PUBLISHED on August 13, 2025, 1:18 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary – The F-117A Nighthawk, the world’s first operational stealth aircraft, was officially retired in 2008 but continues to fly.
-The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that a fleet of approximately 45 “Wobblin’ Gobblins” will remain in service for research and training until at least 2034.
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.
-Developed under the secret “Have Blue” program, the F-117 amassed a legendary combat record, flying over 1,200 sorties in the first Gulf War without a single loss.
-Now, after decades of secrecy and limited service, the iconic stealth jets are slowly being demilitarized and transferred to museums.
USAF Still Flies the F-117A – But It’s Headed to the Museums
The United States Air Force publicly confirmed that the F-117 Nighthawk remains in use for training and testing purposes, and will likely remain in use until 2034.
The admission followed a series of sightings that sparked public interest online, which recently included video footage showing two of the aircraft returning to the classified Area 51 facility in Nevada while the Tonopah Test Range Airport undergoes maintenance work.
Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told The War Zone that the U.S. Air Force still operates some F-117A Nighthawk aircraft, and they are flown “on occasion” for “limited research and training activities.” Stefanek specified that the aircraft are not combat ready.
“We have approximately 45 F-117s currently. As we demilitarize the aircraft, they will be made available to museums, if requested, or be disposed of (scrapped),” Stefanek also said. “Over 10 have already been approved for transfer to museums.”
The arrival of the F-117A in museums across the country will be a significant milestone for the historic aircraft and a positive development for enthusiasts seeking to see the world’s first stealth warplane in person.
And here’s why.
The F-117A’s Remarkable History
Developed under the top-secret “Have Blue” program in the 1970s, the Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk was designed to strike high-value targets while evading detection by enemy radar.
Drawing lessons from the heavy U.S. aircraft losses over Southeast Asia, the Air Force tasked Lockheed’s Skunk Works with creating an operational stealth aircraft. Two demonstrators were delivered in 1977, and despite both being lost in accidents, the program still moved ahead – and ultimately produced one of the most iconic operational aircraft in history.
The first F-117 flew on June 18, 1981. The aircraft entered service in 1983 with the 4450th Tactical Group.
The Nighthawk’s combat debut came six years later in 1989, during Operation Just Cause in Panama.
The platform gained fame and widespread praise when it flew 1,271 sorties in the 1991 Gulf War without losses, and later took part in NATO’s 1999 air campaign over Kosovo – where one was famously shot down by a Yugoslav SA-3.
Its stealth relied on a faceted shape and radar-absorbent coatings, as well as its heat-diffusing exhausts.
The result? A radar cross-section roughly the size of a golf ball.
While it was an impressive feat for the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed, the plane was never typically described as a joy to fly. The anti-radar design of the aircraft made it unstable, earning it the nickname the “Wobblin’ Gobblin.”
Pilots often reported that the Nighthawk was challenging to keep in the air. The stealth fighter relied on a quadruple-redundant computerized fly-by-wire system—an aircraft control system whereby the pilot’s inputs are transmitted to control surfaces electronically, rather than mechanically— to get airborne.
The F-117 famously led the opening strikes of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and was finally retired in 2008.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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