Watch Out F-35, You Can Run But You Can’t Hide

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The famous ‘stealth’ features of the new Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter aircraft, making it, allegedly, invisible to radar might seem ineffective due to new findings that point out use of an infra-red scan as a method to detect the new aircraft location.
The heat released by the aircraft’s engines and other power consumption devices could sabotage the effort made by its stealthy characteristics aimed at remaining invisible to radar.
Fighter aircraft add-on devices such as the infra-red scan and track (IRST) sensor which several European and Russian aircraft are equipped with for certain missions, can easily detect the F-35 in beyond-visual range engagements, a defence website said.

According to defenseworld.com, a video released by FLIR Systems which specializes in the manufacture of infra-red sensors shows the heat signature of the plane in clear detail. The sensor used is the FLIR Star SAFIRE 380-HDc and tracking the heat signature has been done from a rather close range.
Nevertheless, it could be a potential chink in the armor for the US Air Force and other countries which have put billions of dollars in buying the F-35 whose main USP is its stealth capability. Israel has purchased 33 units and will receive the first one in December.