3. Designing a stealth vehicle

An object doesn't have to be stealthy in absolute terms, but has to meet a number of constraints, including stealth. In the case of an airplane, these are first and foremost aerodynamics and flight envelope, mission profiles, and then stealth. It's quite rare for all these constraints to be entirely compatible.

To make an object stealthy, we can modify its shape or coating, or use electronic echo cancellation systems. We'll look at these points in more detail below.