CM - Just to be clear: Any stealth surface treatment will have multiple layers and elements.
- conductive base level to avoid trips in the surface current
- surface absorber, possibly gradated, a dielectric absorber usually
- IR absorber, formulated to not **** up the RF characteristics
- Paint
- treatment (often a magnetic RAM) around door and control gaps
- joint sealants for joints that you don't open that much
- edge radar absorbent structure, comprising a radar-transparent skin and a gradated absorber
I have seen a B-2-related graphic showing how you have to remove seven layers of stuff in an inverse pyramid to conduct some Mx operations and then put them back and cure them, one by one. Aaargh!
I believe that the Fibermat built into the F-35 skin is the conductive bit and is separate from the absorber, which is a hard polyurethane, sprayed on by computer to very close tolerances and containing particles of Magic Disappearing Stuff.
The Fibermat may replace a layer that was sprayed on to the F-22 and had metallic content (silver?). Unfortunately, when it got wet it decided that it was a battery.
NB I have never had any kind of clearance so keep your black Omegas to yourself thank you very much
Last edited by LowObservable; 12th May 2013 at 20:29.