SYNOPSIS

Topic: STEALTH FIGHTERS

Name: ELSTON JOSEPH D’CRUZ

Guide: Mr. N.SATHEESH KUMAR

Assistant Professor
Department Of Mechanical Engineering
MITE

The word stealth means 'low observable'. The very basic idea of Stealth
Technology in the military is to 'blend' in with the background. The quest for a stealthy
plane actually began more than 50 years ago during World War II when RADAR was
first used as an early warning system against fleets of bombers. As a result of that quest,
the Stealth Technology evolved. Stealth Technology is used in the construction of mobile
military systems such as aircrafts and ships to significantly reduce their detection by
enemy, primarily by an enemy RADAR. The way most airplane identification works is
by constantly bombarding airspace with a RADAR signal.

When a plane flies into the path of the RADAR, a signal bounces back to a sensor
that determines the size and location of the plane. Other methods focus on measuring
acoustic (sound) disturbances, visual contact, and infrared (heat) signatures. Stealth
technologies work by reducing or eliminating these telltale signals. Panels on planes are
angled so that radar is scattered and no signal returns. Planes are also covered in a layer
of absorbent materials that reduce any other signature the plane might leave. Shape also
has a lot to do with the `invisibility' of stealth planes. Extreme aerodynamics keeps air
turbulence to a minimum and cut down on flying noise. Special low-noise engines are
contained inside the body of the plane. Hot fumes are then capable of being mixed with
cool air before leaving the plane. This fools heat sensors on the ground. This also keeps
heat seeking missiles from getting any sort of a lock on their targets.

The Stealth properties give it the unique ability to penetrate an enemy's most
sophisticated defenses and threaten its most valued and heavily defended targets. At a
cost of $2 billion each, stealth bombers are not yet available worldwide, but military
forces around the world will soon begin to attempt to mimic some of the key features of
stealth planes, making the skies much more dangerous.

With the increasing use of early warning detection devices such as radar by
militaries around the world in the 1930's the United States began to research and develop
aircraft that would be undetectable to radar detection systems. The first documented
stealth prototype was built out of two layers of plywood glued together with a core of
glue and sawdust. This prototype's surface was coated with charcoal to absorb radar

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signals from being reflected back to the source, which is how radar detection systems
detect items in the air.

Jack Northop built a flying wing in the 1940's.His plane was the first wave of
stealth aircraft that actualy flew,but later the aircraft proved to be highly unstable and
hard to fly.
The United States initially ordered 170 of these aircraft from Northrop but cancelled the
order after finding that the plane had stability Flaws. Then in 1964, SR-71 the first
Stealth airplane launched. It is well known as 'black bird'. It is a jet black bomber with
slanted surfaces. This aircraft was built to fly high and fast to be able to bypass radar by
its altitude and speed.

The idea is for the radar antenna to send out a burst of radio energy, which is then
reflected back by any object it happens to encounter. The radar antenna measures the
time it takes for the reflection to arrive, and with that information can tell how far away
the object is. The metal body of an airplane is very good at reflecting radar signals, and
this makes it easy to find and track airplanes with radar equipment.
The goal of stealth technology is to make an airplane invisible to radar. There are two
different ways to create invisibility: The airplane can be shaped so that any radar signals
it reflects are reflected away from the radar equipment. The airplane can be covered in
materials that absorb radar signals.

To date, stealth aircraft have been used in several low- and moderate-
intensity conflicts, including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force and
the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In each case they were employed to strike high-value
targets that were either out of range of conventional aircraft in the theater or were
too heavily defended for conventional aircraft to strike without a high risk of loss.
In addition, because the stealth aircraft do not have to evade surface-to-air
missiles and anti-aircraft artillery over the target they can aim more carefully and
thus are more likely to hit the target and cause less collateral damage. In many
cases they were used to hit the high value targets early in the campaign, before
other aircraft had the opportunity to degrade the opposing air defense to the point
where other aircraft had a good chance of reaching those critical targets.

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