A US Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet on the deck of the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) amphibious assault ship. Almost all US military aircraft are painted a dull shade of gray—making them hard to spot in the sky, but visually unappealing on the ground. (US Navy)

Why Are All Military Aircraft Gray?

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The gray paint scheme was long used as a form of camouflage—but as air-to-air combat has moved well beyond visual ranges, it is somewhat less important today.

The paint scheme of a fighter jet and bomber jet is not an aesthetic decision, but rather serves a variety of functional purposes: camouflage, thermal management, corrosion protection, and stealth support. Modern military paint is carefully engineered for these purposes—especially on stealth aircraft, where paint becomes a part of the aircraft’s survivability. Indeed, the paint on military aircraft is far closer to a functional sensor-management system than to the ordinary paint that one would find on an automobile. 

Gray Is a Good........

© The National Interest