[Mobhack]

In the game or in real life?

The game is simplified from reality - a stealth plane has more EW factor is all, really.

The HF radar noted above may well give an indication that something is there since "stealth" is aimed at the higher radar frequencies required for targeting. Targeting is the important thing, not the mythical "invisibility" the public might think of as the advantage of stealth. An HF radar is probably going to give a "fuzzy blob" indicating the general presence of something on a stealth plane target to a couple of kilometers or so, but insufficient precision to actually target the thing, however enough to say direct a fighter its way.

Missiles, especially smaller ones carried by planes have itsy-bitsy teeny weeny radars so they are the most affected by "stealth". Which is the main point really, if it say reduces the plane's radar detection range by half and also the plane's missile radar acquisition by half (or 3/4!) then the stealth plane has reduced the range by about 75% that the opposition fighter can engage it - while the opposition non-stealth plane is still as vulnerable to the the stealth platform's missiles as before. Same goes for SAMs, which can have better radar ranges due to size c/f an airborne platform as the SAM radar is way bigger than a fighter's and the SAM it fires can be much larger than the interceptors (unless say Tomcat and Phoenix, now history).

HF and even more so LF radars are "target indicators" to use the old Royal Navy terminology of WW2 - RN ships had HF radars that gave a fuzzy blob type indication of long range threats, the ship then pointed a more precise radar (higher frequency) at it as the blob got closer. That was because the RN radars technology was early 1930s radar and it was difficult to get power into shorter waves till the magnetron came along in 42-43ish.

Modern use of HF and UHF as an indicator for "stealthy" targets is a bit of a retro technique that should work to guide the defenders in the general direction of stealth threats. But I cannot see HF radars being put in the pointy end of even relatively large (Phoenix type) missiles since these would only give a "fuzzy" idea of the actual target location. But a SAM site could use HF to designate a "blob" in space and then saturate it simultaneously with several SAMS operating at say 1/4 of the detection distance they enjoy on non-stealth planes. A bit like depth-charging a submarine. where one uses the "shotgun technique"!.