What is the primary goal of aircraft hardening?

The primary goal of aircraft hardening is to minimize damage to the aircraft once it has been hit. This involves implementing various design and engineering strategies to reinforce the aircraft's structure, systems, and components, making them more resilient to impacts from projectiles, blasts, or other forms of attack. By enhancing the aircraft's ability to withstand damage, hardening can improve overall mission success and increase the survivability of both the aircraft and its crew in hostile environments.

In the context of military operations, hardening is particularly crucial, as it allows aircraft to return safely to base or complete their missions even after sustaining damage. This focus on resilience does not primarily revolve around increasing speed, agility, or payload capacity, nor does it involve minimizing visibility, though these aspects are also important in military aviation for different reasons. Therefore, while each choice addresses various aircraft features or operational strategies, the correct emphasis on hardening is specifically about protecting the aircraft from damage during combat scenarios.