Developing Stealth Technology Prof.Prodyut Das Saturday 24 December 2016 Developing Stealth Technology - Lessons from the American XST/F117 programme Prof. Prodyut Das M.Tech, MIE, PGCGM M.AeS.I. Forty years ago the Americans developed a very serviceable stealth aircraft , the world’s first, in a remarkably short time and at very modest costs. As India discusses its own AMCA programme, the honesty, simplicity and common sense that guided the American programme is worthy of review. The Americans, geographically isolated, has always had an unique requirement of “air superiority over hostile airspace”. The Air war over North Vietnam showed that this requirement could no longer be met by the traditional US combination of “superior” aircraft and ECM. North Vietnam war was a static defensive action. The Ramadan/Yom Kippur War showed that the same carefully co- ordinate defense system using low technology mobile AAA, tracked SAMs and aircraft could also be used for offensive operations.