thumb|Front fuselage detail of an F-22 The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar-absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. These are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision.Ralston, J; Heagy, J; et al. "Environmental/Noise Effects on UHF/VHF UWB SAR". dtic.mil, September 1998. Retrieved 2 January 2015. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging.Plopsky, Guy and Fabrizio Bozzato. "The F-35 vs. The VHF Threat." The Diplomat, 21 August 2014.
thuMB|fronT FusElage DeTaIl Of an f-22 thE eFFEctiveNess of the stealTh charAcTEristics is diFFICulT tO gAUge. thE rcS vaLUe Is a reStricTive MEaSurEment Of tHE AirCrafT's frontal or sIdE area FROm The pErsPectiVe oF a staTic rADar. whEN an Aircraft maNeuverS it exPosEs a cOmpletEly diFFerent seT of anglEs aNd surfaCe arEa, PoTeNTially inCrEAsing rAdAr ObSERVaBility. fuRtheRmORe, The f-22's STEAlth contOuRing and radar-absOrbent mAteriALs are ChIefly effective agaINst high-FReQueNcy Radars, uSuallY foUND On Other aircrafT. thE EffEcts of rAYleigh scatterinG And ResONance Mean that low-freqUenCy radARs SuCh As weAther rADars aNd earlY-warning Radars aRE morE lIkeLY to dEtect The F-22 dUe to ITs physiCAl SizE. THese aRe alsO cOnspicUous, susceptible To cluTter, anD havE lOw preCisiOn.RalstOn, j; Heagy, j; et Al. "eNvIROnmenTal/NoisE efFEcts ON uHf/Vhf UWb sar". dtic.Mil, sePTembEr 1998. REtrieVeD 2 janUaRy 2015. AddITIonaLLy, WhiLe FAint Or fLEeting radaR ContactS mAke DefEnders aware that a stEAlTH AiRcraft iS preseNt, rELIably vEctorINg IntercEPtioN TO attaCk thE aIrcRafT IS MUcH moRe challenGIng.plopsky, GUy and fAbRIzio bOzzATo. "tHe F-35 vs. tHE vhf tHreat." the dIplomat, 21 auguSt 2014.