"It's certain our stealth characteristics are going to suffer," Stoica said.
They said they were checking the stealth characteristics while carrying weapon pylons.
The nozzles on the prototype appear to be uncovered and might have a slight adverse effect on the aircraft's stealth characteristics.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge.
Like the Ho 229, it would have possessed similar stealth characteristics, as well as a large fuel capacity for transatlantic missions.
The maintenance crews have to be specially trained, and the plane has to be checked to make sure its stealth characteristics weren't altered.
They've got to be black body emitters with stealth characteristics.
But a more powerful engine may need external fuel tanks, which would scuttle the plane's stealth characteristics.
The main features of the class are its stealth characteristics and land-attack capability.
A surveillance aircraft does not necessarily require high-performance capability or stealth characteristics.