Originally Posted by
weemonkey
"Another company spokesman said: “Stealth maintenance on the F-35 is proving to be a significant success. It requires less maintenance and…is easier, more affordable and faster to repair compared to previous low-observable aircraft”.
Stealth maintenance was what killed previous attempts to put stealth aircraft on carriers. It was just not doable on a carrier. USN accepted the F-35 largely based on the great improvement in robustness of the stealth coating, and the maintainability of those coatings.
"But Air Commodore Andrew Lambert, a former RAF director of defence studies, said: “Lockheed Martin says it’s better now, but it takes just one scratch to give the fighter jet the same radar profile as a 747, the you may as well not be bothering”.
This sounds more like jest/hyperbole than fact. With no coatings at all the F-35 has a far smaller RCS than a 747.