The National Interest magazine has listed 5 US weapon systems that they consider “the most powerful of all time”.

1. SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71 has a reputation as the fastest aircraft in the world and has impressive stealth capabilities. It can reach a maximum speed of Mach 3.2 and adds four stealth features to the design.

First, the plane’s surface has the ability to prevent enemy radar waves from reflecting back to the receiver.

Second, the wings, tail and fuselage have been made of composite materials along with titanium, aimed at absorbing radar waves.

Third, the aircraft engine part is placed neatly near the fuselage, reducing the possibility of being detected by radar.

The final feature is that the SR-71 is painted black with small-sized ferrite iron particles. It is this paint that gives the SR-71 a special appearance that is dubbed the “black bird”.

This paint color is said to minimize the cross-section of the radar. This is an indicator of the extent to which the radar can detect an object. The SR-71 has this index less than 10m2 while the F-15 Eagle is 100m2.

2. F-117 Nighthawk

The F-117 was developed from the top secret project Have Blue with impressive stealth characteristics that make it effective in bombardment missions, communication centers, defense systems, armory.

It has a very special aerodynamic design with cross-sections that allow scattering of radar waves, making the aircraft difficult to detect with electronic reconnaissance devices.

Two US soldiers stand next to an F-117 stealth aircraft at Spangdahlem airbase, southwest of Bonn, Germany in 1999. Photo: REUTERS

The F-117 entered combat for the first time in 1989. The F-117’s next combat flights took place during Operation Desert Storm, the nickname for the major US-led invasion of Iraq. early in the 1990s.

In addition, it also performed missions in Kosovo in 1999 and Operation Freedom for Iraq in 2003. This aircraft model was “retired” by the US in 2008.

3. B-2 Spirit

Introduced in 1988, the B-2 Spirit is considered America’s first official stealth strategic bomber. The design without a tail helps it to reduce the possibility of being detected by enemy radar.

This bomber can carry everything from the B61 gravity atomic bomb to the JDAM bomb, or the GBU-57A/B heavy bomb (more than 13 tons).

Unlike previous US stealth aircraft, such as the F-117 and B-2, the F-22 Raptor was designed as a fighter, using stealth to give it a unique advantage. decisive in air battles.

F-22 Raptor fighter. Photo: US Air Force

The F-22 is designed to minimize radar absorption. National Interest rates the F-22’s stealth capabilities as allowing it to become one of the best fighters in the world, far surpassing current and planned future fighters.

5. Tàu ngầm hạt nhân lớp Ohio

National Interest believes that among submarines, the most powerful combination of stealth and damage to opponents is the US Ohio-class nuclear submarine.

The Ohio submarine is the largest submarine the United States has ever built in history. The hull is designed in the shape of a fish to help the ship move quickly but create minimal noise. Equipment that can cause noise is placed in a soundproof area.