F-117: A long, storied history that is about to end
 

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10/28/2006 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFPN) -- After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, the Air Force's first stealth fighter, is about to retire. The technology that once made it a unique weapon system has now caught up to it and newer fighter aircraft are now joining the fleet. Still, the Nighthawk was the first of its kind, a fact anyone who has spent time around the aircraft is quick to point out.

Many of these people were gathered here Oct. 29 to commemorate 25 years of Nighthawk history at the Silver Stealth ceremony. Members of the F-117 community, past and present, were on hand to pay homage to the aircraft's illustrious history, a history that contains as many secrets as it does legends.

Since it was officially named a part of the Air Force in 1981, the Nighthawk began making an impression on military officials. Not just because it was "funny" looking, but because the aircraft brought many new capabilities to the battlefield.

The Nighthawk, after all, was the stuff of science fiction. It could fly across enemy skies and through the world's most advanced radar systems without being detected. This capability allowed the aircraft to perform reconnaissance missions and bomb critical targets, all without the enemy knowing who or what had hit them.

"This is a strategic weapon that really reshaped how the Air Force looked at strategic warfare," said Lt. Col. Chris Knehans, commander of the 7th Fighter Squadron here. "It doesn't matter what defenses you put up, how deep you try to hide or how much you surround yourself with collateral damage, this airplane will come and get you."

This fact has made the Nighthawk a vital part of the Air Force's various campaigns since the aircraft's introduction. It has seen service in Panama, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia as part of such operations as Desert Storm, Allied Force, Just Cause and Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

For those who either fly or provide support to the Nighthawk, the aircraft has been a faithful one. Knowing it is now in its last days is bittersweet for many of them.

"From a pragmatic point of view, we all understand why it's leaving," Colonel Knehans said. "I mean it's a 30-year-old concept now. But when you look at its history, its design and its combat record ... yeah, the Air Force is going to lose basically a very unique weapon system."

For Master Sgt. Byron Osborn, who has worked on the F-117 for almost 19 years, the emotions are clearer.

"For old timers like me, it's a sad day," he said. "A lot of the younger guys like the new, flashier aircraft, but I'll stick with this old dog any day."

The Air Force is saying goodbye to the F-117, but not to the effect it has had on modern warfare. Its successor, the F-22 Raptor, will continue the fight the Nighthawk started, which, according to retired Gen. Lloyd "Fig" Newton, one of the first F-117 pilots, is a hard job to fill.

"Whenever its nation called, the F-117 answered, providing capabilities that had never been known before," he said. "If we needed the door kicked in, the stealth was the one to do it. Never before had such an aircraft existed."

Modern technology may have caught up with the F-117, and new aircraft may be set to take its place on the tarmac, but none will ever be able to replace it.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123030185[/quote:c46f2]


Goodbye funky looking "wtf?" plane.

Biggest POS the Air Force ever paid for.

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So a plane that defied radar and saved the lives of pilots in many high risk areas such as iraq is a peice of shit? The fact that it implimented higher precision bombing than had ever been seen before makes it a peice of shit? You know, i could go on pointing out its first, break throughs, and survivability, but i think everyone pretty much understood you're a fucking tard the second you posted.

I'm going to have to agree with you. Though the F-117 was not the fastest, most maneuverable, or well armed flight platform out there, it did do exactly what it was designed to do. Sneak in, blow shit up, and get out before people knew something flew over them.

[quote="Unknown_Sniper":4abe2]I'm going to have to agree with you. Though the F-117 was not the fastest, most maneuverable, or well armed flight platform out there, it did do exactly what it was designed to do. Sneak in, blow shit up, and get out before people knew something flew over them.[/quote:4abe2]
it was the dream machine of its day, what pilot wouldnt want to fly one of these in high risk situations, being almost garunteed to return home alive

[quote=Sniper101]it was the dream machine of its day, what pilot wouldnt want to fly one of these in high risk situations, being almost garunteed to return home alive[/quote:4f3b0]

Actually i'm pretty sure upto date its a guarenteed return home. I'm pretty confident that neither this nor the b2 has ever been brought down through hostile fire.

[quote=Sniper101]it was the dream machine of its day, what pilot wouldnt want to fly one of these in high risk situations, being almost garunteed to return home alive[/quote:b6941]

If I were a pilot in todays military... me. I'm wouldn't have wanted to die for any of the wars in the past 50 years.

They rushed into it and spent millions of dollars of something that can only carry two bombs (of which only 4 in the entire arsenal to pick from) at a time. It was based off of old 1970s technology and if we had waited a few years we would have gotten a much more finished product (and we did, it's called the B-2).

The aircraft was a breakthrough in technology, and it opened up several new doors - there's no doubting that. But the fact is we wanted to showcase a new design, and do it quickly. We would have saved alot of money otherwise.