Is stealth in combat aircraft now irrelevant?

Skybird · 08-05-24, 05:02 AM

I assume Lockheed would argue against this a bit.

The value of stealth imho is that it reduces the range at whioch the enem,y cna detect you. If you lonpow that detection range he is capable of, you can tailor your tactics and weapons to work with that range advantage of yours.

However, it costs money. A lot of money. The question is if super-expensive fights low ion numbers can hold thgeir ground - or sky, to be precise

- against a huge numerical superiority of fighters not exactly at the same tech level. This ma ynot be true for small scnarios of limited combat action, here the technological advantage should heavily score, I woudl expect. But in huge wars, the advantage probably shifts to the side with the greater numerical reserves, and tehcnolgical advanatge is less and lesser able to compensate for that. We can see that in the attrition warfare in the Ukraine currently. If you can digets the loss of higher own numbers, you can overwhelm the enemy by simply "flooding", over-saturating his defences.

Jimbuna · 08-05-24, 05:20 AM

Sheer weight of numbers is what makes China so dangerous in combat or so we are led to believe.

Aktungbby · 08-06-24, 12:02 AM

..."beware of a hun in the sun" was the first aerial-combat $tealth, circa 1914...and improvements have been dabbled in ever since. Unfortunately 'wonder weapons' are expensive and rarely decisisive, as WWII proved. Numbers (ala the Sherman tank vs vaunted panzer)"have a cachet of their own". Control of the skys will be won with masses of aircraft, stealthy and otherwise. The next big engagement will be won with drones, massed artillary, cannon-fodder expendible masses, rape and pillage; just as WWI did and Ukraine is demonstrating now. I expect satellites in orbit will become a decisive factor as 'killer sats' create more space junk; and armed sats deliver payloads from on high incl. nukes...and that is literally "over the top"! As with all wars, there will be no real winners, only temporary victors.

Otto Harkaman · 08-06-24, 12:59 AM

Unmanned Stealth: The development of unmanned stealth aircraft, such as the X-47B and the Loyal Wingman concept, indicates a trend toward combining stealth with autonomous operations to reduce risk to human pilots and expand tactical options.

08-05-24, 05:02 AM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,602 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Is stealth in combat aircraft now irrelevant? I assume Lockheed would argue against this a bit. The value of stealth imho is that it reduces the range at whioch the enem,y cna detect you. If you lonpow that detection range he is capable of, you can tailor your tactics and weapons to work with that range advantage of yours. However, it costs money. A lot of money. The question is if super-expensive fights low ion numbers can hold thgeir ground - or sky, to be precise - against a huge numerical superiority of fighters not exactly at the same tech level. This ma ynot be true for small scnarios of limited combat action, here the technological advantage should heavily score, I woudl expect. But in huge wars, the advantage probably shifts to the side with the greater numerical reserves, and tehcnolgical advanatge is less and lesser able to compensate for that. We can see that in the attrition warfare in the Ukraine currently. If you can digets the loss of higher own numbers, you can overwhelm the enemy by simply "flooding", over-saturating his defences. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 08-05-24 at 05:11 AM.

08-05-24, 05:20 AM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,473 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Sheer weight of numbers is what makes China so dangerous in combat or so we are led to believe. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

08-06-24, 12:02 AM	#3
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,984 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	Nuthin bad ever goes outta style ..."beware of a hun in the sun" was the first aerial-combat $tealth, circa 1914...and improvements have been dabbled in ever since. Unfortunately 'wonder weapons' are expensive and rarely decisisive, as WWII proved. Numbers (ala the Sherman tank vs vaunted panzer)"have a cachet of their own". Control of the skys will be won with masses of aircraft, stealthy and otherwise. The next big engagement will be won with drones, massed artillary, cannon-fodder expendible masses, rape and pillage; just as WWI did and Ukraine is demonstrating now. I expect satellites in orbit will become a decisive factor as 'killer sats' create more space junk; and armed sats deliver payloads from on high incl. nukes...and that is literally "over the top"! As with all wars, there will be no real winners, only temporary victors. __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

08-06-24, 12:59 AM	#4
Otto Harkaman Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Lexington, Kentucky Posts: 1,169 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	Unmanned Stealth: The development of unmanned stealth aircraft, such as the X-47B and the Loyal Wingman concept, indicates a trend toward combining stealth with autonomous operations to reduce risk to human pilots and expand tactical options. __________________ "If you want to know the age of the Earth, look upon the sea in a storm." -Joseph Conrad USS Pompano (SS-181) https://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-pompano-181.htm