Details Revealed About the Rusty Stealth Coating of the US Air Force's F-22

F-22 Raptor. Photo: Reuters

Images have emerged online showing problems with the latest protective coating on the US fifth-generation fighter F-22 Raptor. In the nose of the aircraft, the paint layer known as stealth coating has begun to peel off.

It should be noted that the aircraft had previously participated in the EAA AirVenture Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and apparently, during the flight, some foreign object struck and damaged the nose of the aircraft. This may have caused the unique coating on the American aircraft's fuselage to peel off.

The Drive experts also do not rule out the possibility that sand particles could be fired into the nose of a fighter jet at high speeds, in the Middle East, for example. Additionally, when it comes to Florida's highly humid climate, this makes it difficult for the coating to properly preserve.

The unique coating used ensures the aircraft's "invisibility" so that it cannot be detected by enemy radar. In the above case, the object will be visible on public screens and automatically enter the risk zone. At the same time, the article notes that servicing the stealth coating, formed by a large number of composite materials, is one of the most expensive details in aircraft operations. According to the publication, one hour of flight of the F-22 Raptor costs an average of $ 60,000.

Experts have previously warned of the risk of hackers cracking the F-22's systems. This conclusion was made by experts investigating the crash of a Japanese Air Force F-35A fighter jet.