Key Points and Summary – Although officially retired in 2008, the iconic F-117 Nighthawk, America’s first operational stealth aircraft, is still flying in the skies over Nevada.
-Operating from secretive bases like the Tonopah Test Range, these “black jets” now serve a new purpose as unique training platforms.
-They help prepare a new generation of pilots for the complexities of flying advanced stealth aircraft like the F-22 and F-35.
-While the F-117 was a groundbreaking ground-attack weapon that dominated in conflicts like Desert Storm, its slow speed, outdated stealth, and infamous 1999 shootdown show why its combat days are long over.
F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter Won’t Go Away
I have mixed feelings about the F-117 Nighthawk. The “F” designation means that the airplane is a fighter jet, but it was never really used that way.
It was often utilized for ground strike missions, and although it helped usher in stealth flight as one of the original radar-evading warbirds, its speed and agility were not all that impressive.
The F-117 officially has been retired, but it was also spotted flying as recently as this month.
It was flying for training purposes, and it makes some sense to use it in this way. Aspiring pilots must learn what it is like to fly a stealth airplane; radar evasion is not a natural high-performance feature. Stealth has come a long way since the Nighthawk graced the skies on active duty, and the F-35 and F-22 now lead the way in radar-evasive flights.
The Old Airplane Is Only Good for Training Purposes
The Air Force figures that flying the Nighthawk is a good stepping stone to operating the Raptor and Lightning II. It can prepare pilots for stealth techniques and bombing runs. F-117s can also serve as a platform for cruise-missile defense exercises.
Uber Secretive Program
The “Black Jet,” as some call it, has officially been retired since 2008. This was a highly secret program – one the general public knew little about during the 1980s and 1990s. Just where are the still-flying Nighthawks based now?
“Actually, several F-117s are based at the Tonopah Test Range Airport in Nevada, as well as at Groom Lake—better known as Area 51,” the Aviation Geek Club reported.
Nighthawks Excelled at Ground Strike
F-117s were great for surface attacks. They could not fly past subsonic speed, but had considerable range when refueled midair. F-117s eliminated many targets during Operation Desert Storm, and Saddam Hussein’s forces never knew what hit them.
One of the F-117’s best munitions was the 2,000-pound laser-guided GBU-27. This was instrumental in the First Gulf War, during which it was used to take out radars, air defense systems, and command-and-control centers. These bombing runs cleared the way for follow-on strikes from conventional bombers.
Quick History of the F-117 Program
The F-117 program dates back to the 1970s, when engineers and designers yearned for a stealth airplane that could penetrate deep into enemy airspace in multi-threat environments. Adversarial air defenses were getting better, and the Air Force and Navy were still smarting from their airplanes’ performance during Vietnam, when enemy surface-to-air missiles downed many American jets.
The F-117 first flew in 1981, and there was an operational squadron of Nighthawks by 1983. Air Force pilots refined tactics, techniques, and procedures with the airplane throughout the 1980s, and the stealth warbird was the pride of President Ronald Reagan’s defense build-up at the end of the Cold War.
Shot Down in 1999
The Nighthawk dominated during the first war with Iraq. The F-117 flew 1,271 sorties with an estimated 80 percent bombing success rate and suffered no losses. The F-117 later participated in Operation Allied Force, when NATO intervened in the former Yugoslavia to help Kosovo maintain its independence in 1999.
Unfortunately, one Nighthawk was shot down during that operation. This made many stand up and pay attention, because the F-117 was supposed to be invisible to enemy radar. The Air Force rushed to figure out what happened. It was not clear whether this was pilot error, or just a lucky shot from the enemy SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missile that struck the Nighthawk.
F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
An F-117 Nighthawk lands at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Sept. 15, 2021, after conducting a training mission with the local Air National Guard unit. Two F-117 Nighthawks are participating in dissimilar air combat training missions this week along with F-15 pilots from the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, Calif. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Capt. Jason Sanchez)
During the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the F-117 was instrumental in another shock and awe campaign against Saddam’s forces. The end of the road for the Nighthawk arrived in 2008. However, the Air Force reportedly has 48 F-117s in some form of storage and flying status.
I’m not a huge fan of the F-117. This airplane was instrumental in combat, but it bugs me that it was shot down over the former Yugoslavia by a not-so-impressive SAM. I don’t like the F-117’s lack of speed and maneuverability. Its stealth coating is outdated. Keeping a plane flying that dates back to the late 1970s is a pain. Plus, enemy air defenses have improved greatly since the Nighthawk last flew in combat.
I agree that having as many stealth airplanes in the fleet as possible is necessary. The threat from Russia and China is considerable, and both adversaries are pumping out stealth fighters. Russia’s Su-57 and China’s J-20 and J-35 are faster and more maneuverable than the Nighthawk. Back in the U.S., the upcoming B-21 Raider bomber will greatly eclipse the stealthiness of the F-117.
So, keep the Nighthawk as nothing more than a training vehicle.
The F-117 was rightfully taken out of service and should be mostly grounded in the future.
F-117 Photo Essay: We Visited the Nighthawk at the U.S. Air Force Museum
Full F-117 Nighthawk Shot. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
F-117A Nighthawk Sign Image Taken at USAF Museum. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
F-117 Stealth Fighter in Museum Hanger. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
F-117 Stealth Fighter National Security Journal Photo. Image Credit: NSJ.
F-117 As Close As We Can Get. National Security Journal Original Photo.
F-117 Stealth Fighter Static Display. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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