How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar

There are two different ways to create invisibility:. Most conventional aircraft have a rounded shape. This shape makes them aerodynamic, but it also creates a very efficient radar reflector. The round shape means that no matter where the radar signal hits the plane, some of the signal gets reflected back:.

A stealth aircraft, on the other hand, is made up of completely flat surfaces and very sharp edges. When a radar signal hits a stealth plane, the signal reflects away at an angle, like this:. In addition, surfaces on a stealth aircraft can be treated so they absorb radar energy as well. The overall result is that a stealth aircraft like an FA can have the radar signature of a small bird rather than an airplane. The only exception is when the plane banks -- there will often be a moment when one of the panels of the plane will perfectly reflect a burst of radar energy back to the antenna.

In the case of the FA Nighthawk, its turbofan engines vent through thin nozzles that spread out the heat they produce. Heat shields are positioned below the nozzles for further protection.

Stealth often comes at a cost: Edgy designs often render stealth fighter jets non-aerodynamic. Furthermore, the lack of a vertical tail which would back-reflect incoming radio waves can make them unstable, as military expert Bill Sweetman explained in his books "Inside the Stealth Bomber" Zenith Press, and "F Raptor" Zenith Press, Nonetheless, the benefits of taking the enemy by surprise outweigh the costs. Reuters reported that China's J jet is still years away from large-scale production and use, making the U.

Air Force's F and B-2 fleets the only stealth planes currently operational. According to an Associated Press report, when the J does hit the sky, it will pose an immediate threat to Taiwan, "whose electronic warning systems would find it difficult to cope with stealth technology. Got a question? A stealth airplane is a plane that is less visible to radar, infrared, sonar, and other detection methods. Stealth aircraft have their roots in WWI, but these aircraft only dealt with visibility and sound.

The first plane designed with decreased radar detection was the Horten Ho made by the Germans in But, that was just the beginning. Stealth technology really took off during the cold war when countries wanted to fly missions over other countries and be undetected. Ever since then manufacturing companies have been increasing technology to avoid radar and other forms of detection.

So, how does it work? To understand how it works we must first understand how radar detection works. The signals that were reflected back are then translated to a blip on the radar screen.

The bigger the blip means more of the signal was reflected back.