote.
In the context of the poll I voted for the F-22 although I would say that had the F-35 being up there it would of got my vote.
Oreo
Senior Airman
It is hard to know what is meant by "best"-- best in what context-- but I chose the F-22 as being most able to both dish it out and take it in an adaptable, versatile combat format. The SR-71 and B-2 need special facilities and extra special care, and the B-2 and F-117 are subsonic sitting ducks if anyone ever did manage to draw a bead on them. While that may be unlikely to ever happen, just consider the possibilities.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Drumroll............WRONG!
Do you realize how fast is 600 knots really is, especially on the deck? In a blink of an eye a modern jet will blow right by and you'll never notice it except for maybe the noise or the ordinance exploding. Most combat sorties (air to ground) are actually done at subsonic speeds.
The B-2 has even a "visual" low profile when viewed from the front or rear and drawing a "bead" on one is still very difficult if not impossible, especially at night.
As far as the F-117A - although one was lost in combat, if you look at its operational history and combat missions flown, it actually been the most successful true stealth aircraft in service. The only reason why its been retired is too make room for the F-22 and F-35 budget-wise
Oreo
Senior Airman
I wasn't talking about ground to air. I mean an F-86 could blow them out of the air on a bad day. Night? If your plane has to fly at night to be safe then it's not as good as an F-22. That's all I'm saying.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Wrong on both points again my friend - I worked on F-86s AND F-117s and the F-117 was very maneuvarable and had great acceleration when its ordinance was unloaded. - In a scenario as you say the Saber would have to go visual as it radar computing site would be useless. More than likely an F-117 would accelerate away from a Saber.
The 117's whole design concept was to be operated at night so there was little visual and no radar tracking available. The F-117 also was never intended to be operated as a fighter and based on it's sortie to loss ratio since its introduction it was probably the best strike aircraft to ever fly with regards to safety and effectiveness.
The F-22? Different story - 2nd generation stealth and it was designed as an air to air fighter.
