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While thinking about the MiG-29’s dedicated rough-field intakes, I started wondering about rough-field operations for other types of combat aircraft, and, naturally, since most new combat aircraft designs are stealth aircraft...

...how do stealth aircraft, with their fragile radar-absorbent coatings, operate from rough or contaminated fields (such as basically any frontline bases, which they would have to operate from in a war of equals,1 given that launching from rear-echelon airbases and then refuelling over the combat zone isn’t possible in such a situation, seeing how flying a tanker somewhere you don’t have air supremacy is merely a rather expensive method of suicide) without the attendant sand and grime and rain and hail and discarded shrapnel and whatnot quickly rendering them non-stealth?

1: A full-scale war between the United States and China, for example.

Vikki
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    I'm not an expert by any means but as far as I know the stealth characteristics are not only achieved by the surface coating, I think a major factor is the geometry of these aircraft. A lot of the surfaces are at an angle to avoid reflecting the radar waves back to the direction they came from. And a bit of dirt is probably not going to change that geometric shape... but that's just my idea here. – Jan Mar 17 '19 at 19:39
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    Most of your assumptions are incorrect. I would recommend doing your homework about this first and then coming back to rephrase the question. For one thing, air refuelling for aircraft operating in the front lines of a conflict is a commonplace occurrence. Also, the coatings on "stealth aircraft" are not something I would describe as "fragile." – Juan Jimenez Mar 19 '19 at 08:57
  • @JuanJimenez: 1) Frontline aerial refuelling is indeed a commonplace occurrence... when fighting opponents with no air force or air defences to speak of. 2) Given that said coatings can be damaged by flying through rain... – Vikki Mar 23 '19 at 20:14
  • https://www.amc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/147242/vietnam-the-first-tanker-war/ 2) You forgot to mention that the Air Force has denied that.
    • – Juan Jimenez Mar 24 '19 at 21:08
  • @JuanJimenez: 1) Were those tankers actually routinely flying over North Vietnam, though, or were they loitering over the South China Sea? 2) Air Force denies something embarrassing to them, so, of course, it never happened. Riiiiight... – Vikki Mar 25 '19 at 02:49
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  • Both. 2) Media reports something on the Internet, so of course, it must be true. Riiiight. Reminds of a certain company's advertisement featuring French models. :)
    • – Juan Jimenez Mar 25 '19 at 11:31
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    I don't understand. You're proposing to have an air field with a dodgy runway that's close enough to the action that your stealth aircraft can perform their mission from there without refuelling. If that place is safe enough to put planes on the ground, isn't it also safe enough that you can refuel in the air immediately above it? – David Richerby Mar 25 '19 at 13:21
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    Seeing as the B-2 can't even operate in rainy weather without its billion dollar paint job getting ruined (maybe they've solved that problem by now, but it was a real concern) I seriously doubt any thought was given to operating them from unprepared strips in combat zones. F-117 ditto, special tents had to be constructed in Saudi during Desert Shield to house those. – jwenting Mar 26 '19 at 04:38
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    Yeah @JuanJimenez is right. For example, the F-35, there are special mats of material that provide stealth, fighters like the F-22 use a combination, but most future stealth aircraft are being designed with mats mainly. This would be much more resistant to debris. – Jihyun Mar 26 '19 at 17:16
  • @DavidRicherby: Safe enough for the fighters? Yes. Safe enough for the tankers? Not necessarily. – Vikki Mar 27 '19 at 02:44
  • @Sean If it's safe enough for an air base, isn't it safe enough to fly tankers over it? – David Richerby Mar 27 '19 at 10:10
  • @Sean You seriously are not aware that tankers do not operate solo at any location? – Juan Jimenez Mar 27 '19 at 18:52