F-117 slipping quietly into history

Onkel Neal · 03-11-08, 08:22 AM

The world's first attack aircraft to employ stealth technology is slipping quietly into history.

Technicians service an F-117 stealth fighter after it arrived at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, on Monday.

The inky black, angular, radar-evading F-117, which spent 27 years in the Air Force arsenal secretly patrolling hostile skies from Serbia to Iraq, will be put in mothballs next month in Nevada.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/11/ste....ap/index.html

So, what are they replacing it with? Predator drones.

Oberon · 03-11-08, 08:31 AM

Sorry to see them go, have never seen one in flight in real life. However, in fairness, a Predator drone a) has no chance of friendly casualties and b) has probably a lower radar cross-section than a Nighthawk.

Still a bloody shame though, the Nighthawk is a very unique craft, and 27 years is pretty young.

Onkel Neal · 03-11-08, 08:34 AM

Yeah, time and tech moves on. If the "stealth fighter being retired because it is old tech" does not make you feel old...

Linton · 03-11-08, 08:44 AM

It makes me think what are have they got that is replacing it and hasn't yet been publicised!

Dowly · 03-11-08, 08:44 AM

Awww! F117 is one of my favorite planes when it comes to modern era.

sonar732 · 03-11-08, 08:49 AM

Per the article...

The F-117 is being replaced by the F-22 Raptor, which also has stealth technology.

seafarer · 03-11-08, 08:50 AM

Don't both the F-22 and the JSF have an even smaller radar cross section then the F-117 (at least without external payloads, that is). I'd kind of assumed the JSF would take over the role of the F-117?

Tchocky · 03-11-08, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Fifty-nine F-117s were made; 10 were retired in December 2006 and 27 since then, the Air Force said. Seven of the planes have crashed, one in Serbia in 1999.

Aye, it "crashed".

AVGWarhawk · 03-11-08, 09:05 AM

Darn it Neal, I just posted this a few minutes ago :rotfl: See 'Retired'

SUBMAN1 · 03-11-08, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seafarer

Don't both the F-22 and the JSF have an even smaller radar cross section then the F-117 (at least without external payloads, that is). I'd kind of assumed the JSF would take over the role of the F-117?

The F-22 and JSF have a considerably smaller radar cross section. And it can shoot back if shot at!

-S

elanaiba · 03-11-08, 09:34 AM

What was it like for you older guys in the US to hear of the F-117 the first time (in the 80s IIRC) ?

Were you impressed/proud? Did you care?

sonar732 · 03-11-08, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elanaiba

What was it like for you older guys in the US to hear of the F-117 the first time (in the 80s IIRC) ?

Were you impressed/proud? Did you care?

I remember seeing an article in Popular Mechanics and thinking wow...that's beautiful.

Dan D · 03-11-08, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchocky

Quote:

Fifty-nine F-117s were made; 10 were retired in December 2006 and 27 since then, the Air Force said. Seven of the planes have crashed, one in Serbia in 1999.

Aye, it "crashed".

"F 117 Cake"
The said to be only person ever to shoot down an F 117 stealth fighter, the Serbian air defence soldier “Dani”, is running a bakery now. He is also selling “F 117” cake.
http://www.balkanforum.org/thread.ph...8e36667394d7d8

“Serb discusses downing of stealth”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...-stealth_x.htm

Oberon · 03-11-08, 10:41 AM

I've been feeling old ever since people stopped using West Germany and East Germany

I still have an old toy knocking about somewhere that had "Made in West Germany" on it.

geetrue · 03-11-08, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elanaiba

What was it like for you older guys in the US to hear of the F-117 the first time (in the 80s IIRC) ?

Were you impressed/proud? Did you care?

Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday ... :p

Lets see 27 years ago I was 35 riding high on selling time-share staterooms on a little cruise ship out of Plainview Long Island, New York.

I had a sweet little 20 year old girlfriend for a secretary who insisted on taking showers with me every morning to help save water.

I can remember just about everything about that time frame, except that darn plane ... but I do remember seeing the first B-2 fly over
for a football game down in Southern California.

Wow! That was some sight ... I still think they copied a crashed UFO to build that thing ...

03-11-08, 08:22 AM	#1
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,383 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	F-117 slipping quietly into history The world's first attack aircraft to employ stealth technology is slipping quietly into history. Technicians service an F-117 stealth fighter after it arrived at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, on Monday. The inky black, angular, radar-evading F-117, which spent 27 years in the Air Force arsenal secretly patrolling hostile skies from Serbia to Iraq, will be put in mothballs next month in Nevada. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/11/ste....ap/index.html So, what are they replacing it with? Predator drones. __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

03-11-08, 08:34 AM	#3
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,383 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Yeah, time and tech moves on. If the "stealth fighter being retired because it is old tech" does not make you feel old... __________________ SUBSIM - 26 Years on the Web

03-11-08, 08:44 AM	#4
Linton Sea Lord Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,898 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It makes me think what are have they got that is replacing it and hasn't yet been publicised! __________________ http://lintonsview.blogspot.com/

03-11-08, 08:50 AM	#7
seafarer Commodore Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 622 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Don't both the F-22 and the JSF have an even smaller radar cross section then the F-117 (at least without external payloads, that is). I'd kind of assumed the JSF would take over the role of the F-117? __________________ My Father's ship, HMCS Waskesiu (K330), sank U257 on 02/24/1944 running SHIII-1.4 with GWX2.1 and SHIV-1.5 with TMO/RSRDC/PE3.3 under MS Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP1 ACER AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 400GB SATA HD Antec TruePower Trio 650watt PSU BFG GeForce 8800GT/OC 512MB VRAM, Samsung 216BW widescreen (1680x1050) LCD

03-11-08, 09:05 AM	#9
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	Darn it Neal, I just posted this a few minutes ago :rotfl: See 'Retired' __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

03-11-08, 08:31 AM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Sorry to see them go, have never seen one in flight in real life. However, in fairness, a Predator drone a) has no chance of friendly casualties and b) has probably a lower radar cross-section than a Nighthawk. Still a bloody shame though, the Nighthawk is a very unique craft, and 27 years is pretty young.

03-11-08, 08:44 AM	#5
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	Awww! F117 is one of my favorite planes when it comes to modern era.

03-11-08, 08:49 AM	#6
sonar732 The Old Man Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Central MO Posts: 1,562 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Per the article... The F-117 is being replaced by the F-22 Raptor, which also has stealth technology.

03-11-08, 09:34 AM	#11
elanaiba Ace of the Deep Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bucharest, Romania Posts: 1,058 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 3	What was it like for you older guys in the US to hear of the F-117 the first time (in the 80s IIRC) ? Were you impressed/proud? Did you care? __________________ With strength I burn...

03-11-08, 10:41 AM	#14
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	I've been feeling old ever since people stopped using West Germany and East Germany I still have an old toy knocking about somewhere that had "Made in West Germany" on it.