OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- A B-2 Spirit, returning from a mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, takes on fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Indian Ocean on March 27. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cherie A. Thurlby)
Four F-117 Nighthawks fly in formation during a sortie over the Antelope Valley recently. After 25 years of history, the aircraft is set to retire soon. As the Air Force’s first stealth fighter, the F-117 is capable of performing reconnaissance missions and bombing critical targets, all without the enemy’s knowledge. (Photo by Bobbi Zapka)
Stealth technology also known as LO technology (low observable technology) is a sub-discipline of military electronic countermeasures which covers a range of techniques used with aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, in order to make them less visible (ideally invisible) to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection methods.
Stealth Employment in the Tactical Air Force (TAF). A Primer on its Doctrine and Operational Use, 21 Feb. 1992 [34 Pages, 1.23MB] – In 1976 the Air Force embarked upon a classified project to develop stealth technology and assess its feasibility. The F-117A stealth fighter program was subsequently approved and developed in secrecy until November 1988 when the existence of the stealth fighter was publicly acknowledged. A consequence of being a highly classified program involving a revolutionary technology was that relatively few people were aware of its existence, particularly those in the joint planning arena. As Desert Shield unfolded the mission of the F-117A became more apparent to joint planners, and much of its capabilities became unclassified when its performance was made public during Desert Storm. However, there still exists questions as to stealth’s capabilities and how to integrate stealth technology into operational plans. This paper was written to provide an unclassified source of background information for the joint planner on stealth technology, specifically the F-117A. It provides a history of stealth development, a discussion of the roles and missions of the F- 117A and its performance during Desert Storm, an assessment of how stealth technology fits into Air Force aerospace doctrine, and a look at the next generation of stealth aircraft — the F-22 advanced tactical fighter and the B-2 stealth bomber. It will serve as a reference for the joint planner to use when integrating stealth technology into operational plans for future conflicts.
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This post was published on February 21, 2015 3:50 am
