Stealth Technology

"Stealth Aircrafts" have always been a thing of excitement to me. Just imagine how it would be to pilot a bomber in to an enemy territory and do a "carpet bombing" without actually being noticed! Exactly this is what happened during "Operation Desert Storm", the '91 gulf war and "Operation Enduring Freedom", the US war against terrorism in Afghanistan.

The US Airforce sent dozens of "B - 2 Spirit" stealth bombers invisible to the Taliban radar and bombed the entire "Tora Bora" region, in which a number of high level Taliban officials were supposed to be killed.

The secrets of avoiding detection

1. Body shape of the aircraft is designed in such a way that the radar is reflected perpendicular to the origin of the radar source, thus preventing it being reflected to the source.

2. The body is also made by radar absorbing materials.

3. Infrared signature of the stealth aircraft is minimised by cooling the hot exhaust by ambient air.

4. The body is painted black to affect visual detection.

5. The stealth aircrafts are not supersonic and are tuned to low noise levels and so detecting their sound waves are not possible.

Supersonic Stealth - F-22 Raptor

Lockheed and Martin has developed a supersonic stealth fighter aircraft for the US airforce. It is called the F 22 Raptor. It was tested over the skies of Utah last month and have been officially deployed in the airforce.

So the disadvantage of not being able to fly a stealth fighter over the speed of sound has been overcome with the introduction of F - 22.

Hey, you better watch out, someone might be flying over your roof unnoticed :)