F-117 Nighthawk retired

[x-y-no]

The last four F-117 stealth fighters quietly made their final flight today. Because much of the plane is still classified, there was no public fanfare.

They were born shrouded in mystery in a windowless building in Burbank. They flew combat missions over Serbia and Iraq virtually invisible to enemy radar. And today, the black, bat-like F-117A Night Hawks will fly quietly into the night as stealthily as they came.

The last four of the world's first stealth fighters will make their final flights from Palmdale to a secret desert base in Nevada, where they will be locked up indefinitely in a secure concrete hangar.

...

The single-seat F-117 was the first plane that could evade radar detection; it was designed to fly into heavily defended areas to knock out radar installations and anti-aircraft missile batteries, clearing the way for other fighters and bombers. It was also used to destroy military command and communication centers.

The planes cost $45 million each, and 59 were built. The F-117 first flew in combat during the 1989 Panama invasion that led to the capture of dictator Manuel Noriega. F-117s were also among the first aircraft to strike targets in the Persian Gulf War in 1991 and in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

In 2006, with the introduction of the F-22, a fighter that features the latest stealth technology, the Pentagon decided to retire all 59 of the F-117s, leading to today's final flights.

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[Squarethecircle]

Its time was limited. It was not only a less efficient fighter, but the F-22 effectively replaced its stealth.

I was never a big fan of the thing, though I know some who were.

[Ed Mahmoud]

F-117 was kind of misnamed anyway. Maybe it had an air combat capability that wasn't discussed because it was classified, but the best I could tell, it was a stealth attack plane, not a stealth fighter. A-117 might have been a more accurate designation.

[x-y-no]

F-117 was kind of misnamed anyway. Maybe it had an air combat capability that wasn't discussed because it was classified, but the best I could tell, it was a stealth attack plane, not a stealth fighter. A-117 might have been a more accurate designation.

Agreed. An "A" designation would have been more appropriate. But I expect this was yet more deliberate obfuscation.

[Squarethecircle]

F-117 was kind of misnamed anyway. Maybe it had an air combat capability that wasn't discussed because it was classified, but the best I could tell, it was a stealth attack plane, not a stealth fighter. A-117 might have been a more accurate designation.

I agree; it was hardly even used in dogfights compared to more fighter-esque planes.

[mf_dolphin]

It's still sad to see the ugly-duckling put to bed.

[Squarethecircle]

It's still sad to see the ugly-duckling put to bed.

It certainly boosted the toy fighter plane market. On that front, I'm sure a lot of people are upset.

[RL3AO]

I think the naming had to do with confusing the Soviets. At least I think thats what I heard on the History or Military channel.

[mf_dolphin]

You can bet the Soviets weren't confused. The F-117 fell into a strange category for the Air Force, it really wasn't a fighter but there was no way they were going to associate this baby with the only 2 other A class aircraft (A-10 Thunderbolt II and AC-130 Spectre/Spooky). Being the sexiest thing flying at the time it got the benefit of the doubt and got the F classification. There was some talk of the F-117 being equipped to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile but that was just talk as far as I know. Using that type of aircraft for air-air operations just didn't make sense. The mission for the F-117 was built for one purpose and that was for deep strike against heavily defended targets and it did it very well. So long warrior!

[Ed Mahmoud]

The USAF flew a version of the Navy's light attack jet, the A-7 Corsair II. The Navy operated other 'A' designated planes, such as the A-3D Skywarrior and the A-4 Skyraider, the type flown by John McCain when he was shot down, and the recently retired A-6E Intruder. My ship had an EA-3D from the electronic intelligence squadron VQ-1. It flew as a spy plane almost 40 years after it first saw service as the Navy's first nuclear weapon capable attack plane.



My carrier (the USS Chuck Wagon (CVN-70) was the last carrier to transition from the A-7E to the F/A-18. There was talk, when some F-14s were being grounded for emergency inspection because a few were found with wing root cracks, that if the entire F-14 fleet was grounded, the A-7E, armed with 2 AIM-9L Sidewinders and a 20 mm Vulcan cannon, might become the alert fighter while the F-14 was fixed. This was about 1986, and might have just been scuttlebutt.


I believe the A-7E was also the last single engine carrier based plane the Navy ever intends to fly.

Below, a USAF A-7D Corsair II

[Beam]

Shame, it was my favorite aircraft as a kid.

As has been said, however, the F-22 outclasses it (and pretty much everything else, for that matter) so it was about time to wrap things up.

[Jack8631]

The USAF flew a version of the Navy's light attack jet, the A-7 Corsair II. The Navy operated other 'A' designated planes, such as the A-3D Skywarrior and the A-4 Skyraider, the type flown by John McCain when he was shot down, and the recently retired A-6E Intruder. My ship had an EA-3D from the electronic intelligence squadron VQ-1. It flew as a spy plane almost 40 years after it first saw service as the Navy's first nuclear weapon capable attack plane.

H&MS-31 had a few A-4's well into the 80's. No idea why; guess they were used as trainers or something. Did the Intruder in the mid-late 80's with VMA(AW)-224. They were in Cherry Point back then. Nice, reliable bird. The (AW) was for real. Also did the EA-6B with VMAQ-2. Hard to believe it outlived the F-117 in terms of service. Different missions, but still. It seems like every generation has a bird that outlives all others. The C-130 is a good example. I'll forever be an F-4 guy (showing my age).

[Ed Mahmoud]

I know back into the 1980s the Navy used the A-4 as one of the 'enemy' planes in the 'Top Gun' school in Miramar because it had some similar characteristics to a Soviet block fighter. Not sure which Soviet block fighter.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Per Wiki, the A-4 Skyhawk was chosen for Top Gun because it had similar characteristics of the MiG-17. I think I called the A-4 'Skyraider' above, that name belongs to the Spad, or A-1

[Jack8631]

Ah, yes. I seem to recall something along those lines. That would make sense, and why they were attached to HQ. Thanks, Ed.

[mf_dolphin]

To me the F-4 had the same characteristics as a pit bull. Not sleek, not pretty but you had no doubts of it's intentions when they were hunting.....and they were all bad. The F-15 Eagle was a race horse with a nasty bite, pure bred and built for speed. My favorite fighter of all time though has to be the P-51D Mustang. The and I do mean THE sexiest fighter ever to be built IMO. It's still one impressive war bird on the ground or in the air. A real classic piece of perfection.

[DanKellFla]

I believe the A-7E was also the last single engine carrier based plane the Navy ever intends to fly.

The carrier version of the F-135 has one engine.

The F-117 had no dogfighting capability. It was strickly a bomber. The F-22 is far superior in all ways to the F-117 except for cost. The F-117 was retired to open up funds for addtional F-22s and as a way to claim a need for more F-22s. The F-117 was one of the first airplanes to be developed by the Skunkworks after Kelly Johnson retired and Ben Rich took over. Maybe it was the first. The capabilities of the F-22 and F-135 are truly amazing. Hopefully, building them won't bankrupt the Defense Department.

[Jack8631]

To me the F-4 had the same characteristics as a pit bull. Not sleek, not pretty but you had no doubts of it's intentions when they were hunting.....and they were all bad. The F-15 Eagle was a race horse with a nasty bite, pure bred and built for speed. My favorite fighter of all time though has to be the P-51D Mustang. The and I do mean THE sexiest fighter ever to be built IMO. It's still one impressive war bird on the ground or in the air. A real classic piece of perfection.

Oh, absolutely. I think the F-4 was designed to see how much thrust you can put behind a boat anchor. We used to call it the Lead Sled. Mean, mean aircraft...but it didn't have much of a glide slope without power. Pretty much J-79's first.

The P-51 was indeed sexy. Beautiful airplane, very sleek for the day.

[Derek Ortt]

why was it not called the B-117... since it was a bomber aircraft (albiet a relatively light bomber aircraft)

[brunota2003]

H&MS-31 had a few A-4's well into the 80's. No idea why; guess they were used as trainers or something. Did the Intruder in the mid-late 80's with VMA(AW)-224. They were in Cherry Point back then. Nice, reliable bird. The (AW) was for real. Also did the EA-6B with VMAQ-2. Hard to believe it outlived the F-117 in terms of service. Different missions, but still. It seems like every generation has a bird that outlives all others. The C-130 is a good example. I'll forever be an F-4 guy (showing my age).

Haha, small world. I betcha Havelock has grown a LOT since you were here back then...we even have a Wal-Mart now! The Harriers still fly though, until the JSF completely phases them out =( My mom worked on OV-10's at New River Air Station for a couple years.