Has the F-117 been retired?
April 22, 2008Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk / Retired
Why was the F-117 discontinued?
The F-117 Was Discontinued To Give Way To The F-22 Raptor It’s generally believed that the aircraft was retired because of the arrival of the expensive F-22 Raptor, a project that was developed by Lockheed and made its introduction on December 15th, 2005.
Is the F-117A still in service?
“Although officially retired, many F-117s remain airworthy and are used to support limited research and training missions based on overall cost-effectiveness and their ability to offer unique capabilities,” an official Air Force news item about the Nighthawks training with the 144th Fight Wing also noted.
Is the SR 71 still in service?
The SR-71 Blackbird was retired by the USAF in 1998, leaving what was considered a coverage gap between surveillance satellites, manned aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike missions.
Was the F-117 any good?
The F-117, however, was built specifically for engaging ground targets under a shroud of secrecy. In fact, the F-117 carried no guns and offered a maximum payload capacity of only two 2,000 pound bombs, making it all but defenseless against enemy fighters in most circumstances.
Was the f117 a success?
While both of the prototypes were destroyed, the Have Blue program was a stunning success. As such, the Air Force decided to go ahead with the development of the follow-on F-117. The F-117 first flew in 1981 and eventually entered service in 1983.
What aircraft replaced the F-117?
F-117A stealth fighter replacement and retirement F-117 was to be replaced in the USAF by the F-22 Raptor before the F-22 programme was cancelled in 2009 and replaced with the cheaper and more versatile F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The first ten of the 55 F-117 aircraft in service were retired in December 2006.