Lockheed F-117 which is previously operated by United States Air Force (USAF) is a stealth ground-attack aircraft with single-seat and twin-engine. This aircraft took its first flight in 1981 on June 18 and achieved the initial operating capability status in October 1983. The Nighthawk was accepted and revealed to the world in November 1988.
Lockheed F-117 also known as "Nighthawk" is a product of Lockheed's Skunk Works and a development of the Have Blue technology demonstrator. Lockheed F-117 became the first operational aircraft originally designed around stealth technology.
Armament: Two internal weapons bays with one hardpoint each| Bombs: 1) GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bomb with 2000lb Mk84 blast/fragmentation or BLU-109 or BLU-116 Penetrator warhead 2) GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb with 500lb Mk82 blast/fragmentation warhead 3) GBU-27 Paveway III laser-guided bomb with 2000lb Mk84 blast-fragmentation or BLU-109 or BLU-116 Penetrator warhead 4) GBU-31 JDAM INS/GPS guided munition with 2000lb Mk84 blast-fragmentation or BLU-109 Penetrator warhead 5) B61 nuclear bomb
Engines: Two General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofansMaximum speed: 617 mph
Range: 1,069 miles
Service ceiling: 45,000 ft.
Span: 43 ft. 4 in.
Length: 66 ft. 11 in.
Height: 12 ft. 9.5 in.
Weight: 52,500 lbs. loaded
Crew: One
The Air Force's first stealth fighter, Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, retired on 22 April 2008 after 25 years of storied service. The retirement is mainly due to the fielding of the F-22 Raptor and the threatening introduction of the F-35 Lightning II.
The retirement is a normal thing since the technology that once made it a unique weapon system has now been caught up and not to mentioned that newer fighter aircraft are now uniting in the fleet. However, since the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was the first of its kind, the fact that anyone who has spent time around it is quick to be pointed out.
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