At least 1 flew this year..F-117 sighting

[Prowler1111]

Gents:

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[Roadburner440]

This is excellent news! The question though is why are they flying them again? I didn't think they should have been retired in the first place.. Obviously we won't get any answers on this as those involved are silenced, but good none the less to see them flying!

[kilo delta]

Hmmmm...anyone else think this video looks fake?

[deathfromafar]

I remember that the Air Force said they would keep some for testing purposes but that's all they said regarding the few being kept airworthy. There's a lot of commentary on why the 117's were retired but truth be known there were many reasons and primarily because of age and maintenance costs/issues. It's a very "customized" low rate production aircraft full of quirks normally only found on prototypes and even with the use of off the shelf components in a lot of major assemblies and modules, it is still a pain to maintain compared to average airframes and powerplants. The stories about the retirement being accelerated due to the shootdown is hogwash. Serb claims are all over the net and quite laughable. Anyone who is from the 117 community knows what actually happened that night and that the Serbs do not have a special "technique" to shoot down stealth jets. If so, they missed hundreds of other sorties flown by 117's and B-2A's which flew in and out without incident not to mention thousands of other sorties flown by non-stealth aircraft in which only a few were hit/brought down by their SAM's. It's an inherent risk and vice of stealth aircraft when mated door surfaces must open and close repeatedly and mesh exactly or blow the RCS all to hell and get your aircraft strobed by every search and fire control radar within reach. Such is the nature of aerial battlefields where the chivalry of the days of old have given way to terrifyingly deadly sensors and guided weapons.

[deathfromafar]

Hmmmm...anyone else think this video looks fake?

It's real! The sound of those F404's burning through the IR bricks/ducts I recognize very well!

[Allen]

I never thought the would be "retired". I'm sure some are going to be boxed up for later use and parts, other will be on display and others will find there way to SK....

[kilo delta]

It's real! The sound of those F404's burning through the IR bricks/ducts I recognize very well!


I bow to your greater knowledge ;)...the video clip quality just seemed a bit "iffy" to me. :)
As regards the Nighthawk that was brought down by the Serbs, I believe that the main reason for this was due to the fact that they had spotters around the country that visually located the F117's and plotted their operating corridors and tactics. Therefore they had a rough idea of what location and direction the aircraft would be in and could place their AA accordingly.

[deathfromafar]

As regards the Nighthawk that was brought down by the Serbs, I believe that the main reason for this was due to the fact that they had spotters around the country that visually located the F117's and plotted their operating corridors and tactics. Therefore they had a rough idea of what location and direction the aircraft would be in and could place their AA accordingly. The weapon that brought down that 117 was claimed to have been an SA-3. A many generations old ECM Pod can zap the FCR on that ancient "flying telephone pole" quite easily. I heard the debrief audio from the pilot after he was picked up by PJ's. One of the two weapons bay doors jammed open enough to blow the RCS way out. Even then it was not a direct hit, it was a proximity burst but with a warhead that big, that's all it takes. When the bays are open, that is when the 117 or similar stealth aircraft are at the greatest risk. If any bay door or panel suddenly becomes exposed or jammed open, it's not going to be a good day. As I noted before, the enemy wasn't able to replicate their claimed tactic on their magic stealth busting capability. The B-2A's roamed over Serbia at will as did non-stealth's like the B-52H using self protection and EA-6B jammer nets.

I did ask one of my USAF Officer friends last evening about the 117's. He claims they never stopped flying them. Just retired them from combat duty. Seems these birds are running out of Nellis and Groom Lake. Maybe some more info will come out in due time.

[kilo delta]

XmqLyn4Q15U


Wasn't there a hangar built at Tonapah specifically to house the retired Nighthawk fleet? Wonder what's in that hangar now? :)

[Bjoern]

Wasn't there a hangar built at Tonapah specifically to house the retired Nighthawk fleet? Wonder what's in that hangar now? :)

HAVE COFFEE, a kidnapped PAK-FA... ;P

[deathfromafar]

aGood find Kilo Delta! That was one of two audio clips I heard from the Pilot. Interestingly the photos in that Youtube clip are proof positive that the 117 was hit by proximity burst of the SA-3 Warhead judging by how intact major segments are. An SA-3 is a huge missile and the warhead is 60kg! If the SA-3 had made a direct hit, there wouldn't have been much left of the 117 or the Pilot. The other thing about the post crash photos is how many people are walking around the burning wreckage. My USAF Officer friend told me that anyone who was close enough to breath the fumes or became contaminated by the particulate matter/chemicals from the wreckage are likely dead now or suffer serious incurable health maladies.

An SA-3:
24501

[Rattler]

Me Thinks this Bird would be great for the Grand Tour of N. Korea, Wouldnt you Agree?

I Wonder where that Video was taken... if I had to Guess I would say it was Holloman Area.

I am just Down the road here in El Paso TX.. Would See those F-117 everyday, As they would Do missed approaches on the El paso INTL Airport, And I live Just about a Stones through from the Airport. Remember The Last time We saw them Flying, there was a Lear jet Flying on its Wing as it did some low Approaches And then It was Gone!!!!


Glad to See it Back!!!!!
But much like the Big boy Burger, It never Really Left now.... Did it?:salute::salute::salute:

[Roadburner440]

Certaintly is interesting. Makes me wonder if there are any SR-71's left for "training purposes." Is kind of like how I was at the airshow a month ago and saw a S-3B Viking from VX-30 (told they had been completely decommisioned from the fleet). At least that pilot that got shot down made it out alive. Stealth certaintly is not full proof.