In modern military aviation, the concept of "stels" is often misinterpreted. In reality, this technology doesn't mean making the aircraft completely invisible, but rather making it less noticeable to radars.
This situation was once again clearly demonstrated in the example of the F-35 fighter jet that was attacked in the sky over Iran. According to the data, this aircraft was detected not by radars, but by other types of sensors.
Experts note that the main role here was played by electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) surveillance systems. That is, the fighter was "discovered" due to the high temperature emitted by the aircraft engine. Infrared sensors recorded this heat and helped determine the aircraft's location.
In addition, when an airplane flies for a long time, its body also overheats. As a result, the heat trace emanating from the fuselage can also be detected by infrared devices. This makes even stealth-equipped aircraft "visible" to some extent.
From this point of view, military analysts believe that countries that want to effectively combat stealth fighters should pay special attention to the development of EO/IR technologies.
However, there is another important aspect here: infrared sensors can passively detect aircraft, but radar systems still play an important role in the full control and targeting process.
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