Air Force F-117 Stealth Fighter Retires - F-22 F-35 Replace

After years of service, some of it top secret, the United States Air Force is to retire the F-117A Nighthawk, the first so-called Stealth Fighter, in April 2008. Built by the famous Lockheed "Skunk Works" in a classified program, the plane pioneered low observable technologies now applied to the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. Retirement of the F-117, occasionally called the Wobbly Goblin, is intended to save the Air Force funds for other programs.

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Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• stealth
• fighter
• f-117
• f-35
• f-22
• b-2
• bomber
• nighthawk
• raptor
• jet
• military
• airplane
• air
• force
• skunk
• works
• have
• blue

[Bundashit]

The F-117 was a great scare tactic. It never had the chance to show it's true capability. All in all, it was a huge waste of money, as it only got to do what any non stealth plane could have done.

[aerospacenews]

@Bundashit - Clearly you are either biased or uninformed. It most definitely performed missions unique to stealth platforms with loss rates that reflected that capability.

[bcardamone]

"kept getting shot down?" Only one f-117 was shot down in it's 30 years of service.

[opel47]

i remember laying in my pool in beaver county PA, when the air show was just over the hill and the stealth bomber was set to arrive. we knew it would be about 1 in the aft. and when i heard the sound that thing made and then it came up over the hill as black as night and lower than any plane id ever seen, i knew right then that america DID NOT PLAY. that was the safest ive ever felt, and it seemed like the air show was just one plane, just for us. GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS TO THIS DAY.

[tipoomaster]

Performance aside, the 117 was so much more badass looking.

[90magor]

russians can shoot american F 117 by S 400 lol!!!! it isnt stealth plane not for russians hahahaha

[ResiusOnline]

@strajder63

What? The F-117 that was shot down was due to the pilot leaving the bomb bay open.

It would never have been shot down if the pilot hadn't had done that.

And the F-117 uses outdated stealth technology- the F-22 and B-2 are much better.

[Huntinbeast14]

The USAF doesn't tell you about the F-117s fighter abilities!(TOP SECRET)

[mrmakemakkara]

pilot is pilot !!!!!!

[strajder63]

I own a part of the f117, using a material similar to rubber, no rubber, but it looks like rubber. but all in vain when we shot it down, the earth is not as invisible as you say xD

[outkastdashit]

i did security on these damn planes while stationed at Holloman AFB. 49th SFS

[hound4680]

nothing is completely stealth