Why is the F-117 'Nighthawk' Stealth Fighter flying again?

The United States Air Force “officially” retired the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk in April 2008, but what retired actually means is debatable as two of the Cold War stealth aircraft were seen last week in the skies near Miramar Naval Base, outside of San Diego. The Nighthawk, which was the first operational warplane to be designed around stealth technology, was designed to be virtually invisible to radar, and difficult to spot with the naked eye.

While five were placed in museums, most of the F-117s were actually placed in Type 1000 storage, which means the aircraft are maintained in a condition where they can be recalled to duty and fly again. This “inviolate” storage also means that no parts are pulled from the aircraft without the express permission of the type’s system program office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, which technically “owns” the aircraft.

There have been unsubstantiated reports that four F-117s were secretly deployed to the Middle East in 2016, while there have been multiple confirmed flights of the aircraft in California prior to this week’s air sortie.

A photo from an aviation enthusiast circulated on the social media platform Instagram in March that showed an F-117 flying in the “Star Wars Canyon” (aka Rainbow Canyon) in California, where Air Force pilots train.

There are several other reasons why the F-117 is occasionally seen flying high. For one it could be that the planes are taken out of Type 1000 storage to determine an aircraft’s airworthiness but also to prove the efficacy of the storage procedures.

Additionally, some F-117s could be used to test stealth-detection abilities of the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems), and that could be cheaper than using the far more modern but also far more expensive F-22s or F-35s as test aircraft.

Perhaps the Nighthawk just can’t be kept on the ground!

Hope you enjoy!!

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#F117 #Nighthawk #stealth #USAF

[thomascrabtree]

“In errrmm errr Eastern parts of Europe”... Smooth Dellboy Smooth 😂

[nox_chan]

There's one simple answer: [REDACTED]

[cqhwbxg]

"Beautiful black dorito" 😂😂😂

[ButtersTheGreat]

So my bud who refuels aircraft told me

"You know they say the SR-71 is retired...but I refueled them"

[talkingbtr-a]

You thought it was going to be a modern strike fighter, but it was me! F-117 Nighthawk!

[BillinSD]

Saw them take off and could not believe it until I went and searched about them flying again.
One of the few days I was outside due to COVID. Was a good day for sure.

[mclovinsexycheeseburger]

I would love to be the pilots selected to fly this beast imagine flying an F-15 or F-16 or whatever in today's air force and be asked if you would like to fly an F-117 that has been taken out of mothballs, a legendary jet that was created and flown before some pilots were even born!!!! I'd jump at that opportunity

[thelovertunisia]

I know the F22 and F35 is more modern but this looked so much better.

[jeremy]

In 2009 I think? We were working at the Oceana Air Show. Two of these came if for the show. Very cool. They were set on the line pretty far away from everything else. Regardless of how old they are, the are still really tight on control. After the airshow was over that weekend they sat on the flight line for like two weeks! The techs said they always had trouble with them lol!

[piotrd.]

Come to think of it ... with JAGM / SDB / SPICE-250 it can still be niche nice dorkicker. WIth Legion pod and updated satellite communication - nice RECON aircraft. WIth special fittings - nice ELINT. Possibly with minor rework and modern simulation, RCS still can be brought down a notch.

[VituMV]

7:45 I don't know where the scene is from but it takes me back to when I was a little kid.

[wulfmaer]

Anyone else notice the classic disc shaped UFO at the bottom of the screen at 2:36 seconds? Watch how it changes direction. That is not a fixed-wing aircraft, or a balloon, or a camera lens reflection.

[canadianwaffenwaffle]

warthunder patch 2021: "Invisible Dorito"

[tssteelx]

U.s air force: we're retiring this aircraft.
CIA: oh really?

[DiamondboiS]

F117: omg I'm back :D

B-2: haven't seen u in a while there bud

[allbspinnin]

"All stealth bombers will become fully unmanned" - Terminator Here comes SkyNet

[osmacar]

"why are you flying?!"
"Sir, finishing this flight."

[swaghauler]

They are also using them as "aggressor stealth aircraft" due to a shortage of stealth fighters to play "opfor."

[bigstick]

This never stopped flying. They rotate a few in and out of storage to keep the pilots certified and the planes maintained. They are housed at Groom Lake.

[keilerbie]

Probably a distraction so they can test their 6th gen airframe while the enthusiasts are busy.