Throughout history, we have, as a species, have made several amazing technological discoveries. Some have been used to make the world a better place, others have been almost immediately weaponized. Of these advancements, few have had the implications associated with stealth technology.
A stealth aircraft makes use of several technologies that work together to lessen the aircraft's visibility. Stealth technology includes acoustic aspects, keeping things quiet helps. Infrared stealth is obtained by keeping parts and exhaust fumes cooled. Radar stealth works by absorbing or deflecting electromagnetic waves. While no aircraft is completely undetectable, a stealth aircraft is very difficult to detect, this makes it very valuable to any military with an airforce. The US bombers known as the B-2 Spirits have been using stealth since the end of the 1980s.
In the early 1900s, stealth technology meant making a vehicle less visible. Germany was able to fly several planes in World War 2 that were basically transparent, this greatly reduced their visibility. In 1945 The US began to use a paint heavy in iron to impede detection by Radar systems. Unfortunately, this paint was not light, limiting its use in the air. In the 1960's a big step was made. The SR-71 Blackbird utilized a different approach to stealth. It too used a special paint to fool Radar but this paint could be electronically manipulated to further confuse Radar. The plane was also designed to reflect less Radar, it had few vertical surfaces which reflect Radar.
Clearly, the idea of stealth technology has been in the mind of men for many decades. It is quite likely that this will not change. The future of stealth is an exciting one, sometimes seeming to resemble science fiction. There are companies currently working on morphing wings, with less moving parts and seems detection will be even harder. Ionized gases are also a promising area of development. The future of technology is limited only by our dedication to the pursuit. Men will continue to dream, invent, and integrate technologies to further the availability and functionality of stealth technology.
