Summary and Key Points: The F-117 Nighthawk, the world’s first operational stealth aircraft, entered U.S. Air Force service in 1983 and was officially retired in 2008—but it never truly went away.
-A portion of the fleet remains airworthy at Tonopah, flying selective missions for research, sensor testing, and high-end training.
F-117. Image Credit: Creative Commons
A back lit front view of a F-117A Stealth Fighter aircraft. From Airman Magazine’s February 1995 issue article “Streamlining Acquisition 101”.
Four F-117 Nighthawks fly in formation during a sortie over the Antelope Valley recently. After 25 years of history, the aircraft is set to retire soon. As the Air Force’s first stealth fighter, the F-117 is capable of performing reconnaissance missions and bombing critical targets, all without the enemy’s knowledge. (Photo by Bobbi Zapka)
F-117. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin.
-In exercises like Red Flag, the Nighthawk can play “red air,” giving pilots and air defenses a rare chance to practice against a low-observable target while also serving as a lower-risk testbed for sensitive radar, infrared, and signature technologies.
-Its continued use underscores how valuable a real stealth surrogate remains.
44 Years And Counting, The F-117 Nighthawk Is Still Flying
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. It was 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 Nighthawk entered service with the US Air Force in 1983 and was officially retired in 2008, paving the way for modern stealth technology in other aircraft.
However, even though the Nighthawk was officially “retired,” a portion of the fleet remains airworthy and is used by the U.S. Air Force for testing new technologies and training. The Air Force plans to continue these operations through at least 2034. But one could easily see its mission being extended for years to come, perhaps far into the future.
F-117
F-117 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: US Government.
An F-117 Nighthawk taxies down the runway after landing Jan. 11 at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. A squadron of F-117s, together with 300 Airmen, have deployed here in support of a continuing force posture adjustment throughout the Pacific. The aircraft, assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, is part of the third squadron of Kunsan AB’s host unit, the 8th Fighter Wing, during the deployment’s duration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Darnell Cannady)
F-117. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Air Force keeps all the F-117s at the Tonopah Test Range Airport, which is located within the boundaries of the larger Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), which lies adjacent to Nellis Air Force Base.
“Red Air” Nighthawks Help Train Current Fighters:
The Nighthawks continue to fly for the Air Force despite being officially retired from the USAF in 2008, and they are still providing the service with several valuable tools.
The F-117 serves as a surrogate for adversary stealth aircraft, allowing US pilots to practice detecting, tracking, and engaging low-observable targets.
These aircraft act as “red air” to help pilots train against stealthy threats, to counter and defeat modern stealth aircraft from other nations, such as China’s J-20s, J-35s, as well as Russia’s Su-57s, and to serve as testbeds for new, sensitive radar and sensor technologies, and simulate cruise missiles in defense exercises.
The Air Force has been using the Nighthawk since 2020 in various training exercises such as “Northern Edge” and “Red Flag.”
F-117 Image: Creative Commons.
The aircraft is used as a testbed for new technologies, such as radar systems, infrared tracking, and stealth-enhancing materials.
Using the F-117 for these purposes is less risky and expensive than testing these systems on more modern, active-duty aircraft like the F-22 Raptor or F-35.
The F-117 can be used to simulate stealthy cruise missiles during large-scale exercises.
Given a “F” Designation, The F-117 Nighthawk Was Not A Fighter
The US F-117 wasn’t a fighter at all despite the “F” designation. The F-117 Nighthawk got its “F” (Fighter) designation primarily for secrecy and bureaucratic reasons, to hide its true attack/bomber role as a “black project.”
The U.S. Air Force’s Tactical Air Command (TAC) wanted elite fighter pilots, and the “F” designation was more appealing to them than an “A” (Attack) or “B” (Bomber), and potentially as a cover story for its intended missions against Soviet AWACS, fitting into the USAF’s “Century Series” numbering for tactical jets, despite being a dedicated ground-attack stealth aircraft.
This was done even though the F-117 didn’t carry any air-to-air capability.
The F-117 Nighthawk, commonly referred to as the “Stealth Fighter,” wasn’t a fighter at all, but you can’t blame the public. Even the Air Force seemed to give this unusual aircraft the wrong designation–and according to some records, that was intentional.
The F-117 Nighthawk became operational in 1983, meaning it was already flying missions in the early 1980s. By 1988, the U.S. Air Force still hadn’t admitted it even had a stealth aircraft capable of defeating enemy radar, opting instead to keep the advanced capabilities of the F-117 a secret.
The F-117 was an attack aircraft and should have carried the “A” designation like the A-10 and AC-130 gunship, so the correct designation would have been the A-117 Nighthawk.
F-117 Stealth Fighter. Image: Creative Commons.
Since 1962, the services have used uniform aircraft designations. Alex Hollings wrote about the aircraft’s uniformity.
A – For attack aircraft like the A-10 Thunderbolt II
B – For bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress, or B-2 Spirit
C – For cargo aircraft like the C-130 Hercules or C-17 Globemaster
F – For fighter aircraft like the F-15 Eagle or F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
“To be classified as a fighter aircraft and carry that F prefix, a plane usually needs to be explicitly designed to be capable of engaging other aircraft in the battle space.
“The F-117, however, was built specifically for engaging ground targets under a shroud of secrecy. The F-117 carried no guns and offered a maximum payload capacity of only two 2,000-pound bombs, making it all but defenseless against enemy fighters in most circumstances.”
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 Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the F-117 accounted for only 2 percent of combat sorties but covered 40 percent of the targets.
The Nighthawk’s Stealth Technology
In an outstanding look at the history of the Air Force’s stealth technology, John Tirpak wrote, “Stealth was a gamble 50 years ago. It’s still a good bet.”
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 putty-like material called “butter.”
The Nighthawk’s cockpit windows were coated with metal to conceal the radar-reflective pilot’s helmet. The GE F404 engine intakes were covered with a radar-deflecting grid, and the exhaust was flattened and spread out, lined with heat-absorbing tiles like those on the space shuttle to minimize its heat signature.
Iranian Bombing Mission Was A Stealth “Tour de Force”
Retired Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said to President Donald Trump in his first administration that, with stealth, “I can hit any target on the planet that you want me to hit, with incredible precision, and there’s nothing the adversary can do to stop me. And that’s not something that our adversaries or allies can say. But you have that.”
When the Israelis and the US hammered Iranian nuclear facilities and air defenses last June during Operation Midnight Hammer, it was made possible by three types of stealth aircraft, the F-22 and F-35 fighters and seven B-2 bombers—all which returned without a scratch. All of this was made possible by the first stealth aircraft’s development, the F-117.
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 like 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 Paved The Way For The Stealth Aircraft Of Today
The F-117’s development and operational use paved the way for other stealth aircraft, such as the B-2, F-22, and F-35. The Air Force still uses the F-117, and an official said, “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.
In 2023, a USAF spokesperson said: “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.”
The number had reduced by six compared to the total given in 2019. Lockheed originally built five YF-117As and 59 production aircraft. Thirteen of these have been retired to museum or display use, and six were lost. This leaves 45 aircraft, of which at least five seem to be active.
Eventually, all of the 45 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.
