In 1982, Northrop’s Tacit Blue ‘Whale’ Had a Radar Cross-Section Smaller Than a Bat — and Stayed Classified for 18 Years

In 1982, Northrop’s Tacit Blue ‘Whale’ Had a Radar Cross-Section Smaller Than a Bat — and Stayed Classified for 18 Years

In 1982, Northrop quietly flew a stealth aircraft so radar-invisible the U.S. Air Force later said its radar cross-section was smaller than a bat’s. The Tacit Blue “Whale” pioneered the curved-surface stealth shaping that became the foundation of the B-2 Spirit bomber and used Gaussian-curve geometry to scatter radar energy. Only one aircraft was ever built; it flew 135 missions on a $136 million contract before being boxed up and hidden from th…