Can the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter be detected by WW2 era radar? According to Pierre Sprey, the technology to detect stealth aircraft (e.g. the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in air by radar has been around ever since the Battle of Britain (i.e. 1940, early World War II). Source: Interview with Pierre Sprey: > Interviewer: How stealth capable is the F-35? > > Pierre Sprey: The first thing to know about stealth is it is a scam. It simply doesn't work. Radars that were built in 1942 can detect every stealth airplane in the world today. Is this true?

This answers your question very well: <

In essence, longer wavelength radars can track stealth fighters, but they are not necessarily able to guide a weapon to the target. The article talks about work arounds to the problem and explains it well.

It should be noted that large wavelength radars tend to have large antennae. They would be more likely to be mounted on a truck then in the tip of a missile or fighter. AWAC style planes would be more likely to contain them, and sensor fusion could be used to provide a weapons quality radar guidance.

Radar means less and less with the availability of IR search and track systems. Jet engines are hot.