Key Points and Summary – The F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft, a revolutionary design from Lockheed’s Skunk Works that changed air warfare forever.
-Using a unique faceted shape and radar-absorbent materials, it could penetrate the most advanced air defenses undetected to deliver precision strikes.
-Despite its fearsome reputation, its stealth required it to carry a very small payload of just two bombs internally.
-Its incredible effectiveness was proven in Desert Storm, where it flew 2% of sorties but hit 40% of the targets. Though officially retired in 2008, the F-117 continues to fly today in training and research roles.
The F-117 Nighthawk: The First Stealth Aircraft
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft.
Developed in response to a need for an aircraft capable of attacking high-value targets without being detected by radar, it utilized a faceted design and radar-absorbent materials to minimize its radar cross-section.
The F-117 first saw combat action during Operation Just Cause in 1989. It was retired by the U.S. Air Force in 2008, but remains an iconic example of stealth technology and a subject of public fascination.
Its small radar signature, Low Observable (LO Stealth) technologies, and advanced targeting system allowed the aircraft to penetrate dense threat environments and deliver precision weapons against heavily defended, high-value targets with pinpoint accuracy. Primary missions included precision attack, air interdiction, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), and special operations.
But for all the hoopla generated around the aircraft, it wasn’t heavily armed.
Meet The F-117 Nighthawk:
The F-117A’s story dates back to the 1970s, when the U.S. Air Force began to realize that increasingly sophisticated Soviet Air defense systems and radar, particularly surface-to-air missiles, were jeopardizing American air supremacy.
The Defense Research Projects Agency, more commonly known as DARPA, contracted with Lockheed’s fabled Skunk Works division to design and build the Have Blue stealth technology demonstrator, the similar-looking predecessor to the F-117A Nighthawk.
The turnaround time, from contract award to initial operating capability, was incredibly short, just seven years, which was a testament to the talented team at Lockheed’s Skunk Works. The first F-117As became operational in 1983. But the Air Force didn’t acknowledge its existence until 1988.
During Desert Storm in 1991, the F-117 consisted of only 2 percent of the combat sorties but covered 40 percent of the targets.
The Nighthawk’s Stealth Technology:
The F-117’s unique design incorporates flat, angled panels that scatter and reflect radar waves. Bolstered by an external coating of radar-absorbent materials, which reduces its radar signature, the aircraft was nearly invisible to radar.
The F-117’s design utilized flat, faceted panels to deflect radar waves away from the source, minimizing its radar cross-section. The aircraft was coated with RAM, further reducing its radar signature.
The radio-wave-absorbing materials covering the F-117 weighed almost one ton and were held in place by an adhesive. The gaps between the sheets are filled with a kind of putty material called “butter.”
The F-117 did not utilize radar for targeting; instead, it relied on infrared sensors and a laser designator. The F-117’s internal weapons bays further reduced its radar profile.
The Air Force only built 59 of the F-117s, but they punched above their weight, especially in Operation Desert Storm.
Technical Specifications :
Engines: Two General Electric F404-F1D2 engines, 9,040 lbf thrust each
Maximum speed: 684 mph (0.84 Mach)
Range: 1,070 miles (unlimited with aerial refueling)
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)
Empty weight: 29,500 lb (13,381 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 52,500 lb (23,814 kg)
The F-117s’ Armament Capability Wasn’t Big:
The F-117 Nighthawk was designed as a stealth attack aircraft, primarily focused on delivering precision-guided munitions. It carried its weapons internally in two bomb bays, and its arsenal mainly consisted of laser-guided bombs (LGBS) and GPS-guided bombs (JDAMs). The GBU-27 Paveway III was a key munition, designed to penetrate hardened targets.
The F-117’s stealth design required that all weapons be carried internally, limiting its payload capacity to two bombs.
The F-117 was equipped to deploy laser-guided bombs (LGBs) such as the GBU-12, GBU-16, GBU-10, and GBU-27, which were guided by the aircraft’s laser designator.
Later in its service, the F-117 also utilized GPS-guided bombs, such as the GBU-31 and GBU-38, providing an alternative to laser guidance.
The F-117 was designed solely for air-to-ground missions and lacked any air-to-air weapons or a gun for engaging enemy aircraft. It is curious that the Air Force used the designator as a fighter (F) instead of an attack aircraft (A) due to a combination of factors, including a desire to attract top pilots and potential security considerations.
While primarily a stealth attack aircraft, the “F” designation was seen as more appealing to fighter pilots, and may have also been used to obscure its true nature from potential adversaries.,
The F-117’s development and operational use paved the way for other stealth aircraft like the B-2, F-22, and F-35. The Air Force still uses the F-117 and an official said that “on occasion, we fly certain [F-117A] aircraft to support limited research and training activities.”
F-117s have recently been involved with and supported several exercises in 2020, operating more frequently and openly alongside Aggressor aircraft at Nellis and MCAS Miramar.
Eventually, all of the 47 remaining aircraft will be retired. Then they’ll be scrapped, or donated to museums. Currently, 10 are slated for museum duty.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
More Military
