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Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
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The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is an officially retired American single-seat, subsonic, twin-engined stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft to be designed with stealth technology.

Key Information

Work on what would become the F-117 commenced in the 1970s as a means of countering increasingly sophisticated Soviet surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). During 1976, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued Lockheed a contract to produce the Have Blue technology demonstrator, the test data from which validated the concept. On 1 November 1978, Lockheed decided to proceed with the F-117 development program. Five prototypes were produced; the first of which performed its maiden flight in 1981 at Groom Lake, Nevada. The first production F-117 was delivered in 1982, and its initial operating capability was achieved in October 1983. All aircraft were initially based at Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada.

The aircraft's faceted shape (made from two-dimensional flat surfaces) heavily contributes to its relatively low radar cross-section of about 0.001 m2 (0.0108 sq ft). To minimize its infrared signature, it has a non-circular tail pipe that mixes hot exhaust with cool ambient air and lacks afterburners; it is also restricted to subsonic speeds, as breaking the sound barrier would produce an obvious sonic boom that would increase both its acoustic and infrared footprints. While commonly referred to as the "Stealth Fighter", the aircraft was designed and employed as a dedicated attack aircraft, and indeed its performance in air combat maneuvering was less than that of most contemporary fighters. The F-117 is equipped with integrated sophisticated digital navigation and attack systems, targeting being achieved via a thermal imaging infrared system and a laser rangefinder/laser designator. It is aerodynamically unstable in all three aircraft principal axes, thus requiring constant flight corrections via a fly-by-wire flight system to maintain controlled flight.

Even in the years following its entry to service, the F-117 was a black project, its existence being denied by USAF officials. On 10 November 1988, the F-117 was publicly acknowledged for the first time. Its first combat mission was flown during the United States invasion of Panama in 1989. The last one of 59 production F-117s was delivered on 3 July 1990. The F-117 was widely publicized for its role in the Gulf War of 1991, having flown around 1,300 sorties and scored direct hits on what the US military described as 1,600 high-value targets in Iraq. F-117s also participated in the conflict in Yugoslavia, during which one was shot down by a SAM in 1999. It was also active during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The USAF retired the F-117 in 2008, primarily due to the fielding of the F-22 Raptor.[3] Despite the type's official retirement, a portion of the F-117 fleet has been kept in airworthy condition, and some have been observed flying since being retired from combat.[4] It has been flown by the USAF for research and development, testing, and training purposes.

Development

[edit]

Background and Have Blue

[edit]
Main article: Lockheed Have Blue

In 1936, Robert Watson Watt, the British radar pioneer, noted that measures to reduce an object's radar cross-section (RCS) could be used to evade radar detection.[5] In 1962, Pyotr Ufimtsev, a Soviet mathematician, published a seminal paper titled "Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction" in the Journal of the Moscow Institute for Radio Engineering, in which he showed that the strength of the radar return from an object is related to its edge configuration, not its size.[6] Ufimtsev was extending theoretical work published by German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld.[7][6]: xiii [8] Ufimtsev demonstrated that he could calculate the RCS across a wing's surface and along its edge. The obvious and logical conclusion was that even a large aircraft could reduce its radar signature by exploiting this principle. However, the resulting design would make the aircraft aerodynamically unstable, and the state of computer technology in the early 1960s could not provide the kinds of flight computers that would later allow aircraft such as the F-117 and B-2 Spirit to stay airborne. By the 1970s, when Lockheed analyst Denys Overholser found Ufimtsev's paper, computers and software had advanced significantly, and the stage was set for the development of a stealth airplane.[9][10]

Aircraft parked inside an open hangar
F-117A painted in "Gray Dragon" experimental camouflage scheme

The F-117 was conceived after the Vietnam War, where increasingly sophisticated Soviet SAMs had downed heavy bombers.[11] The heavy losses inflicted by Soviet-made SAMs upon the Israeli Air Force in the 1973 Yom Kippur War also contributed to a 1974 Defense Science Board assessment that in case of a conflict in Central Europe, air defenses would likely prevent NATO air strikes on targets in Eastern Europe.[12]

It was a black project, remaining an ultrasecret program for much of its life.[13][14][10] The project began in 1975 with a model called the "Hopeless Diamond"[15][16][17] (a wordplay on the Hope Diamond because of its appearance). The following year, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued Lockheed Skunk Works a contract to build and test two Stealth Strike Fighters, under the code name "Have Blue".[18][19] These subscale aircraft incorporated jet engines of the Northrop T-38A, fly-by-wire systems of the F-16, landing gear of the A-10, and environmental systems of the C-130.[18] By bringing together existing technology and components, Lockheed built two demonstrators under budget, at $35 million for both aircraft, and in record time.[18] Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering William J. Perry was instrumental in shepherding the project.[20]

The maiden flight of the demonstrators occurred on 1 December 1977.[21][22] Although both aircraft crashed during the demonstration program, test data gathered proved positive.[23][24] The success of Have Blue led the government to increase funding for stealth technology. Much of that increase was allocated towards the production of an operational stealth aircraft, the Lockheed F-117, under the program code name Senior Trend.[25][26]

Senior Trend

[edit]

The decision to produce the F-117 was made on 1 November 1978, and a contract was awarded to Lockheed Advanced Development Projects, popularly known as the Skunk Works, in Burbank, California.[27][28] The program was led by Ben Rich, with Alan Brown as manager of the project.[29][30] Rich called on Bill Schroeder, a Lockheed mathematician, and Overholser, a mathematician and radar specialist, to exploit Ufimtsev's work. The three designed a computer program called "Echo", which made possible the design of an airplane with flat panels, called facets, which were arranged so as to scatter over 99% of a radar's signal energy "painting" the aircraft.[9][31][29]

The first YF-117A, serial number 79-10780, made its maiden flight from Groom Lake (Area 51), Nevada, on 18 June 1981,[32][33] only 31 months after the full-scale development decision. The first production F-117A was delivered in 1982, and operational capability was achieved in October 1983.[7][34] The 4450th Tactical Group stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, was tasked with the operational development of the early F-117, and between 1981 (prior to the arrival of the first models) and 1989, the group used LTV A-7 Corsair IIs for training, to bring all pilots to a common flight-training baseline and later as chase planes for F-117A tests.[35]

F-117 79-7084 being refueled by a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker of the 4450th Tactical Group in 1983.

The F-117 was secret for much of the 1980s. Many news articles discussed what they called an "F-19" stealth fighter, and the Testor Corporation produced a very inaccurate scale model. When an F-117 crashed in Sequoia National Forest in July 1986, killing the pilot and starting a fire, the USAF established restricted airspace.[36] Armed guards prohibited entry, including firefighters, and a helicopter gunship circled the site. All F-117 debris was replaced with remains of a F-101A Voodoo crash stored at Area 51. When another fatal crash in October 1987 occurred inside Nellis, the military again provided little information to the press.[37]

The USAF denied the existence of the aircraft until 10 November 1988, when Assistant Secretary of Defense J. Daniel Howard displayed a grainy photograph at a Pentagon press conference, disproving the many inaccurate rumors about the shape of the "F-19".[38] After the announcement, pilots could fly the F-117 during daytime and no longer needed to be associated with the A-7, flying the T-38 supersonic trainer for travel and training, instead.[39] In April 1990, two F-117s flew to Nellis, arriving during daylight and publicly displayed to a crowd of tens of thousands.[40][41]

F-117 flight demonstration

Five full-scale development aircraft were built, designated "YF-117A".[42] The last of 59 production F-117s were delivered on 3 July 1990.[34][43] As the USAF has stated, "Streamlined management by Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, combined breakthrough stealth technology with concurrent development and production to rapidly field the aircraft... The F-117A program demonstrates that a stealth aircraft can be designed for reliability and maintainability."[2]

Designation

[edit]

The operational aircraft was officially designated "F-117A".[44][5] Most modern U.S. military aircraft use post-1962 designations in which the designation "F" is usually an air-to-air fighter, "B" is usually a bomber, "A" is usually a ground-attack aircraft, etc. (Examples include the F-15, the B-2, and the A-6.) The F-117 is primarily an attack aircraft,[1] so its "F" designation is inconsistent with the Department of Defense system. This is an inconsistency that has been repeatedly employed by the USAF with several of its attack aircraft since the late 1950s, including the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. A televised documentary quoted project manager Alan Brown as saying that Robert J. Dixon, a four-star USAF general who was the head of Tactical Air Command, felt that the top-notch USAF fighter pilots required to fly the new aircraft were more easily attracted to an aircraft with an "F" designation for fighter, as opposed to a bomber ("B") or attack ("A") designation.[45][46] Early on, one potential air-to-air mission considered for the F-117 was to hunt down the Soviet A-50 "Mainstay" airborne warning and control system. However, this was not deemed to be effective and this mission was passed to the nascent Advanced Tactical Fighter, which eventually became the F-22 Raptor.[47]

The designation "F-117" seems to indicate that it was given an official designation prior to the 1962 U.S. Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System and could be considered numerically to be a part of the earlier Century Series of fighters. The assumption prior to the revealing of the aircraft to the public was that it would likely receive the F-19 designation, as that number had not been used, but no other aircraft were to receive a "100" series number following the F-111. Soviet fighters obtained by the U.S. via various means under the Constant Peg program[48] were given F-series numbers for their evaluation by U.S. pilots, and with the advent of the Teen Series fighters, most often Century Series designations.[49]

As with other exotic military aircraft types flying in the southern Nevada area, such as captured fighters, an arbitrary radio call of "117" was assigned. This same radio call had been used by the enigmatic 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron, also known as the "Red Hats" or "Red Eagles", who often had flown expatriated MiG jet fighters in the area, but no relationship existed between the call and the formal F-19 designation then being considered by the USAF. Apparently, use of the "117" radio call became commonplace, and when Lockheed released its first flight manual (i.e., the USAF "dash one" manual for the aircraft), F-117A was the designation printed on the cover.[50]

Design

[edit]
Closeup view of the nose of a black jet, emphasizing the many angled-surfaces
Front view of an F-117

When the USAF first approached Lockheed with the stealth concept, Skunk Works Director Kelly Johnson proposed a rounded design. He believed smoothly blended shapes offered the best combination of speed and stealth. However, his assistant, Ben Rich, showed that faceted-angle surfaces would provide a significant reduction in radar signature, and the necessary aerodynamic control could be provided with computer units. A May 1975 Skunk Works report, "Progress Report No. 2, High Stealth Conceptual Studies", showed the rounded concept that was rejected in favor of the flat-sided approach.[51][52][53] The resulting unusual design surprised and puzzled experienced pilots; a Royal Air Force pilot who flew it as an exchange officer stated that when he first saw a photograph of the still-secret F-117, he "promptly giggled and thought [to himself] 'this clearly can't fly'".[54]

The single-seat F-117 is powered by two nonafterburning General Electric F404 turbofan engines. They were extensively modified to suit a stealth aircraft, such as to have a cooler operational temperature, and somewhat resembled a turbojet, instead.[55] The engine was redesigned to produce a minimum of mass thrust, which eased the task of designing a suitable inlet and nozzle. To obscure the engine from enemy radar, a conductive metal mesh grill was installed in the intake, while the exhaust gases were intentionally mixed with cool air to lower the thermal signature.[56]

The aircraft is air refuelable and features a V-tail. The maximum speed is 623 mph (1,003 km/h; 541 kn) at high altitude, the maximum rate of climb is 2,820 feet (860 m) per minute, and the service ceiling is 43,000 to 45,000 feet (13,000 to 14,000 m).[57][58] The cockpit was quite spacious, with ergonomic displays and controls, but the field of view was somewhat obstructed with a large blind spot to the rear.[59]

Avionics

[edit]

Early stealth aircraft were designed with a focus on minimal radar cross-section rather than aerodynamic performance; because of this, the F-117 is aerodynamically unstable in all three aircraft principal axes and requires constant flight corrections from a fly-by-wire (FBW) flight system to maintain controlled flight.[60][61] It is equipped with quadruple-redundant FBW flight controls. To lower development costs, the avionics, FBW systems, and other systems and parts were derived from the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, and McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.[62] To maintain a high level of secrecy, components were often rerouted from other aircraft programs, ordered using falsified addresses and other details, while $3 million worth of equipment was removed from USAF storage without disclosing its purpose.[63]

Lockheed YF-117A cockpit at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, USA
YF-117A cockpit

The aircraft is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems integrated into a digital avionics suite. It navigates primarily by GPS and high-accuracy inertial navigation.[64] Missions are coordinated by an automated planning system that can automatically perform all aspects of an attack mission, including weapons release.[65] Targets are acquired by a thermal imaging, infrared system, paired with a laser rangefinder/laser designator that finds the range and designates targets for laser-guided bombs. The F-117's split internal bay can carry 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) of ordnance. Typical weapons are a pair of GBU-10, GBU-12, or GBU-27 laser-guided bombs, two BLU-109 penetration bombs, or, after 2006, two Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) GPS/INS-guided stand-off bombs.[66][67]

Stealth

[edit]
Main article: Stealth aircraft

The F-117 has an RCS around 0.001 m2 (0.0108 sq ft).[68] Among the penalties for stealth are subsonic speeds to prevent frame heating, heat on the engine inlet and outlet prevent certain thrusting maneuvers, a very low wing aspect ratio, and a high sweep angle (50°), needed to deflect incoming radar waves to the sides.[12][69][70] With these design considerations and no afterburner, the F-117 is limited to subsonic speeds. Additionally, to maintain its low observability, the F-117 was not equipped with radar; not only would an active radar be detectable through its emissions, but also an inactive radar antenna would also act as a reflector of radar energy.[71] Whether it carries any radar detection equipment remained classified as of 2008.[12]

Its faceted shape (made from two-dimensional flat surfaces) resulted from the limitations of the 1970s-era computer technology used to calculate its RCS. Later supercomputers made subsequent aircraft like the B-2 bomber made using curved surfaces while maintaining stealth possible, through the use of far more computational resources to perform the additional calculations.[72] The radio-wave absorbing materials covering the F-117 weighed almost one ton and were held in place by glue.[73] The gaps between the sheets are filled with a kind of putty material called "butter".[12][74]

An exhaust plume contributes a significant infrared (IR) signature. The F-117 reduces IR signature with a noncircular tail pipe (a slit shape) to minimize the exhaust cross-section and maximize the mixing of hot exhaust with cool, ambient air.[75] The F-117 lacks afterburners, because the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature, breaking the sound barrier would produce an obvious sonic boom, and surface heating of the aircraft skin would also increase the IR footprint. As a result, its performance in air combat maneuvering required in a dogfight would never match that of a dedicated fighter aircraft; this was unimportant in the case of the F-117, since it was a dedicated attack aircraft.[45]

Passive (multistatic) radar, bistatic radar, and especially multistatic radar systems detect some stealth aircraft better than conventional monostatic radars, since first-generation stealth technology (such as the F-117) reflects energy away from the transmitter's line of sight, effectively increasing the RCS in other directions, which the passive radars monitor.[76]

Nuclear capability

[edit]

While the F-117 was designed with the capability to deliver nuclear weapons, it never served in a standardized nuclear role, instead being kept at a lower, latent, or reserve nuclear readiness.[77] It could store and drop two nuclear gravity bombs, including the B57 and B61. Its cockpit had a panel for interfacing with the nuclear weapons' permissive action links.

It was an ideal aircraft for potential nuclear strategic bombing attacks against the Soviet Union, not only for its stealth shape and paint but its flight planning software that allowed it to minimize exposure to the Warsaw Pact's dense anti-aircraft forces. Forward deployments were considered to the United Kingdom and South Korea, but abandoned due to concerns about the aircraft's sensitive technology. In 1985 the aircraft experienced a shaking issue while test dropping a dummy B61 nuclear bomb at Groom Lake in Area 51.[78]

F-117 pilots were trained for specific conventional (GBU-27) attack missions against the Warsaw Pact from airfields in the United Kingdom in what would be theoretically be the opening non-nuclear phases of World War III. One pilot was assigned a target in Rostock, East Germany.[78]

Operational history

[edit]

Early activities

[edit]
An F-117 conducts a live-exercise bombing run using GBU-27 laser-guided bombs.

During the program's early years, from 1984 to mid-1992, the F-117 fleet was based at Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada, where it served under the 4450th Tactical Group; Air Combat Command's only F-117A unit.[79] The unit was headquartered at Nellis Air Force Base. A-7 Corsair II aircraft were used for training. Most personnel and their families lived in Las Vegas. This required commercial air and trucking to transport personnel between Las Vegas and Tonopah each week.[80] The 4450th was absorbed by the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1989. In 1992, the entire fleet was transferred to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, under the command of the 49th Fighter Wing.[79]

The F-117 reached initial operating capability status in 1983.[2][79] The Nighthawk's pilots called themselves "Bandits". Each of the 558 Air Force pilots who have flown the F-117 has a Bandit number, such as "Bandit 52", that indicates the sequential order of their first flight in the F-117.[81] Pilots told friends and families that they flew the Northrop F-5 in aggressor squadrons against Tactical Air Command.[37]

The F-117 has been used several times in war. Its first mission was during the United States invasion of Panama in 1989.[82][83] During that invasion, at least two F-117s dropped bombs on Rio Hato airfield.[84][85]

The aircraft was operated in secret from Tonopah for almost a decade; after the Gulf War, all aircraft moved to Holloman in 1992, but its integration with the USAF's nonstealth "iron jets" occurred slowly. As one senior F-117 pilot later said: "Because of ongoing secrecy, others continued to see the aircraft as 'none of their business, a stand-alone system'."[12] The F-117 and members of the 49th Fighter Wing were deployed to Southwest Asia on multiple occasions. On their first deployment, with the aid of aerial refueling, pilots flew nonstop from Holloman to Kuwait, around an 18.5-hour flight.[86]

Iraq and Afghanistan

[edit]
A pair of F-117s

During the Gulf War in 1991, the F-117 flew roughly 1,300 sorties and scored direct hits on what the U.S. called 1,600 high-value targets in Iraq[2] over 6,905 flight hours.[87] Leaflet drops on Iraqi forces displayed the F-117 destroying ground targets and warned "Escape now and save yourselves".[39] Only 229 Coalition tactical aircraft could drop and designate laser-guided bombs, of which 36 F-117s represented 15.7%, and only the USAF had the I-2000 bombs intended for hardened targets. So, the F-117 represented 32% of all coalition aircraft that could deliver such bombs.[88]: 73–74  Notably, F-117s were involved in the Amiriyah shelter bombing, killing at least 408 civilians.[89]

Much media attention was given to the bombing of telecommunications, water, and transportation infrastructure in Baghdad. Stealth bombers were used due to the perimeter of Baghdad being heavily defended with antiaircraft weapons. The bombings quickly became part of a propaganda battle, with media highlighting the killing of civilians and American claims that stealth bombing was highly effective at destroying military targets.[90] Postwar records show that the F-117 had 18 times more targets per aircraft than their nonstealth peers.[91]

Outside of Baghdad, the F-117 bombing was primarily used to destroy airfields, and it was used in conjunction with other air munitions. Overall, 42 F-117s dropped 2077 bombs in Desert Storm. This accounts for about a third of USAF guided bombing.[90]

Early claims of the F-117's effectiveness were later found to be overstated.[92] Initial reports of F-117s hitting 80% of their targets were later scaled back to "41–60%".[88]: 132  On the first night, they failed to hit 40% of their assigned air-defense targets, including the Air Defense Operations Center in Baghdad, and eight such targets remained functional out of 10 that could be assessed.[88]: 136–137  In their Desert Storm white paper, the USAF stated, "the F-117 was the only airplane that the planners dared risk over downtown Baghdad" and that this area was particularly well defended. (Dozens of F-16s were routinely tasked to attack Baghdad in the first few days of the war.)[88]: 137–138  In fact, most of the air defenses were on the outskirts of the city and many other aircraft hit targets in the downtown area, with minimal casualties when they attacked at night like the F-117;[88] they avoided the optically aimed antiaircraft cannon and infrared SAMs, which were the biggest threat to Coalition aircraft.[88]: 105 

The F-117 was used during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.[93][94] The Taliban lacked a modern Air Force. After the initial bombing campaign in October, targets justifying F-117 usage were limited as was the use of the F-117.[95]

The first bombs dropped in the 2003 Operation Iraqi Freedom were from two F-117 on the Dora Farms in an attempt to assassinate Saddam Hussein. The F-117 was chosen to deliver a bunker buster payload because nearby Baghdad was heavily fortified with antiaircraft weapons, and US intelligence indicated Saddam Hussein's bunker was too reinforced for missiles. The EGBU-27 Advanced Paveway III bunker buster is an unusual payload for the F-117. Post facto intelligence showed that Saddam Hussein had been at Dora Farms, but left several hours prior to the bombing.[96][97] During this time, the Air Force estimated the operational cost as $35,000 per JDAM-style bomb delivered by the F-117.[98]

Yugoslavia

[edit]
Main article: 1999 F-117A shootdown
Canopy of F-117 shot down in Serbia in March 1999 at the Museum of Aviation in Belgrade

One F-117 (AF ser. no. 82-0806) was lost to enemy action. It was downed during an Operation Allied Force mission against the Army of Yugoslavia on 27 March 1999.[99] The aircraft was acquired by a fire-control radar at a distance of 8.1 mi (13 km) and an altitude of 26,000 ft (8 km). SA-3s were then launched by a Yugoslav version of the Soviet Isayev S-125 "Neva" (NATO name SA-3 "Goa") anti-aircraft missile system.[99][100][101] The launcher was run by the 3rd Battalion of the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade under the command of Colonel Zoltán Dani.[102] After the explosion, the aircraft became uncontrollable, forcing the pilot to eject. The pilot was recovered six hours later by a United States Air Force Pararescue team.[99][103] The stealth technology from the downed F-117 has reportedly been studied by Russia,[104] and possibly China.[105] The U.S. did not attempt to destroy the wreckage; senior Pentagon officials claimed that its technology was already dated and no longer important to protect.[37]

American sources state that a second F-117 was targeted and damaged during the campaign, allegedly on 30 April 1999.[106][107] The aircraft returned to Spangdahlem Air Base,[107] but it supposedly never flew again.[108][109] The USAF continued using the F-117 during Operation Allied Force.[110]

Program closeout

[edit]

The loss of an F-117 in Serbia caused the USAF to create a subsection of their existing weapons school to improve tactics. More training was done with other units, and the F-117 began to participate in Red Flag exercises. Though advanced for its time, the F-117's stealthy faceted airframe required a large amount of maintenance and was eventually superseded by streamlined shapes produced with computer-aided design. Other weapons systems began to take on the F-117's roles, such as the F-22 Raptor gaining the ability to drop guided bombs.[3] By 2005, the aircraft was used only for certain missions, such as if a pilot needed to verify that the correct target had been hit, or when minimal collateral damage was vital.[12][8]

The USAF had once planned to retire the F-117 in 2011, but Program Budget Decision 720 (PBD 720), dated 28 December 2005, proposed retiring it by October 2008 to free up an estimated $1.07 billion[111] to buy more F-22s.[81] PBD 720 called for 10 F-117s to be retired in FY2007 and the remaining 42 in FY2008, stating that other USAF planes and missiles could stealthily deliver precision ordnance, including the B-2 Spirit, F-22, and JASSM.[112] The planned introduction of the multirole F-35 Lightning II also contributed to the retirement decision.[113]

In late 2006, the USAF closed the F-117 formal training unit,[114] and announced the retirement of the F-117.[115] The first six aircraft to be retired took their last flight on 12 March 2007 after a ceremony at Holloman AFB to commemorate the aircraft's career. Brigadier General David L. Goldfein, commander of the 49th Fighter Wing, said at the ceremony, "With the launch of these great aircraft today, the circle comes to a close—their service to our nation's defense fulfilled, their mission accomplished, and a job well done. We send them today to their final resting place—a home they are intimately familiar with—their first, and only, home outside of Holloman."[116]

A pair of specially painted F-117s sporting a United States flag theme on their bellies fly off from their last refueling by the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing.

Unlike most other USAF aircraft that are retired to Davis-Monthan AFB for scrapping, or dispersal to museums, most of the F-117s were placed in "Type 1000" storage[117] in their original hangars at the Tonopah Test Range Airport.[118] At Tonopah, their wings were removed and the aircraft are stored in their original climate-controlled hangars.[116] The decommissioning occurred in eight phases, with the operational aircraft retired to Tonopah in seven waves from 13 March 2007 until the last wave's arrival on 22 April 2008.[119][118] Four aircraft were kept flying beyond April by the 410th Flight Test Squadron at Palmdale for flight test. By August, two were remaining. The last F-117 (AF Serial No. 86-0831) left Palmdale to fly to Tonopah on 11 August 2008.[120][121] With the last aircraft retired, the 410th was inactivated in a ceremony on 1 August 2008.[122]

Five aircraft were placed in museums, including the first four YF-117As and some remains of the F-117 shot down over Serbia. Through 2009, one F-117 had been scrapped; AF Serial No. 79-0784 was scrapped at the Palmdale test facility on 26 April 2008. It was the last F-117 at Palmdale and was scrapped to test an effective method for destroying these planes.[123]

Congress had ordered that all F-117s mothballed from 30 September 2006 onwards were to be maintained "in a condition that would allow recall of that aircraft to future service" as part of the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act. As of 2022, USAF plans to demilitarize three F-117s each year until 2034, when they should all be demilitarized.[124][125]

Post-retirement service

[edit]

The USAF is currently using the aircraft in aggressor squadron and cruise missile training, and research and development. USAF has also slowed the retirement of its current inventory of about 45 F-117s to two to three units a year. This plan should extend the lifetime of the F-117 program to 2034.[125][124] In March 2019, four F-117s reportedly had been secretly deployed to the Middle East in 2016, and that one had to make an emergency landing at Ali Al Salem, Kuwait sometime late that year.[126]

F-117 Nighthawk during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 2023

On 13 September 2021, a pair of F-117s landed at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in California. They were scheduled to train with the California Air National Guard F-15C/D Eagles of the 144th Fighter Wing over the next few days.[127] One aircraft had red letters on its tail, and the other had white letters. One of the two was observed to not be fitted with radar reflectors.[128] That year, USAF published photographs on DVIDS, the first acknowledgement by the service that the aircraft continued to fly after its official retirement.[125]

In January 2022, two F-117s were observed in flight in the Saline Military Operating Area. One had portions of its exterior covered in a "mirror-like coating" believed to be an experimental treatment to reduce the aircraft's infrared signature.[129]

F-117s trailing a KC-135 Stratotanker, October 2023

In May 2022, an F-117 participated in exercise Savannah Sentry at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia. It was a joint exercise with both active USAF and Air National Guard units. In a video documenting the exercise, an off-screen crew member stated that about 48 flyable F-117s are in USAF inventory. They stated that the F-117 is sometimes used in aggressor-type training roles and was brought to Savannah Sentry to participate in an "unclassified capacity".[130]

In May 2023, two F-117s participated in exercise Northern Edge 23-1, marking the first time they were officially spotted operating outside of the continental US after their retirement.[131] On 1 February 2024, two F-117s were seen at testing range R-2508 in the Mojave Desert.[132]

In September 2025, two F-117's were spotted above Los Angeles being refueled by a USAF KC-46 Pegasus tanker. This marks the first time the two have been spotted transfering fuel to one another.[133]

Variants

[edit]

F-117N "Sea Hawk"

[edit]

The United States Navy tested the F-117 in 1984, but determined it was unsuitable for carrier use.[39] In the early 1990s, Lockheed proposed an upgraded carrier-capable F-117 variant dubbed the "Seahawk" to the Navy as an alternative to the canceled A/F-X program. The unsolicited proposal was received poorly by the Department of Defense, which lacked interest in the single-mission capabilities on offer, particularly as it would take money away from the Joint Advanced Strike Technology program, which evolved into the Joint Strike Fighter. The F-117N would have differed from the land-based F-117 in several ways, such as the use of "elevators, a bubble canopy, a less sharply swept wing and reconfigured tail".[134][135] It would also be re-engined with General Electric F414 turbofans in place of the General Electric F404s. The aircraft would be optionally fitted with hardpoints, allowing for an additional 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) of payload, and a new ground-attack radar with air-to-air capability. In that role, the F-117N could carry AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.[134][136]

F-117B

[edit]

After being rebuffed by the Navy, Lockheed submitted an updated proposal that included afterburning capability and a larger emphasis on the F-117N as a multimission aircraft, rather than just an attack aircraft.[136] To boost interest, Lockheed also proposed an F-117B land-based variant that shared most of the F-117N capabilities. This variant was proposed to the USAF and RAF.[137] Two RAF pilots formally evaluated the aircraft in 1986 as a reward for British help with the American bombing of Libya that year. RAF exchange officers began flying the F-117 in 1987,[39] but the British declined an offer during the Reagan administration to purchase the aircraft.[138] This renewed F-117N proposal was also known as the A/F-117X.[139] Neither the F-117N nor the F-117B were ordered.

Operators

[edit]
These 22 F-117s from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing are at Langley AFB, Virginia, prior to being deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield
United States

Source: f117sfa.org[140]

Aircraft on display

[edit]

United States

[edit]
79-10781 Scorpion 2 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force

YF-117A
F-117A
  • 80-0785 – Pole-mounted outside the Skunk Works facility at United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. Hybrid airframe comprising the wreckage of 80–0785, the first production F-117A, and static test articles 778 and 779.[145] It is fixed to a pedestal and serves as a monument.[146]
  • 81-0794 Delta Dawn - Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins); aircraft arrived at the museum on 18 May 2023; it is to be partially restored and put on display.[147]
  • 82-0799 Midnight Rider – Hill Aerospace Museum; Aircraft arrived at the museum on 5 August 2020; it is to be prepared and painted for display.[148]
  • 82-0803 Unexpected Guest – Displayed outside the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.[149] It was fixed to a pedestal and became a monument.
  • 84-0810 Dark Angel – On 13 November 2022 it was reported on social media that the airframe was being delivered from Tonopah Test Range to the Pima Air & Space Museum.[150] Aircraft is visible outside of the restoration and maintenance hangar as of November 2024.[citation needed]
  • 85-0813 The Toxic Avenger – Delivered to Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California on 29 July 2022 for restoration and then display. Restoration is expected to take about a year and cost around $75,000.[151]
  • 85-0816 Lone Wolf - Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon, undergoing restoration. It was the first F-117 to drop a bomb during Operation Desert Storm.[152]
  • 85-0817 Shaba[153] – Arrived at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo on 11 December 2020. Restoration completed and put on display July 2022.[154]
  • 85-0819 Raven Beauty – Arrived at the Stafford Air & Space Museum on July 11, 2024 for preservation. It will be available for public display on 24 July 2024.[155]
  • 84-0827 – Stripped fuselage listed as "scrap" on a government surplus website in early 2020. Fate unknown.[148]
  • 85-0831 – Located at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska, where it is scheduled for restoration and display. It served as a test aircraft at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California from 1987 to 2008.[156]
  • 85-0833 Black Devil – Unveiled at Palm Springs Air Museum on 3 October 2020. Now on display following a period of restoration.[157]

Serbia

[edit]
F-117A

Nicknames

[edit]

The aircraft's official name is "Night Hawk",[159] with the alternative form "Nighthawk" also used.

As it prioritized stealth over aerodynamics, it earned the nickname "Wobblin' Goblin" due to its alleged instability at low speeds. However, F-117 pilots have stated the nickname is undeserved.[160] "Wobblin' (or Wobbly) Goblin" is likely a holdover from the early Have Blue / Senior Trend (FSD) days of the project when instability was a problem. In the USAF, "Goblin" (without wobbly) persists as a nickname because of the aircraft's appearance. During Operation Desert Storm, Saudis dubbed the aircraft "Shaba", which is Arabic for "Ghost".[161][162] Some pilots also called the airplane the "Stinkbug".[163]

During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, it picked up the nickname "Invisible" (Serbian Cyrillic "Невидљиви", Latin "Nevidljivi"). The name became ironic after it was shot down over Serbian airspace near Buđanovci, leading to the phrase "we didn't know it was invisible".[164]

Specifications (F-117A)

[edit]

Data from U.S. Air Force National Museum, for the F-117A,[2] Jet Bombers[165]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 65 ft 11 in (20.09 m)
  • Wingspan: 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m)
  • Height: 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m)
  • Wing area: 780 sq ft (72 m2) [166]
  • Airfoil: Lozenge section, three flats Upper, two flats Lower[167]
  • Empty weight: 29,500 lb (13,381 kg) [166]
  • Max takeoff weight: 52,500 lb (23,814 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofan engines, 9,040 lbf (40.2 kN) thrust each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 594 kn (684 mph, 1,100 km/h)
  • Maximum speed: Mach 0.92
  • Range: 930 nmi (1,070 mi, 1,720 km) [156]
  • Service ceiling: 45,000 ft (14,000 m)
  • Wing loading: 67.3 lb/sq ft (329 kg/m2) calculated from[166]
  • Thrust/weight: 0.40

Armament

Notable appearances in media

[edit]
Main article: Aircraft in fiction § F-117 Nighthawk

The Omaha Nighthawks professional American football team used the F-117 Nighthawk as its logo.[169]

See also

[edit]

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth developed by Lockheed's division in the late 1970s as the world's first operational aircraft explicitly designed around low-observable . Featuring a distinctive angular faceted coated in radar-absorbent materials, it was engineered to penetrate dense air defenses and deliver precision strikes on high-value targets with minimal detection risk. Powered by two F404-F1D2 engines each producing 10,600 pounds of thrust, the F-117 has a maximum takeoff weight of 52,500 pounds, a of 43 feet 4 inches, of 65 feet 11 inches, and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet, with a maximum cruise speed of 684 miles per hour and unlimited range via . It carries up to 5,000 pounds of internal ordnance, primarily laser-guided bombs, in two weapons bays to maintain its stealth profile. The aircraft's development stemmed from a U.S. Air Force and initiative in the to counter advancing Soviet and air defense systems, beginning with the secretive Have Blue demonstrator program, whose first flight occurred in December 1977. Lockheed received the contract for the F-117 in 1978, achieving its just 31 months later on June 18, 1981, and reaching initial operational capability in October 1983, with production totaling 59 aircraft built between 1981 and 1990. Maintained under strict secrecy at , Nevada, until its public unveiling in November 1988, the F-117 earned the in 1989 for its groundbreaking advancements in . Operationally, the F-117 made its combat debut during Operation Just Cause in on December 19, 1989, when two aircraft struck military targets with precision. It played a pivotal role in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, flying 1,271 sorties—representing just 2% of all coalition missions but striking over 40% of strategic Iraqi targets—with an 80% success rate and no aircraft losses to enemy action. The Nighthawk also saw extensive use in Operations Allied Force (1999) over , where one was downed by a , and Iraqi Freedom (2003), accumulating over 54 combat sorties per some airframes. Although officially retired by the U.S. Air Force in April 2008 after 25 years of service, some F-117s have continued to fly in test roles as of 2025. Its legacy endures as a pioneer in stealth , influencing subsequent designs like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

Development

Origins and Have Blue Prototype

During the , advancing Soviet air defense systems, including sophisticated networks and surface-to-air missiles, increasingly threatened U.S. and strike , prompting the need for low-observable technologies that could penetrate defended undetected. A 1974 Defense Science Board study underscored these vulnerabilities, leading the Department of Defense to prioritize stealth research to maintain air superiority. In response, the launched the Have Blue program in 1975 as a proof-of-concept effort to develop a practical , following a competitive evaluation that selected Lockheed's division. Under the leadership of Ben Rich, who headed and secured initial discretionary funding from Lockheed, the program received a DARPA contract in early 1977 for two subscale demonstrators, built at a total cost of approximately $37 million using off-the-shelf components where possible. The Have Blue design emphasized radar cross-section (RCS) reduction through faceted angular surfaces that deflected waves away from their source, combined with -absorbent materials (RAM) coatings to absorb remaining signals. Early validation involved subscale testing, including the "Hopeless "—a 10-foot wooden model subjected to measurements in 1975–1976—and computer modeling from Lockheed's Echo 1 program to optimize the angular geometry. The prototypes, designated 117-1 and 117-2, were about 60% the size of the eventual F-117, featuring a -shaped planform and inward-canted tails, with 117-1 focused on and 117-2 on RCS evaluation. Flight testing commenced at Groom Lake (Area 51) in , with the first Have Blue sortie occurring on December 1, 1977, and continuing through 1978. Over 18 months, the prototypes completed more than 65 sorties, demonstrating RCS reductions to levels equivalent to a small bird, validating the stealth concept despite challenges like engine exhaust visibility and stability issues. Tragically, 117-1 crashed on May 4, 1978, following a that jammed the due to the aircraft's high sink-rate tendency, and 117-2 was lost in July 1979 from , but these incidents informed safety enhancements without derailing the program. The Have Blue successes provided irrefutable proof of stealth viability, directly leading to the Senior Trend program—a full-scale development contract awarded to Lockheed on November 16, 1978, for what would become the F-117 . This transition marked the shift from experimental demonstrator to operational production, revolutionizing U.S. tactical .

Senior Trend Production and Testing

Following the successful demonstrations of the Have Blue prototypes, the U.S. approved funding for the Senior Trend program in November 1978, awarding Lockheed's division a to develop five full-scale development (FSD) , designated YF-117A, along with an initial production commitment that eventually totaled 59 operational units after plans for 100 were scaled back due to budget constraints. The program operated under a classified "black budget," with annual funding hidden within broader allocations to maintain secrecy during the era. Manufacturing of the Senior Trend aircraft took place at Lockheed's facility in , where the complex faceted airframe design necessitated a hand-crafted assembly process to achieve the precise angular tolerances required for stealth performance. Skilled technicians used specialized jigs, molds, and hand tools to fabricate and align the flat, two-dimensional panels, ensuring seams and joints were meticulously sealed to prevent reflections. Radar-absorbent material (RAM) was applied by hand across the entire surface—nearly a ton per —using adhesives and a putty-like to cover gaps, with panels and access doors requiring repeated scraping and reapplication during assembly to maintain low observability. This labor-intensive approach, drawing on off-the-shelf components like from the F-16 and ejection seats from the A-7, allowed to deliver the first production F-117A in August 1982, just four years after contract award, at a of approximately $111 million including development. Flight testing of the YF-117A began with its on June 18, 1981, at Groom Lake (), Nevada, piloted by Lockheed Hal Farley, who described the aircraft's initial departure as unstable and "wobbly" due to its aerodynamically unstable design. The quadruple-redundant system, essential for controlling the aircraft's instability in all three axes, was validated during this early phase, though handling challenges at low speeds and high approach speeds (around 160 knots) required ongoing adjustments, including nose ballast additions for better stability. Over the 1981-1983 period, Lockheed pilots cleared an initial focused on basic handling and systems checkout, after which Air Force s from the expanded it through progressive sorties, resolving issues like rapid speed loss in turns and integrating weapons release profiles by late 1983. The Senior Trend aircraft integrated two modified General Electric F404-F1D2 non-afterburning engines, derived from the F/A-18 Hornet's powerplant and rated at 10,600 pounds of thrust each, with serpentine inlets and shielded exhausts designed to minimize and signatures. Prior to , ground runs at Burbank and evaluated engine performance, nozzle heat shields, and stealth compatibility, confirming reduced exhaust plume visibility through a year-long risk reduction program that included test cell simulations of the rectangular nozzles. These tests ensured the engines' integration did not compromise the airframe's low-observable properties, paving the way for the aircraft to achieve initial operational capability in October 1983. To preserve secrecy, Senior Trend testing and early operations were confined to remote sites like Groom Lake for initial flights and the in for subsequent envelope expansion and training, with all sorties restricted to nighttime hours to evade detection by satellite or ground observers. Personnel access was tightly controlled via black budget-funded security measures, including hand-geometry scanners at facilities, and aircraft were transported disassembled in C-5 Galaxy cargo planes to avoid visual identification. This veil of classification extended to falsified records labeling the aircraft as "Aurora" test vehicles, ensuring the F-117A remained unknown to the public until its unveiling in 1988.

Designation and Secrecy

The designation of the F-117 was intentionally chosen as a form of misdirection to enhance , skipping sequential numbering from earlier fighters like the F-111 to imply it was the 117th in a long line of designs, though it was actually the first . Assigned in 1981 for the prototypes, with the designation carried over to production examples starting in 1982, the "F" prefix further obscured its role as a subsonic by classifying it as a fighter, appealing to top pilots while avoiding over its unconventional capabilities. This non-standard numbering helped compartmentalize the program within the U.S. Air Force's designation system, preventing easy tracking by outsiders or even internal analysts. The F-117 program operated as a "black" project under strict compartmentalization, utilizing code names such as "Have Blue" for the 1977-1979 proof-of-concept prototypes and "Senior Trend" for full-scale development starting in November 1978. Access was limited to personnel on a need-to-know basis, with funding buried in classified black budgets to evade congressional oversight and public records. Disinformation efforts included night-only flights from remote sites like Groom Lake and Tonopah Test Range to minimize sightings, alongside cover stories attributing anomalous observations to routine operations or experimental non-stealth aircraft. These measures ensured that even within the military, knowledge of the aircraft's stealth features remained highly restricted, involving only screened volunteers for initial tours. Throughout the , the U.S. government consistently denied the F-117's existence amid growing public speculation fueled by s and sightings. Occasional glimpses near Tonopah, often at night, led to rumors of unidentified flying objects or secret drones, which officials dismissed without confirmation to maintain operational security. A notable occurred in 1986 when model kit manufacturers like Testors released the fictional "," based on vague intelligence and blurry photos allegedly from ; this sparked media frenzy and congressional inquiries, with Representative questioning Lockheed about potential breaches, though the design bore little resemblance to the actual F-117. The leveraged the F-117 designation to plausibly deny F-19 rumors, stating no such aircraft existed, thereby redirecting attention from the true program. Declassification occurred on November 10, 1988, during a press conference where spokesman Dan Howard unveiled a deliberately grainy, retouched photograph of the F-117A to distort its shape and size while confirming its radar-evading technology. Major Pat Mullaney detailed that 52 aircraft had been procured since 1981, acknowledging three crashes that resulted in two pilot fatalities, marking the first official admission of losses in the program. Initial media coverage, including reports from the , highlighted the aircraft's science-fiction-like appearance and strategic importance, shifting public focus from speculation to verified capabilities without revealing full operational details. The veil of secrecy significantly influenced program costs and personnel management, with the total expenditure reaching $6.56 billion by declassification, including $2 billion for development and $4.27 billion for , driven by isolated facilities and redundant layers. Personnel, numbering around 2,500 and 1,000 civilians, operated under stringent non-disclosure agreements, commuting weekly via chartered flights to Tonopah's secure base, where aircraft were stored in 54 climate-controlled hangars and flights restricted to darkness. This isolation fostered a unique operational culture but imposed personal hardships, such as family separations and prohibitions on discussing work, ensuring the program's integrity until its reveal.

Design

Airframe and Stealth Technology

The of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk features a distinctive angular, faceted comprising thousands of flat surfaces, each precisely angled to deflect incoming waves away from their source rather than reflecting them back to the emitter. This geometry was achieved through a substructure of conventional aluminum alloys, with the external skin formed by mounting flat panels onto the frame, minimizing returns by avoiding curved surfaces that could scatter waves unpredictably. Select components, such as the V-shaped fins, incorporate thermoplastic composites to further reduce weight and reflectivity. To enhance stealth, the F-117's surfaces are coated with radar-absorbent materials (RAM), including early applications of iron ball paint—a ferrite-based coating containing tiny spherical iron particles that convert energy into heat—and tile-like RAM panels backed by metal for structural integrity. These materials absorb electromagnetic waves across a broad range, complementing the airframe's shaping. reduction is accomplished through exhaust shielding, featuring slit-shaped tail pipes that diffuse hot gases into cooler, broader plumes, along with canted fins that partially obscure the exhaust from ground-based sensors. The combination of faceting and RAM achieves a frontal radar cross-section (RCS) of approximately 0.001 m², comparable to the size of a small bird, making detection extremely difficult by conventional radars. This low RCS stems from principles of radar reflection; for instance, the backscattering from a flat plate perpendicular to the radar beam follows the formula σ=4πA2λ2\sigma = \frac{4\pi A^2}{\lambda^2}, where σ\sigma is the RCS, AA is the plate area, and λ\lambda is the radar wavelength—demonstrating how even small, oriented surfaces can dominate returns if not properly angled. In the F-117, the multitude of facets ensures that no single surface aligns with the incident wave for more than a brief aspect angle, scattering energy diffusely. The faceted configuration imposes significant aerodynamic compromises, generating high drag that limits the aircraft to subsonic speeds (maximum around Mach 0.92) to maintain efficiency and prevent excessive structural heating. The design's inherent instability, resulting from the lack of traditional lifting surfaces and extreme sweep angles (67.5° for wings), necessitates a quadruple-redundant system with controls to enable controlled flight. These trade-offs prioritize stealth over maneuverability, rendering the F-117 unsuitable for dogfighting but ideal for precision strikes in contested . Maintenance of the stealth features presents substantial challenges, as the RAM coatings are labor-intensive to repair and highly sensitive to environmental factors. Post-flight inspections often reveal damage from , , , or minor impacts, requiring meticulous touch-ups—sometimes taking hundreds of man-hours per —to restore low-observability performance. Early RAM tiles, in particular, were prone to chipping and degradation, necessitating specialized hangars with climate control to mitigate exposure, which contributed to the program's high sustainment costs.

Avionics and Weapons Systems

The F-117 Nighthawk featured a state-of-the-art digital suite that integrated sophisticated and attack systems to enhance mission effectiveness while minimizing pilot workload. This suite employed the databus standard for reliable data communication among subsystems, a common protocol in advanced of the era. Central to targeting was the Infrared Acquisition and Designation System (IRADS), which used sensors and a to acquire and illuminate targets for precision strikes without relying on radar emissions. Navigation was supported by an inertial system augmented by for ground-speed measurement and terrain correlation during low-altitude flight. The cockpit incorporated a single-seat design with an automated mission planning system that allowed pre-loaded flight paths and target data to reduce in-flight adjustments. Flight controls utilized a quadruple-redundant system, employing digital computers to manage the inherently unstable and ensure precise handling without mechanical linkages. Weapons integration emphasized stealth-compatible precision delivery through two internal bays, each capable of carrying up to 2,000-pound munitions such as the laser-guided bombs, which were guided via IRADS illumination to achieve high accuracy in contested environments. The design also accommodated missiles for anti-armor roles, though bombs formed the primary loadout for deep-strike missions. This configuration enabled silent approaches, as the aircraft avoided active emissions that could compromise its low-observability profile. Defensive systems prioritized passive measures to preserve stealth, including radar warning receivers (RWR) integrated into deployable antenna arrays for threat detection without emissions, alongside and dispensers for countermeasures against - and infrared-guided missiles. The absence of an offensive further minimized detectability, relying instead on external cueing for . Over time, upgrades enhanced navigational precision, notably the addition of a GPS receiver and laser gyroscopes via the RNIP-Plus program in the late 1990s, which improved accuracy over earlier inertial-only systems and supported GPS-aided munitions like enhanced GBU-27 variants.

Performance and Specifications

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a single-seat stealth designed for precision strikes.
General Characteristics
1
Length65 ft 11 in (20.1 m)
Wingspan43 ft 4 in (13.2 m)
Height12 ft 5 in (3.8 m)
Empty weight29,500 lb (13,400 kg)
Max takeoff weight52,500 lb (23,800 kg)
The aircraft was powered by two non-afterburning General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofan engines, each providing 10,600 lbf (47 kN) of thrust. This configuration enabled subsonic flight while prioritizing stealth over supersonic performance. Performance characteristics included a maximum speed of Mach 0.92 (approximately 684 mph or 1,100 km/h) at 30,000 ft, a range of about 1,070 mi (1,720 km) with internal fuel, a service ceiling of 45,000 ft (13,700 m), and structural g-limits of +6/-3. These metrics reflected the design's emphasis on low-observability and precision navigation rather than agility or speed. The F-117 featured two internal weapons bays capable of carrying up to 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) of ordnance, typically configured for two laser-guided bombs such as the , , or 2,000-lb class munitions. It could also accommodate other precision-guided weapons like the BLU-109 penetrator or Mk 84 general-purpose bombs when mission requirements demanded. Internal fuel capacity was approximately 19,750 lb (8,960 kg), supporting ferry ranges exceeding 1,000 mi without refueling, while extended endurance to over 10 hours for or long-duration missions.

Operational History

Introduction and Early Deployments

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk achieved initial operational capability (IOC) on October 26, 1983, with the (later redesignated the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing) at the in , marking the first operational deployment of a designed for precision strikes against high-value targets. The unit's pilots, known as "Bandits," underwent initial training at Tonopah, where they transitioned from conventional aircraft like the A-7D Corsair II to the Nighthawk's unique flight characteristics, emphasizing nighttime operations to maximize its low-observable features. By 1992, the squadron relocated to in , which became the primary site for ongoing pilot training and operations, supported by specialized simulators introduced in the late 1980s. Early non-combat deployments focused on validation through exercises like Red Flag at , , where F-117s participated from 1981 onward to test stealth integration with conventional forces while maintaining strict secrecy—other aircraft were diverted from the range to avoid detection. The aircraft's first combat use occurred during Operation Just Cause, the 1989 U.S. invasion of , when two F-117As from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing conducted precision strikes on Rio Hato airfield to stun Panamanian Defense Forces troops supporting Ranger assaults, dropping 2,000-pound bombs despite challenging winds that affected targeting accuracy. These missions demonstrated the Nighthawk's ability to penetrate defenses undetected, flying over 3,000 miles with from Tonopah. By 1990, Lockheed had delivered all 59 production F-117As, enabling secretive basing at Tonopah with logistics involving covered transport to preserve radar-absorbent coatings. Initial operational concepts centered on nighttime precision strikes to exploit the aircraft's stealth, with missions planned around acquisition and attack systems for target identification, often relying on ground-based designators for guiding bombs in low-light conditions. This approach prioritized high-impact, single-pass attacks on defended targets, limiting exposure time. However, early operations faced challenges, including intensive maintenance for the fragile radar-absorbent materials, which required climate-controlled hangars and contributed to limited sortie generation rates—often below one per day per aircraft due to part variability and repair complexities. Additionally, the targeting system's dependence on clear for optimal performance restricted missions during cloudy or adverse conditions, necessitating careful planning around meteorological forecasts.

Gulf War Operations

In response to Iraq's invasion of , the deployed 18 F-117A Nighthawk aircraft from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing to King Khalid Air Base in on August 19, 1990, as part of Operation Desert Shield to deter further Iraqi aggression. This marked the stealth fighter's transition from secretive testing to forward-deployed operations, with the aircraft operating under strict security measures to maintain their classified status. When Operation Desert Storm commenced on January 17, 1991, the F-117As played a pivotal role in the opening airstrikes, leading the 's air campaign against high-value targets such as Iraqi centers in . Over the 43-day air war, the aircraft flew 1,271 sorties, accounting for approximately 1% of total coalition missions but striking about 40% of all strategic targets, including leadership bunkers, communication facilities, and air defense infrastructure. The F-117As dropped 2,077 precision-guided bombs, primarily GBU-27 laser-guided penetrators designed specifically for their internal bays, achieving a hit rate exceeding 80% on intended aim points. The aircraft's stealth capabilities proved highly effective against Iraqi surface-to-air missile (SAM) threats, enabling them to penetrate densely defended airspace at night with minimal detection risk. In the initial strikes on , eight F-117As, supported by electronic jamming from EF-111 Ravens, targeted Baghdad's key sites, with the first bomb—a 2,000-pound GBU-27—destroying an Iraqi operations center at 3:00 a.m. . Throughout the campaign, the F-117As operated without suffering any combat losses or significant battle damage, demonstrating the viability of low-observable technology in contested environments. Post-war assessments highlighted the F-117A's 80% overall mission success rate, underscoring its precision and in suppressing enemy air defenses and disrupting command structures. This performance validated stealth integration with precision weaponry, shaping subsequent U.S. doctrine by emphasizing the strategic value of undetectable platforms for high-risk, high-impact strikes in future conflicts.

Balkans and No-Fly Zones

Following the 1991 Gulf War, F-117 Nighthawk aircraft were routinely deployed to enforce the United Nations-mandated no-fly zones over through Operations Southern Watch in the south (from the 32nd parallel southward) and Northern Watch in the north (from the 36th parallel northward), spanning from 1992 to 2003. These missions involved patrols to deter Iraqi incursions against Kurdish and Shiite populations, with the F-117 conducting precision strikes on air defense sites, radar installations, and batteries that posed threats to coalition aircraft enforcing the zones. For instance, in September 1996, five F-117s were forward-deployed to an undisclosed base in Southwest to support these operations, targeting mobile threats like Iraqi missile systems near the Kuwaiti border. Deployments to bases in and allowed the aircraft to integrate with multinational forces, enhancing the coalition's ability to neutralize Iraqi violations without escalating to full conflict. By the late , F-117s had participated in over a dozen such enforcement actions, contributing to the degradation of Iraq's integrated air defense system while minimizing detection risks. In December 1998, amid escalating tensions over Iraq's obstruction of UN weapons inspections, F-117s played a pivotal role in Operation Desert Fox, a four-day U.S.-British air campaign targeting facilities linked to weapons of mass destruction. Launching from bases in the region, the aircraft led the initial strikes on December 16, delivering laser-guided bombs against command bunkers, chemical production plants, and headquarters in and other sites, achieving high accuracy in degrading Iraq's military infrastructure. Approximately 415 cruise missiles and precision munitions were expended overall, with F-117s focusing on time-sensitive, high-value targets to open corridors for follow-on conventional strikes by B-52s and other assets. The operation's success in striking 85 percent of planned targets underscored the F-117's value in limited-duration campaigns, though it highlighted ongoing needs for standoff weapons to further reduce exposure. The F-117's most prominent Balkans involvement came during 's Operation Allied Force in 1999, aimed at halting Yugoslav in . Twenty-five F-117s were deployed from the 8th and 37th Fighter Squadrons to in and in , flying over 850 sorties over 78 days and dropping more than 700 precision-guided munitions, including GBU-27 laser-guided bombs and cluster units like the CBU-87. These strikes targeted Serbian command centers, bridges, airfields, and ammunition depots, with the aircraft leading opening-night attacks on against integrated air defenses around to establish air superiority. However, on March 27, an F-117 (serial 82-0800) was shot down by a Serbian SA-3 battery near Buđanovci, approximately 45 kilometers west of ; the pilot, Lt. Col. Dale Zelko, ejected safely and was rescued by U.S. combat search-and-rescue forces within eight hours. This incident, the only combat loss of an F-117, occurred due to a combination of predictable ingress routes mandated by restrictions on overflying neutral airspace and the use of low-frequency P-18 radars to cue the missile launch. Tactical adaptations during these operations included the integration of the (JDAM) kit, which achieved initial operational capability on the F-117 in 1997, enabling GPS-guided all-weather strikes that reduced reliance on laser designation vulnerable to cloud cover in the . Route planning evolved to incorporate terrain masking and randomized paths to evade known radar coverage, while increased coordination with EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft provided jamming support for suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). In the no-fly zones, F-117 pilots practiced "pop-up" tactics, climbing to release ordnance before descending to low altitudes for egress, minimizing exposure time. Key lessons from these engagements emphasized the F-117's vulnerability to low-frequency radars, which could detect the aircraft at longer ranges despite its stealth shaping optimized for higher frequencies, necessitating enhanced SEAD prioritization to neutralize such systems early. The Kosovo shootdown revealed risks from operational complacency, such as repeated use of the same flight corridors, prompting post-mission reviews that improved mission deconfliction and intelligence sharing within . Overall, these experiences affirmed the need for layered defenses, including standoff munitions and real-time battle management, to sustain the F-117's precision strike role in contested environments.

Post-9/11 Conflicts

The F-117 Nighthawk played a pivotal role in the opening phases of in , commencing in October 2001. Stealthy F-117s, alongside B-2 Spirit bombers, conducted initial precision strikes against leadership, command and control facilities, and training camps, exploiting their low-observable characteristics to penetrate defended airspace without detection. Deployed from , , these aircraft targeted high-value assets in remote and rugged terrain, contributing to the disruption of the 's military infrastructure and supporting U.S. operations on the ground. The missions underscored the F-117's effectiveness in , where rapid, nighttime penetration strikes were essential for regime decapitation efforts. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, launched in March 2003, the F-117 again spearheaded coalition air operations, with 12 aircraft flying more than 100 sorties during the major combat phase. These missions focused on high-priority targets in and around , including Saddam Hussein's palaces, suspected weapons of mass destruction sites, and command bunkers, beginning with the first bombs dropped on in an attempted decapitation strike at Dora Farms. Upgraded with Enhanced Guided Bomb Units (EGBU-27s), the F-117s achieved pinpoint accuracy, dropping nearly 100 such munitions across over 80 missions while coordinating with B-2 bombers for suppression of enemy air defenses and supported by electronic warfare assets like EA-6B Prowlers. This integration enhanced joint operations, allowing stealth platforms to neutralize integrated air defenses early, paving the way for follow-on conventional strikes; the aircraft's last combat sorties occurred in mid-April 2003, with five F-117s returning to Holloman on April 16. Across both conflicts, F-117s completed hundreds of combined sorties with exceptional reliability, suffering no losses and maintaining high mission success rates through advanced targeting systems and GPS-guided weaponry. However, as operations shifted from deep-strike interdiction to persistent against insurgent threats in urban and irregular environments, the aircraft's specialized stealth profile became less optimal compared to more versatile platforms like the F-15E and A-10. This evolving mission emphasis prompted phased drawdowns, with F-117 deployments tapering by 2004-2005 as coalition forces prioritized responsive CAS and the platform's maintenance-intensive nature strained resources amid broader force restructuring.

Retirement and Program End

In 2006, the United States Air Force announced its decision to retire the F-117 Nighthawk fleet, citing the aircraft's high maintenance requirements and the availability of more advanced stealth platforms like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, which offered improved multi-role capabilities including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The retirement was projected to yield significant savings, estimated at $1.1 billion in procurement costs and $5.1 billion in manpower over the following years, amid broader budgetary pressures following the Iraq War that prompted congressional scrutiny of defense spending. Initial proposals to retire portions of the fleet as early as 2004 had faced resistance from Congress, but by fiscal year 2007, funding cuts enabled the full phase-out. The demobilization process began in March 2007 with the first six aircraft making their final flights from , , followed by the remaining operational F-117s over the next year. The official end came on April 21, 2008, during the "Sunset Stealth" retirement ceremony at , where four F-117s performed a final flyover before departing the next day for Lockheed Martin's facility in . In total, 52 aircraft were placed into Type 1000 storage—flyable condition—at the in , with wings and tails removed for long-term preservation in original hangars. Some airframes had components harvested to support ongoing sustainment needs prior to storage. As part of the program closure, the 37th Fighter Wing's F-117 squadrons, including the 7th, 8th, and 9th Fighter Squadrons, were progressively inactivated starting in late 2006, with the wing realigning to other missions at Holloman AFB. Pilots and maintenance personnel, numbering around 500 specialists trained in stealth operations, were reassigned to F-22 units at Holloman and other bases, leveraging their expertise in low-observable technologies for the newer platforms. This transition marked the end of the F-117's active service after 25 years, shifting priorities toward more versatile fifth-generation .

Post-Retirement Activities

Following its official retirement in 2008, the F-117 Nighthawk continued to conduct flights from in , primarily serving as an aggressor aircraft in military exercises such as Red Flag. These operations, which persisted through 2025, involved simulating low-observable stealth threats to train pilots of advanced fighters like the F-35, providing realistic red air opposition over the . The aircraft's unique radar signature made it an effective surrogate for emerging adversary stealth platforms, enhancing dissimilar air combat training without the need for more expensive dedicated aggressors. In testing roles, the F-117 supported the development of next-generation , including the B-21 Raider, by validating cross-section reductions and integrating new sensor technologies. Its faceted design and -absorbent materials, originally achieving an RCS comparable to a , informed refinements in stealth coatings and geometries for successors like the B-21. The U.S. issued a in 2022 for a 10-year and support at Tonopah, effective from 2024, to sustain these research, development, test, and evaluation activities through at least 2034, emphasizing low-observable configuration management and upgrades. Recent sightings of F-117 flights increased from 2023 to , highlighting ongoing operational relevance. On September 30, 2025, two F-117s, using the callsign "Knight 01," were observed refueling from a KC-46 Pegasus tanker south of , , as part of certification efforts to extend the aircraft's range for test missions potentially linked to programs at Groom Lake. Reports in October further indicated tech testing activities, including low-level maneuvers and trials, underscoring the platform's utility in contemporary evaluations. Approximately 45 F-117 airframes remained in inventory as of 2023, with a portion maintained in flyable storage at Tonopah for these roles, while others served as surrogates or sources for spare parts. The U.S. has demilitarized 2-3 airframes annually since retirement, prioritizing cost-effective preservation for over full attrition. Official statements from the affirm that the F-117s are employed solely for limited and , with no plans for combat redeployment, as their operations provide unique capabilities at lower cost than fielding new assets.

Variants

F-117A

The F-117A served as the sole operational variant of the Nighthawk family, representing the baseline production model optimized for stealthy precision strikes. A total of 59 production F-117As were constructed by Lockheed's division between and 1990, following the five full-scale development prototypes delivered starting in , with the first production delivery in . These aircraft bore U.S. serial numbers ranging from 80-0785 to 88-0843, encompassing production lots that incorporated progressive refinements for reliability and mission . In the 1990s, the fleet received upgrades including integration of (GPS) capabilities via the RNIP+ program to enhance navigational accuracy in contested environments. In contrast to the earlier Have Blue prototypes, which were subscale demonstrators focused on validating low-observable principles, the F-117A adopted a full-scale airframe design (see Design section for specifications), enabling greater internal payload capacity and operational range. Key aerodynamic adjustments included relocating the twin vertical stabilizers farther aft from the Have Blue's forward positioning to improve longitudinal stability during subsonic flight, while production optimizations streamlined manufacturing with radar-absorbent materials applied to the faceted surfaces for consistent low radar cross-section performance. The baseline stealth configuration retained the angular, diamond-shaped facets to scatter radar waves, eschewing curves that were computationally challenging to model in the era's software. The F-117A's core features centered on its stealth-optimized design (detailed in Design section). Over its , the fleet accumulated more than total flight hours by the mid-1980s alone, with individual logging thousands more through rigorous testing and deployments. In the , upgrades like the HAVE VOID program enhanced electronic countermeasures (ECM) integration and supported improved penetrating munitions, bolstering survivability against evolving air defenses. Attrition reduced the operational fleet over time, with six F-117As lost to accidents between 1982 and 1997, including crashes due to mechanical failures and during training and demonstration missions. One additional aircraft, 82-0806, was downed in on March 27, 1999, during Operation Allied Force over by a , marking the only confirmed loss of the type.

Proposed Variants

In the early 1990s, Lockheed proposed several conceptual modifications to the F-117 Nighthawk to extend its utility across different branches of the U.S. military, though none advanced beyond the proposal stage. The most developed of these was the F-117N Seahawk, a carrier-capable variant pitched to the U.S. Navy as a low-observable, all-weather strike aircraft to complement the emerging F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. This design retained the angular, faceted airframe for stealth but incorporated naval adaptations, including folding wings with a reduced 42-degree sweep (compared to the 67 degrees of the baseline F-117A) to facilitate storage on aircraft carriers, reinforced landing gear for arrested landings, a tailhook, and catapult launch provisions. Additional modifications encompassed corrosion-resistant coatings for maritime operations, an automated carrier landing system, a new canopy inspired by F-22 technology, and upgraded F414 engines providing enhanced thrust for improved takeoff performance and a combat radius extended to approximately 680 nautical miles. The internal weapons bay was enlarged to carry up to 10,000 pounds of munitions, with provisions for 8,000 pounds external payload, multi-mode radar, infrared search and track systems, and even air-to-air missiles to enable multirole capabilities. Lockheed first submitted the F-117N concept in 1993, leveraging about 50% of the existing F-117A production tooling to reduce development costs, with an estimated per-unit price of $70 million for a potential order of 255 aircraft by 1995. The proposal aimed to restore the Navy's technological edge in stealth following the cancellation of the A-12 Avenger II program, positioning the Seahawk as a subsonic stealth platform for precision strikes from carriers. However, the U.S. Navy ultimately rejected it, prioritizing the more versatile, supersonic F/A-18E/F for its multirole requirements and carrier operations. Similar overtures to the Royal Air Force also failed to gain traction. Broader non-production of F-117 variants stemmed from escalating budget constraints in the post-Cold War era and the rapid evolution toward fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, which offered superior stealth, speed, and sensor integration without relying on the Nighthawk's specialized, subsonic . These factors rendered further F-117 evolutions redundant, as the and shifted resources to platforms that could supplant the Nighthawk's niche role in high-threat environments. Despite never materializing, the proposed F-117 variants influenced subsequent development, with key elements of the Nighthawk's faceted radar-absorbent design and low-observable principles informing the B-2 Spirit bomber's flying-wing configuration and the F-22 Raptor's integrated stealth features. This foundational stealth expertise from the F-117 program accelerated the maturation of advanced low-observability technologies in later U.S. aircraft.

Operators and Legacy

Military Operators

The primary operator of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was the (USAF), which introduced the aircraft into service in 1983 under the secretive at , . In 1989, the unit was reorganized as the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, which relocated the fleet to , , in 1992 and was redesignated the 49th Fighter Wing in 1991. The F-117 remained in active USAF service until its official retirement in 2008, with operational squadrons including the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th Fighter Squadrons assigned to the 49th Operations Group. Pilot for the F-117 was conducted primarily through the 7th , designated as the formal unit until its deactivation in 2006, with additional evaluation and testing support from detachments under the 57th Fighter Wing. By the time of retirement, a total of 558 pilots had qualified to fly the aircraft, each assigned a unique "Bandit" number to denote their entry into the program. No foreign military forces operated the F-117, as the USAF never approved exports due to the aircraft's highly sensitive and classified design features. Brief evaluations were conducted for the in the 1980s, but these did not lead to transfers or sales. Each operational F-117 squadron typically maintained 12 to 18 , supported by specialized maintenance crews that addressed the demanding upkeep of stealth coatings and low-observable materials, often requiring 30 to 50 personnel per squadron for flight-line and back-shop tasks. As the fleet retired in 2008 to reallocate resources toward the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, maintenance personnel and infrastructure at Holloman transitioned to support these fifth-generation stealth platforms. Following retirement, the USAF retained a portion of the F-117 fleet—approximately 40 to 45 aircraft—for ongoing testing and adversary training at , . As of 2025, the U.S. has confirmed continued flights of select F-117s for adversary training and testing purposes, including certification for with the KC-46A Pegasus tanker.

Preservation and Displays

Several retired F-117 Nighthawk airframes are preserved and displayed at museums across the , allowing public access to examples of this pioneering . At the National Museum of the (NMUSAF) at in , serial number 79-10780, the second F-117A built and used for systems testing, has been on exhibit since 1991 in the Gallery. The Hill Aerospace Museum at in features serial number 82-0800, known as "," which was placed on display in 2020 after transportation from storage; this aircraft logged over 5,000 flight hours, including combat missions. In September 2025, the in , added an F-117A to its collection in Hangar A following a five-year restoration effort, marking one of the most recent public displays of the type. Internationally, remnants of a downed F-117A are preserved at the Museum of Aviation in Belgrade, Serbia. Wreckage from serial number 82-0806, shot down during NATO operations in 1999, including the ejection seat, wing sections, and canopy, is exhibited outdoors at the museum located at Nikola Tesla Airport, serving as a historical artifact from that conflict. The majority of retired F-117 airframes, numbering over 40, remain in long-term storage at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada, housed in climate-controlled original hangars with wings removed and covered by tarps to protect against environmental degradation. Some airframes have been demilitarized by the U.S. Air Force, involving the removal of sensitive components to prevent technology proliferation while preserving the overall structure for potential future use or disposal. This site, once the aircraft's operational base, continues to serve as the primary boneyard for the fleet. Restoration for museum displays typically involves partial disassembly and cleanup to ensure structural integrity and public safety. Radar-absorbent material (RAM) tiles, critical to the aircraft's stealth capabilities, are removed prior to transfer, leaving the in bare metal condition; this process, as seen with examples at the and , eliminates classified coatings while allowing repainting in operational markings. Additional work includes reattaching leading edges and minor repairs, often completed on-site over 12-18 months without full reapplication of stealth features. Prior to the 2008 retirement, F-117s made limited public appearances at airshows, such as static displays at events, under strict security protocols. Post-retirement, access is primarily through static museum exhibits, with no operational flights during tours, though occasional sightings of test-flown examples near restricted areas have occurred; museum visits provide the main avenue for public viewing today.

Cultural Significance

Nicknames and Public Awareness

The official nickname for the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was "Nighthawk," assigned upon its entry into in 1981, reflecting its nocturnal operational profile and association with the emblem featuring a white bird on a black background. Early internal monikers within the development program included "Invisible" due to its radar-evading design and "Wobblin' Goblin" stemming from its unconventional faceted shape and perceived instability at low speeds during testing. Publicly, the aircraft earned the widespread nickname "Stealth Fighter," a that incorrectly implied air-to-air combat capabilities rather than its primary role as a precision ground-attack platform lacking or dogfighting armament. Sightings by enthusiasts in the also led to informal references like "Flying Black Triangle," describing its distinctive angular silhouette observed during secretive flights over the . Another common misconception involved exaggerated claims of total invisibility, portraying the F-117 as undetectable to all sensors, whereas its low-observability primarily reduced cross-section to the size of a small without eliminating visual or signatures entirely. Public awareness of the F-117 began with rumors among circles in the early , fueled by glimpses of black triangular shapes near Groom Lake, though official secrecy maintained denial until its formal acknowledgment on November 10, , which ignited intense media coverage and speculation about U.S. stealth advancements. The reveal, accompanied by low-resolution images, marked a shift from classified enigma to . Post-Gulf War in 1991, the achieved icon status, solidifying its reputation in global discourse as a pinnacle of American technological edge. In public legacy, the F-117 endures as an emblem of U.S. military innovation, inspiring documentaries that explore its role in transforming through stealth, such as those detailing its development under Lockheed's and contributions to precision strikes in conflicts like Desert Storm. This perception persists in discussions of defense superiority, though tempered by later revelations of vulnerabilities, like the 1999 shootdown over , which highlighted limits to its "invisibility."

Media Representations

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk has appeared in various films and television productions, often highlighting its stealth capabilities in both documentary and fictional contexts. In the 1992 Discovery Channel documentary Nighthawk: Secrets of the Stealth, the aircraft received its first in-depth behind-the-scenes treatment, featuring interviews with designers, test pilots, and squadron members to detail its secretive development and early operations. Similarly, the 1990 documentary Night Stalkers: The Complete Stealth Story explored the F-117's role in the evolution of stealth technology, marking an early public unveiling of its engineering innovations through archival footage and expert commentary. Fictional depictions include the 1992 film Interceptor, where terrorists attempt to hijack two F-117A aircraft from a transport plane, emphasizing the jet's classified status and tactical value. Later, in the 2007 blockbuster Transformers, F-117s from Holloman Air Force Base were used as static and taxiing props, contributing to the movie's military aesthetic without narrative focus on their stealth features. In video games, the F-117 has been a staple for simulating stealth missions, with developers incorporating its radar-evading design into mechanics. The series, starting with (1995), features the F-117A as a playable ground-attack aircraft, allowing players to execute precision strikes while leveraging its low observability for covert operations across multiple titles like Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (2007). In flight simulators such as DCS World, community-created mods replicate the F-117's stealth attributes, including reduced radar cross-section and laser-guided bomb deployment, enabling realistic "behind enemy lines" scenarios that mimic its historical pinpoint strike role. Dedicated titles like F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter (1991) by provided one of the earliest interactive experiences, blending campaign modes with bombing runs to educate players on the aircraft's subsonic, invisible profile. More recently, in November 2024, the F-117A was introduced in 's Update 2.41 "Firebirds" as a squadron vehicle, featuring for the first time in the game. Literature on the F-117 often draws from insider accounts, with Ben Rich's memoir Skunk Works (1994), co-authored with Leo Janos, offering a detailed narrative of the aircraft's conception under Lockheed's Advanced Development Projects division, including challenges in achieving radar invisibility. Scale model kits have further popularized the design among enthusiasts; Testors released its first 1:72 F-117A kit in 1991, shortly after the aircraft's public disclosure, with subsequent 1:32 and snap-together versions capturing its angular facets for hobbyist assembly. Media coverage of key events amplified the F-117's mystique, such as the U.S. Air Force's official reveal on November 10, 1988, when press footage first showcased the jet's faceted silhouette during a briefing, ending years of speculation about its existence. During the 1991 , CNN's live broadcasts captured F-117 strikes over , including laser-guided bomb releases that lit up the night sky like "fireworks," as reporters described the unseen aircraft's devastating precision from a hotel. Culturally, the F-117 is frequently depicted as the archetype of the ultimate stealth weapon, its angular, black form inspiring sci-fi designs in games and films that prioritize and surgical strikes over speed or maneuverability.

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  106. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/testors-654-f-117a-stealth-fighter--158165
  107. https://theaviationgeekclub.com/fireworks-baghdad-f-117-stealth-fighters-dropped-first-bombs-operation-desert-storm/
  108. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdh69Zgm33E
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