The Reason Why The F-22 Raptor Has A Gold Canopy

The F-22 Raptor jet fighter may eventually get replaced by the F-35A Lightning II, but that won't be for quite some time. After already investing $67.3 billion into developing the F-22, the United States Air Force isn't ready to let the advanced fifth-generation jet fighter go just yet. In fact, they have just invested even more into upgrading the F-22 Raptor to keep it in service into the 2040s. That's because the F-22 is an advanced jet fighter known for its stealth in the skies, and part of that stealth is the gold canopy. 

The F-22 Raptor was developed by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney with stealth (also known as low observables) in mind. From reconnaissance to aerial combat, the F-22 excels at it all due to its radar-cloaking design, which depends on its shape, materials, and finishings. Every little detail comes together to create a fighter jet with advanced aerial agility and the ability to go undetected.

Jet fighters are detected using high-frequency radio waves that can pinpoint their location and size, so the F-22 had to be designed not to reflect those waves back to the radar source. Surprisingly, the aircraft itself isn't what's often the most detectable — it's the pilot. To combat this, the F-22 was given an advanced stealth canopy that scatters radar waves to prevent them from getting an accurate fix. Along with the gold canopy, the F-22's shape is also meant to improve its stealth capabilities. 

Its continuously curved body deflects the radio waves in multiple directions due to its constantly changing radius. Meanwhile, the hard edges — including on its wings and tail — will reflect the radar waves at angles that renders them inaccurate. The F-22's seams, however, are a weak point when it comes to detection. The solution was to use radar-absorbing material (RAM) on the breaks in the F-22's skin. While the way it works is classified, RAM will deflect incoming radar beams multiple times, making them lose energy as they bounce around. All of these design elements combined have made the F-22 one of the best stealth jets ever built.