Uberly

When stealth became a buzzword that every air force in the world wanted to achieve, the greatest minds in aviation were brought together to answer one question:

“How do we sneak up on the enemy and jam a rocket up their ass without being seen on radar or by the naked eye?”

That’s actually what they said, word for word.  We have the transcripts from the US, Russian, Chinese, and British war rooms.

In reality, what they said is nothing compared to the amazing uber-technology they created.  Take a peek:

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F-22 Raptor - United States

Air Superiority is the name of the game when it comes to laying the groundwork for invasion or defense.  More than any other fighter in the world, the F-22 Raptor exemplifies air superiority.

Perhaps the best example of how confident the United States Air Force is in their F-22 lies within their own website.

They state that the F-22 “is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats attempting to deny access to our nation’s Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps.”

“The F-22A cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.”

Pretty bold statements.  Judging by this website and the video below, they may just be more fact than opinion:

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Sukhoi SU-35 - Russia

In an attempt to keep up with American advances in aviation, Russia started work on the SU-35 in the 1980s.  It is the answer to the F-22, but just not the RIGHT answer.  While it is more advanced in combat than anything else the Russians have to offer, it still falls just shy of being a true fifth generation aircraft.

According to Sukhoi, Russia “is pinning its hopes, in the near future, on a substantially modernized Su-35 multi-role fighter.”

“They make it superior to all other 4th generation fighters now under development worldwide.”

It just isn’t good enough, which is why they are now developing a new, forward-facing wing aircraft called the SU-47.  While it will not have the stealth capabilities of the SU-35, it will be more maneuverable and can achieve stronger overall combat dominance.  The problem for the Russians is that the SU-35 is what they have right now.

“In 2009-2015, thanks to these technologies, the Su-35 will dominate the world market, outperforming other proposed multi-role fighters.”

This video paints a wonderful picture of the closest thing to true stealth technology that the Russians currently have:

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Eurofighter Typhoon - Europe

For the British, German, Italian, Austrian, and Spanish Air Forces (plus non-European Saudi Arabia), the Eurofighter Typhoon is their baddest offering to the world of aerial combat.

Nothing can match its exceptional array of weapons as one can easily tell by the image to the right.

As the website for the aircraft states, “Nothing Comes Close”.  While it isn’t a stealth fighter in the traditional sense, stealth technology is incorporated in the basic design. Features include low frontal Radar Cross Section (RCS), passive sensors and supercruise capability.

Despite its amazing specs and “cosmopolitan” style, it has been met with a lot of opposition from the people who are paying for it - the Europeans.  In a world without a cold war, questions are being asked about how practical it is to continue to produce an aircraft with such a lofty price tag.

“Its unmatched dominance in air defence is just the beginning as the Royal Air Force have declared their multi-role Eurofighter Typhoons as ready to deploy.”

In action, the Eurofighter Typhoon:

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Jian-11B - China

Based upon the older Russian SU-27 fighter, the Chinese have employed stealth capabilities to give them an edge in Asia with the J-11.  While it isn’t as stealthy as its American counterpart, it still only allows 3 square meters to be visible by radar, making it virtually invisible from a distance.

Still, the technology and battle capabilities of the jet is comparable to an American F-16, making it vulnerable in combat against more advanced aircraft.  China is currently developing a pair of true stealth fighters, the Jian-13 and Jian-14.  Both are scheduled to be available by 2009

“China is interested in reducing its reliance on foreign technology for both cost reasons and a desire to improve its domestic research and design.”

In the meantime, check out the J-11 itself:

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While there isn’t much in the way of stealth in the world right now beyond what the United States has been able to develop, it appears that more countries are coming close to having true stealth technology.  To keep ahead of the game, the United States has many other options being developed.

Here is a video of the next generation, the F-35 Lightning II:

For future stealth fighters, here are some to watch out for:

• Sukhoi PAK FA
• F-35 Lightning II
• Shenyang J-XX
• Indian Median Combat Aircraft
• Mitsubishi ATD-X

What’s next?  How long will it take to go from stealth to invisible?

Let’s take one last look at the F-22 in a controlled stall:

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