In various TV shows rehashing the UFO phenomenon, stealth aircraft are commonly brought up as miraculous innovations that somehow prove humans are “back engineering” alien technology to create super high-tech aircraft capable of amazing feats.
Stealth fighters and bombers are without a doubt awe-inspiring aircraft that incorporate intriguing new technology giving them some very cool capabilities. And their sleek, black triangular design is very cool looking, and reminiscent of some alleged UFO sightings, but we didn’t need aliens to figure it out.
Humans are pretty smart. We’ve been figuring out all kinds of remarkable things for thousands of years on our own, but for some reason there are many who believe that humans couldn’t possibly have done these great things without some direct involvement of extraterrestrials.
The idea that humans have received help from space aliens to create monumental feats is not a new one. Some speculate that ancient Egyptians were aided by extraterrestrials to build the pyramids found at Giza. And while specific details with regard the construction of these massive pyramids remain speculative, it is clear that ancient Egyptians possessed a keen understanding of engineering and architecture, allowing them to create these monumental structures that have stood the test of time.
As far as stealth aircraft are concerned, many believe this newer breed of military plane couldn’t possibly have been conceived without military engineers harnessing the technology of recovered alien spacecraft.
One quick question: if humans need aliens to figure stuff out, how are they reverse engineering such advanced technology they couldn’t possibly understand? I guess the aliens are helping them do that too, in those vast underground bases where humans and aliens are working side by side to create the greatest tech the planet has ever see. One small problem. If there is such a massive operation underway and all we’ve seen from it are the stealth aircraft, they’re wasting money.
So what’s the deal with this all this hype of stealth aircraft as evidence of alien technology?
UFO enthusiasts claim to see UFOs darting about all the time. These UFOs are often described as bright lights moving about in the night sky, rapidly and often erratically. As suspected spacecraft piloted by aliens, using alien technology, these things are notoriously not stealthy, but it’s their high speed maneuverability and silent operation that are the main factors creating such amazement among legions of UFO fans.
These objects have, allegedly, been observed to make right-angle changes in direction without losing speed, and miraculously shoot off toward space in the blink of an eye. However, aside from the black triangular shape maybe, stealth aircraft don’t have much in common with this sort of dynamic unidentified flying object.
Let’s see how the alleged reverse engineering of alien technology helped us out with the stealth planes. A quick perusal of Wikipedia reveals the specs of these various aircraft.
The Stealth F-117 Nighthawk is powered by two General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofan engines, the same engine used in many other aircraft including the F/A-18 Hornet, which can hit Mach 1.8 (1,190 mph, or 1,915 km/h). In this example, though they use the same initial jet engine, the F/A-18 Hornet is equipped with afterburners which create additional thrust required for supersonic flight.
The Nighthawk cannot venture into supersonic territory, and this is by design. At supersonic speeds hot exhaust created by afterburners (which the F-117 does not have), coupled with surface heating of the aircraft body at those high speeds, would increase its infrared signature thereby negating any stealth capabilities. Also, the sonic boom associated with objects exceeding the speed of sound would create detectable evidence for the presence of the aircraft.
The B2 Spirit long-range Stealth Bomber, which sports a max speed of 630 mph (1,010 km/h). This according to specs listed at wikipedia.
Line up the Nighthawk against an F-15 Strike Eagle, first operational for the USAF in 1988, and the stealth fighter would lose. An F-15 max speed is Mach 2.5. That is… one thousand miles per hour faster than the F-117. Amazing speed, but still not exiting the atmosphere in the blink of an eye. And the F-15 is not a stealth aircraft, which are singled out by many in the UFO community as being evidence of reworked alien technology.
Clearly the stealth fighter and bomber did not benefit from alien technology as far as their speed and maneuverability is concerned. They are jet planes, they aren’t quiet, and they can’t hover. What is so special about the stealth aircraft that make them so tied-in with this UFO stuff?
Their main claim to fame are the various technologies that helps them evade detection by addressing things like radar, infrared, reduced visibility through the use of the matte black paint scheme, etc. Meanwhile every UFO sighting involves craft that are ringed with glowing lights and tractor beams shining down on stuff. It’s hard to imagine that whoever is piloting these things is concerned about stealth.
So if speed, maneuverability and stealthiness are not the takeaways from reverse engineering UFOs, what is?
Why are UFO enthusiasts so interested in stealth aircraft? Maybe it’s just because they appear so different compared to other conventional aircraft, with their flat black paint and that mysterious triangle shape.
Stealth technology began in the 70s, and there are many aircraft that employ some or all forms of it, and they aren’t all painted black either. Major military aircraft developers have been continually rethinking, redesigning and reworking all forms of stealth technology for the over the past fifty years, and they didn’t need the downed flying saucer from Roswell to do it.
Humans can be pretty ingenious. Developing new ideas and new technologies requires just a couple of things: some really sharp, educated people, a vision for practical applications, funding, and R&D.
No aliens required.