FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Right now, yes and yes
F-35 Lightning
- Thread starter Trebor
- Start date
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Admiral Beez
Captain
Interesting, thanks. Airforce Monthly predicted some colour scheme variety back in 2013. The Israeli one is nice.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Well those are some artist's fantasies that may come true someday. There is a special paint applied to stealth aircraft and it can come in different colors. The issue is maintainability and cost. If you start fielding different colors, it's obvious you're going to increase cost. Camouflaged paint was tried on the F-117A, I have friends who saw this bird flying in the eastern California desert several years before the F-117A program was de-classified.
A light grey paint was also tried.
Photo credit the internet
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Different compounds (pigments) in paint contain materials that can be highly reactive to radar.
A nice camo scheme can look great but can be also highly reactive at the same time - which defeats the aircraft's stealth properties.
A nice camo scheme can look great but can be also highly reactive at the same time - which defeats the aircraft's stealth properties.
The paint is very important. Very.
Admiral Beez
Captain
Interesting. I understand that the coating is low radar, but does colour make a difference?
Here's an article about the new painting process.
New and Old F-35 Coatings Compared in Recent Photo of Two Italian Lightning II Jets
The new coating was already applied to US-built aircraft since 2017, but this seems to be the first time it’s applied to aircraft assembled
theaviationist.com
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
As stated - cost and some colors weren't as radar absorbent as others. I don't remember the cost of a gallon of this paint but I know it's expensive.
Interesting. I understand that the coating is low radar, but does colour make a difference?
Here's an article about the new painting process.
New and Old F-35 Coatings Compared in Recent Photo of Two Italian Lightning II Jets
The new coating was already applied to US-built aircraft since 2017, but this seems to be the first time it’s applied to aircraft assembled
Not sure on color.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
IIRC the tan color tried on early F-117As had some issues
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Here is an older (declassified) report that studies how paint can either increase or reduce IR signature.
It's a 32 page .PDF file.
It's a 32 page .PDF file.
On the F-35 there is the iron ball type paint which is yes, very expensive. There is a lot more with the F-35 though with some parts having radar absorbing
foam around the sensors and aerials as well as gold or indium tin oxide to make the canopy more opaque to stop detection of the very unstealthy stuff
inside including the pilot.
Even the final polyurethane coating is scanned with lasers and cameras then projectors are used to show where the coating is too thin or too thick which
is no good and has to be carefully sanded or have more coating added. Everything must be exact down to the last detail with actual
composition of coatings and structures being secret and making it very hard to copy even you had an F-35 to tear down.
foam around the sensors and aerials as well as gold or indium tin oxide to make the canopy more opaque to stop detection of the very unstealthy stuff
inside including the pilot.
Even the final polyurethane coating is scanned with lasers and cameras then projectors are used to show where the coating is too thin or too thick which
is no good and has to be carefully sanded or have more coating added. Everything must be exact down to the last detail with actual
composition of coatings and structures being secret and making it very hard to copy even you had an F-35 to tear down.
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Admiral Beez
Captain
Twelve years old, so likely obsolete, but here goes.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
To be honest I don't think much would have changed
The 1,000th F-35 Has Been Built
Delays with a key upgrade program mean Lockheed Martin has yet to deliver the 1,000th F-35 and others to their customers.
www.thedrive.com
