Okay, it seems we have a few people who don't really understand the concept of stealth. Since I find myself with some free time allow me to go into a few details.#1 Stealth, Latin: To Steal
#2 The goal of Stealth in aircraft never has been, and never will be to make an aircraft completely undectable to radar, not possible with modern era technologies.
#3 the goal of Stealth is to either
A) Make the object undetectable until it has accomplished its mission.
B) Make the object undetectable until it is too late to stop it from accomplishing its mission.
or
C) Make it unfeasible to detect the aircraft with common field-deployable tools.
The original stealth aircraft was a World War II experimental night-fighter created by the Horton brothers. It was designed as a jet-powered flyiing wing for purposes of aerodynamics. The US captured the only prototypes during the invasion of Germany.
First generation stealth was built almost entirely on this design but included new Radar Absorbant Materials, the exact composition of which has never been released.
Second generation stealth like the F-22 are an evolution of the concept. The F-22 uses a less and newer RAM, applying it to only a few key locations. The F-22 maintains stealth shaping, but it is less obvious. Stealth is also tailored to the job the aircraft is designed for.
The F-22 exists to kill other aircraft, all other concerns are secondary. Going back to the list I gave earlier, the F-22 is designed to carry an AMRAAM missile so close to a target that it cannot escape, and launch it before the aircraft is detected. This is why the stealthiest aspect of the F-22 is from the front.
Look at the F-22 from the side, it is surprisingly stealthy in shape given its canted oblique angles, and narrow profile. Look at it from above and below. Doesn't look very stealth does it? Close inspection shows numerous "sawtooth" edges especially on the outer planes. Sawtooth patterns clearly visible on the F-117 disperse radar, so that it travels away from its source, and thus is not detected. The F-22 is actually most detectable from directly behind, namely because the engine blades refect radar, and RAM cannot survive the heat of an active engine.
The F-22 relies on its ability to supercruise to compensate for its rear line of sight's larger RCS, as even the fastest aircraft will have great difficulty keeping pace with a supercruising aircraft, you can never have too much fuel.
An F-22 is detectable when it goes into a high speed turn for the following reasons.
#1 The shifting profile creates numerous returns. Even though each return is small, so many returns are created it shows up. However it is only visible in the turn which even on an AESA radar may not show up on the observer's screen, and if it does it will be so brief, it would look like a glitch. (Talk about creating paranoia)
Pilot #1: "I saw a blip"
Pilot #2: "Oh, shit, there could be an F-22"
Pilot #1: "Oh sorry, it was a pigeon"
#2 Air disturbance can magnify Radar return, the large air disturbance creating by a turning aircraft will magnify radar return, thus temporarily making the aircraft visible.
#3 The attitude shift ahead of a radar pulse will result in more of the aircraft's volume being exposed, and thus creating a larger return.
The biggest threat to stealth are two things.
Long wave radar
Multiple air-born radars
Long wave radar is just as susceptible to RAM as short wave, however Long Wave is less susceptible to dispersion by saw-teeth, as more wave means more return even if dispersed. The downside to long-wave radars is the presence of a non-stealth aircraft can create so much return that it completely obscures the image.
Now, multiple airborne radars are a threat for the following reasons. First the more radars throwing out waves, the greater the odds someone will pick up not only his own diminished return, but the scattered return of someone else. More return means more imaging. Secondly air-brone radars have longer effective range, and are simply more clear because of the rules of line of sight.
Scenario
A radar blip leads to the belief an F-22 is on approach.
6 MiG-31's are scrambled to intercept.
Strategy
MiG-31's assume a staggered formation across multiple altitudes overlapping their radar coverage ahead, to maximize radar projection on the target area.
Lone F-22 approaches (why he is by himself I don't know, but its just a scenario)
F-22 AESA radar and passive system detect the presence of 6 approaching MIG-31's.
The F-22 pilot must now contemplate the following.
Can I get in missile range before they see me?
At the velocity they are traveling toward me, what is the no escape envelope?
Should I risk detection to get close enough to to fire
Should I use ECM, thus confirming my presence, but ensuring they will be unable to target me?
Answer
The F-22's best strategy is to slowly bank so that he is on a direc