B2 bomber invisible?

Question

How come the B2 bomber is invisible to radar?

-layperson

Answer 1

First off, the B-2 is not invisible to radar, merely harder to detect.

The reason why such a large metallic flying object is hard to detect by radar is due to a number of reasons.

The shape of the aircraft at its edges, as you will notice, are all at sharp angles of 65 to 100 degrees. The purpose is to deflect and scatter the electromagnetic and radio energies emitted from the radar. The more widely scattered the energies are, the less there is for the returning energy to travel back to the emitter source.

Its engine intake and exhaust vents are all shielded to minimise infrared radiation exposure. As most people mentioned earlier, the paint used on the B-2 is known as RAM (Radar Absorbing Material). Its is design to absorb some of the radio energies and reflect as little back as possible.

And since all the ordnance is carried internally, the overall shape of the aircraft is preserved.

All this factors put together is called the RCS or Radar Cross Section. Normally given a numerical value, in which the higher the number, the more susceptible it is to detection.

It also depends on the type of radar in question. A Doppler radar sees the side profile of an aircraft better while a Pulse radar see the frontal and rear arc of a flying object better. Also, as the distance between the aircraft and the radar emitter gets closer, the harder it is for the aircraft to remain undetected.

Answer 2

It is not invisible, its designed so that its radar echoes are so low that it will be passed off as noise. This is done in two parts, the first one being the structural design that deflects the incident radar energy away from the source. The second one is the application of Radar Absorbing Materials that as the name suggests, absorbs some of the radar energy.

Material sciences are not yet advanced to provide radar invisibility. The structural design is mainly to defeat monostatic radars when offering certain profiles. This ambiguity would have been avoided if the hyped term stealth is not used and the Spirit is referred to as "Low Observability Aircraft"

Answer 3

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bomber is not invisible to radar. It actually falls in a special category of aircrafts known as the "Stealth" fighters. Its signatures r actually very small, such that some of the older radars just cannot read them. However, some of the recent radars r able to detect its presence, although it is very difficult.

This low-observability is due 2 a combo of greatly reduced IR, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual n radar signatures. These small signatures make it difficult even for the most sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track n engage the B-2 Spirit. While many aspects of its low observability remain classified, the B-2's composite graphite-epoxy materials, special coatings like radar-resistant paint, the sharp angles on its body that deflect the radar waves in all different directions n the 'flying-wing' design all greatly contribute to its stealthiness.

Answer 4

It is not invisible to radar. It can bee seen.

Its signature is very small and it is difficult to know it is a real object or not. By the time it is known what it is it is too late for it has already been there and gone.

The shape and material bend the radar waves so that they do not bounce back very well. It is not invisible.

Answer 5

First, it's special covering absorbs radar waves, rather than reflect them back.
Second, the lines and angles break up the image, causing the radar waves to go at different angles when they hit the surface, rather than reflect back.
Even the canopy has a gold coating, to break up the image of the pilot and visible cockpit components.
Finally, it has no external stores points, all weapons are carried internally in bays.

Answer 6

It has some special feature that make the radar trackers absorb into the plane in a harmless way.

Answer 7

Its because of its special kind of coating that absorbs the radiation instead of reflecting. Its shape also has something to do with it

Answer 8

Angles, paint, mission planning and a good electronic counter-counter measures system (ECCM). Simple question simple answer, won't bore you with the details.