A stealth plane is an aircraft that can be hidden from radar detection. It is often used for strategic bombing missions. It allows conventional aircraft to easily sneak into enemy airspace, strike a heavily defended command centre or surface-to-air missile system without being detected.
There are many technologies that can be used to design stealth planes. These include the internal construction, the aircraft's shape, and shaped rudders. There are many materials that can absorb radar signals, including carbon-fibre composites and high-strength polymers.
Because radar echoes are deflected away from radar sources, aircraft designers prefer to use stealthy shapes. They choose to use shapes that have angled edges to send fewer radar echoes back towards the sensor. This technique is also called parallel alignment (or surface alignment) and it is an important part in stealth technology.
A coating of radar-absorbing material on an aircraft's exterior is another stealth technology. This is usually a material that can absorb electromagnetic waves, such as the composites found in radar-absorbing materials (RAM).
Stealth aircraft may also have reentrant triangular structures behind their skin that trap radar signals and reflect them backwards. These structures can be made out of many materials, including iron ball paints or composites.
The F-117 Nighthawk was the world's first operational stealth fighter and the first to use this technology. It flew for the first time in 1983. There were 59 copies made up to 2008 when it was taken out of active service.
There are a number of new stealth fighters in development, most notably the B-21 Raider. These aircraft can carry large payloads and are as stealthy possible.
The F-22 Raptor is the second generation of stealth fighters. It was built from the ground up with a reduced radar signature. This aircraft can be supercruise at supersonic speeds and can carry weapons within the cockpit.
While stealth may not be the perfect solution to all problems in air warfare, it can make enemies much more likely to spot an aircraft that is stealthy and target it with heat-seeking rockets. It can allow an attacker operate in a more dangerous environment, and increase his chances of success against a heavily defensed target.
It is important to remember, however, that stealth isn't an end in and of itself. Future technology could make it obsolete. Although it can be very useful, stealth must be used in conjunction with other weapons to maximize aircraft's effectiveness.
China has reportedly been working on a new stealth aircraft in recent years. This aircraft will be a flying wing that looks a lot like the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit, but it is expected to meet or exceed that plane's capabilities.
The aircraft has been designed to be as flexible as possible. This means that it can fly off of carriers and bomb targets as well as perform other roles. It has advanced sensors, sophisticated weapons systems, and a manufacturing process that is state-of the-art. This will enable it to be stealthy enough to avoid detection by most air defenses.