Stealth Vs. Speed: A Look At Trade-Offs In Modern Fighter Jet Design

Stealth Vs. Speed: A Look At Trade-Offs In Modern Fighter Jet Design Air combat has radically changed since the dogfights of World War II. Even after guided air-to-air missiles arrived in the late 1940s, most aerial engagements throughout the late 20th century still occurred within the pilots’ visual range. But in the 21st century, aerial warfare looks very different. According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, air combat is skewing more toward beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements, rather than the gun-against-gun fights of old. This trend is the result of many things: Smarter air-to-air missiles capable of engaging targets at…