Aptly-named, the Lockheed-produced F-117 Nighthawk became the world’s first operational stealth aircraft in the world. Conceived of and developed from the late 1970’s, the Nighthawk was the subject of much speculation before it was revealed to the general public over a decade later. The “stealth fighter” took concepts and theories to fruition through defined shapes, specialized angles and radar-absorbing materials throughout the design to achieve what no one aviation engineering firm was ever able to.
The F-117 is a twin-engine single-seat aircraft that is often – yet incorrectly in this author’s opinion – termed a fighter (as in the oft-used “stealth fighter” moniker). The system is by no means an interceptor by any traditional sense and is often limited to weapons delivery in the form of laser-guided munitions (2 x 2,000 laser-guided bombs are standard fair). The system maintains no form of afterburning and keeps all munitions stowed in an underside internal bay. Computers aid the pilot immensely in keeping the machine flying. Every single inch of the aircraft has been carefully designed to not allow the simplest of forms and shapes to compromise the aircraft’s stealthy mission requirement. Furthermore, horizontal slats are added to the thin engine exhaust ports to produce the smallest of heat exhaust signatures. The basic approach of the F-117 in sorties appears very much in line with the role of a bomber than a fighter in that regard – in fact, no internal self-defense cannon is even afforded the system!
From the outset, the initial mission of the F-117 was to operate deep in enemy territory undetected by enemy radar and deliver potent loads with undeniable accuracy. The system makes use of its unique shape, special coated materials and electromagnetic signatures among other items to keep its radar signature as small or non-existent as possible. Interestingly enough, the F-117A carries no onboard radar system and relies entirely on a sophisticated array of weapons targeting, systems planning, automation and other computer-controlled “looking” devices to achieve its objectives.
The F-117 was developed from two prototype models that were designated as XST “Have Blue”. As early at 1977, these prototypes were used in a series of evaluation trials that sought to finalize the reality of stealth technology in common-use aircraft for the military. Later developmental aircraft appeared as five FSD designated models in 1991 and ended with the United States Air Force receiving an initial order of 59 F-117A Nighthawk production models in mid-1982, achieving full operational status by 1983.
With the public kept in the shadows, the world would have to wait until 1988 till the stealth fighter was unveiled. The system itself would be utilized in Operation Just Cause during the 1989 invasion for the very first time, dropping laser-guided bombs on targets in Panama with good results. The Nighthawk system would receiving world-wide coverage a few years later as part of the opening salvo in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, accounting for over 1,000 sorties by the end of the air war over Iraq.
Beginning in April 2008, the fleet of F-117 will begin entering a mothball existence which in essence is the retirement of the type. Up-and-coming aircraft such as the Lockheed F-22 Raptor employ newer and better forms of stealth technology not requiring the obscene angles found on the 1970's era F-117 and are believed to accomplish the same type of stealth levels in the process. During its production life, some seven F-117 aircraft have crashed - including the most recent over Serbia in 1999. Otherwise, the series has maintained a stellar combat record, particularly in the 1991 air offesnive over Iraq.
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