Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk

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TomcatViP

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Last Tuesday sighting:
this past Tuesday aviation enthusiast and webmaster of the Area 51 themed site dreamlandresort.com Joerg Arnu was buzzed by two Nighthawks flying at speed heading toward the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), home to the best known secret air base known as Area 51 and the just as secretive Tonopah Test Range (TTR).
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www.wwlp.com

F-117 Nighthawks photographed heading toward Area 51

The United States Air Force retired its fleet of F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter jets 13 years ago, but has recently appeared to come out of retirement. Most recently four of the mysterious jets we…
www.wwlp.com www.wwlp.com

 
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F117s were used in combat in Syria just a couple of years ago. I imagine there is a silver bullet force as we saw in syria. It was too good and had too much life left. Especially when you consider that using the f117 instead of raptors and 35s saves their capabilities from being known. I have heard from retired persons the f117 was considered for killing ubl to avoid spirits and raptors and tipping our hand. If you turn a nighthawk into an unmanned drone for a 1 way mission you double its range...
 
Foo Fighter

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Interesting but, why throw away a resource like that? If it's worthy of use (Which I believe it is) use it properly and try to maintain level of availability. It may not be great against peer nations but other lower level nations, why not? The fact that aggressor training is also an effective use of assets is a plus.
 
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rooster said:
F117s were used in combat in Syria just a couple of years ago. I imagine there is a silver bullet force as we saw in syria. It was too good and had too much life left. Especially when you consider that using the f117 instead of raptors and 35s saves their capabilities from being known. I have heard from retired persons the f117 was considered for killing ubl to avoid spirits and raptors and tipping our hand. If you turn a nighthawk into an unmanned drone for a 1 way mission you double its range...
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Do you have a source for the Syrian usage? First I'd heard of it.
 
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rooster said:
Everyone knows I am just an enthusiast here. That said, why are we keeping the nighthawks flying when there are better options for "stealth" platforms to train against? What happened to the Boeing and NG drones, for example? If they are just keeping - I am guessing - 3 or 4 nighthawks flying, isn't it more costly than the drones we had built and flown?
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Apparently the IR performance is still state of the art- I'm guessing that may be part of it.
 
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Probably less state of the art and more uncompromising low IR engine arrangement. Dropping the reheat allows for more IR friendly placement.
 
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Josh_TN said:
rooster said:
F117s were used in combat in Syria just a couple of years ago. I imagine there is a silver bullet force as we saw in syria. It was too good and had too much life left. Especially when you consider that using the f117 instead of raptors and 35s saves their capabilities from being known. I have heard from retired persons the f117 was considered for killing ubl to avoid spirits and raptors and tipping our hand. If you turn a nighthawk into an unmanned drone for a 1 way mission you double its range...
Click to expand...
Do you have a source for the Syrian usage? First I'd heard of it.
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They didn't get used in Syria. There is no evidence. If Tyler R is to be believed then it was Avenger that was used.
 
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coanda said:
Josh_TN said:
rooster said:
F117s were used in combat in Syria just a couple of years ago. I imagine there is a silver bullet force as we saw in syria. It was too good and had too much life left. Especially when you consider that using the f117 instead of raptors and 35s saves their capabilities from being known. I have heard from retired persons the f117 was considered for killing ubl to avoid spirits and raptors and tipping our hand. If you turn a nighthawk into an unmanned drone for a 1 way mission you double its range...
Click to expand...
Do you have a source for the Syrian usage? First I'd heard of it.
Click to expand...
They didn't get used in Syria. There is no evidence. If Tyler R is to be believed then it was Avenger that was used.
Click to expand...
They'd be hard to miss-identify too, they're completely different aircraft shapes --
 
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There were a few stories about the syria strikes but I was even remembering The War Zone story.
 
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So the answer is 'No' then, only seen after it had gone into service.
I saw one at the Reno Air Races in the early 90's, mostly hidden in a hanger ringed by shoulder to shoulder army personnel. Although it was brought out for a flying display at the end of the week. Which didn't happen because it was too windy that day.

I had asked this in the B-21 thread, but I see the question has been moved to here. I asked there, because of the ongoing discussion about the B-21 'roll out' and I fail to see why you would want to show it off.
 
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Hi All,
Has any information been released about what the Soviet Union knew about the F-117 program before it was declassified? With the fall of the soviet union in 1991 and the opening of many secret files I thought some information may be out there. I'm sure the KGB and GRU where very interested in any applications of low observable technology be researched by the United States.
 
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Plenty of literature (or extract):

wavellroom.com

Moscow’s Perspectives on the Evolution of US Stealth Technology » Wavell Room

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The growing number of stealth aircraft being fielded by the United States and its allies presents Russia with an unprecedented challenge. Yet, rather than acknowledge the qualitative leap in capability that a larger and more sophisticated fleet of stealth aircraft brings with...
wavellroom.com wavellroom.com
 
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