Do you really think the LM team is testing it IR signature right now?..it stealth signature right now?..they are way more worried over the structure, engine’s performance, and physical performance than your stealth bull$hit.

June 2009: LM rolled out the F-35 HALO model to begin pole testing the RCS of the F-35.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2009/090615ae_f-35-meets-schedule.html

June 2010: LM is in the middle of pole testing and has so far confirmed the RCS predictions made during design. This links go into detail on the HALO model and how it was produced.

http://www.janicki.com/f-35-halo-pole-model-inverted-for-testing on March 11, 2010.

From here

The full scale pole model has completed testing with no issues, and has verified the accuracy of the F-35 signature predictions and indicated satisfactory margin to the Key Performance Parameter for signature.

If the coatings do not weigh the same, then new flight testing is likely required due to changes in the COG.

It’s not a marketing chart, but a sanitized chart for public release.

The information that is used for “marketing”, i.e. what other nations see when they make a purchase, puts this to shame and includes thousands of pages of data.

Well for one, it’s not a flying wing.

Originally Posted by wrightwing
Quote: the F-22 won’t be spotted on IRST.

That’s a tall claim and a foolish one as well. It may not be spotted as easily as the one or other airframe, but that it won’t be spotted is at best fanboy wishthinking.

You did not read the sentence, he said:

No one has ever claimed that at WVR ranges, the F-22 won’t be spotted on IRST.

I was going by FY2011 budget docs and they likley do not match news reports. 😉

My 115 number is only retrofits of older APGs (Pre Lot 26).

Think of it this way, a bare light bulb gets dimmer the farther you gow away from it because the beam is not focused, just like conventional raday units.

AESA (and PESA) radar units can focus all the radiated energy in a single direction and thereby reduce the loss of energy over a distance. Once it hits a target and gets reflected, then it follows the std 4th root rule. I did not say it was perfect, just that it does not follow the standard 4th root rule for both the transmission and reception.