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Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk
The F-117A was a stealth attack aircraft with a faceted, angular body designed to scatter radar energy. Two General Electric F404 engines of 10,600 pounds of thrust each pushed it to a maximum cruise speed of 684 mph, and it could carry up to 5,000 pounds of weapons inside. Its span is 43 ft 4 in (13.2 m), its length 65 ft 11 in (20.1 m) and its height 12 ft 5 in (3.8 m). Maximum weight was 52,500 pounds, and its ceiling 45,000 ft. It had one pilot and unlimited range with air refueling.
- Cruise speed
- 594 knots (1,100 km/h)
- Engines
- Two General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofans in the fuselage
- Max takeoff weight
- 52,500 lb (23,814 kg)
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Specifications
| Length | 65 ft 11 in (20.09 m) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 43 ft 4 in (13.21 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 5 in (3.78 m) |
| Ceiling | 45,000 ft (13,700 m) |
| First flight | June 18, 1981 |
| Number built | 59 built |
| Status | Retired in 2008 |
| Type codes | ICAO F117 |
Who flew it
- US Air Force
Service branches, from the services' own fact sheets. No flight data is shown for military aircraft.
History
The Air Force wanted an aircraft that could attack high-value targets without being detected by radar, and by the 1970s new materials and techniques made radar-evading design possible. The first F-117A flew on June 18, 1981. The first unit, the 4450th Tactical Group, reached initial operating capability in October 1983 and became the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing in October 1989. Two F-117As attacked targets in Panama on December 19, 1989. In 1990-1991 the type flew 1,271 sorties in Operation Desert Storm with an 80 percent mission success rate and, the museum says, no losses or battle damage. The F-117A won the Collier Trophy in 1989. The Air Force says the Nighthawk retired on April 22, 2008, after 25 years of service.
Last operators
- US Air Force