| Airplane : Lockheed F117 Type : Camouflage caps hunters The F117 Nighthawk or Stealth fighter is one of the worlds strangest looking aircraft and the first operational machine to fully utilise stealth technology. It's design minimises both radar and infrared signitures by using a combination of special materials, angles and shielded jet intakes/outlets. Being black and flying at night help to hide the stealth fighter as well. The Lockheed 'Skunkworks' in California started development of this aircraft in 1978 and the first flight was made in 1981. Delivery was made to the USAF between 1982 and 1990 and totaled 54 aircraft. HISTORY: | |
| First Flight | (Have Blue demonstrator) December 1977 (F-117A) 18 June 1981 |
| Service Entry | 1983 |
| CREW: | 1 pilot |
| ESTIMATED COST: | $45 million |
| AIRFOIL SECTIONS: | |
| Wing Root | unknown |
| Wing Tip | unknown |
| DIMENSIONS: | |
| Length | 65.92 ft (20.08 m) |
| Wingspan | 43.25 ft (13.20 m) |
| Height | 12.42 ft (3.78 m) |
| Wing Area | 784 ft2 (73.0 m2) |
| Canard Area | not applicable |
| WEIGHTS: | |
| Empty | 29,500 lb (13,381 kg) |
| Normal Takeoff | unknown |
| Max Takeoff | 52,500 lb (23,814 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | internal: unknown external: unknown |
| Max Payload | 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) |
| PROPULSION: | |
| Powerplant | two General Electric F404-F1D2 turbofans |
| Thrust | 21,600 lb (96.0 kN) |
| PERFORMANCE: | |
| Max Level Speed | at altitude: 646 mph (1,040 km/h) at sea level: unknown |
| Initial Climb Rate | unknown |
| Service Ceiling | unknown |
| Range | 1,140 nm (2,110 km) with max payload |
| g-Limits | +6 |
| ARMAMENT: | |
| Gun | none |
| Stations | two internal weapons bays with one hardpoint each |
| Air-to-Air Missile | AIM-9 Sidewinder |
| Air-to-Surface Missile | AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM |
| Bomb | up to two GBU-10/-27 LGB |
| Other | gun pods |
| KNOWN VARIANTS: | |
| Have Blue or XST | Code name for the Experimental Stealth Technology (XST) program led by the USAF and intended to develop the capability to greatly reduce aircraft radar signature; 2 built (both crashed) |
| F-117A | Production stealth attack bomber; 59 built |
| F-117B | Proposed improved model with radar, not built |
| F-117N or A/F-117X | Proposed naval version, not built |
| KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: | Panama - Operation Just Cause (USAF, 1989) Iraq - Operation Desert Storm (USAF, 1991) Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (USAF, 1999) Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom (USAF, 2003-present) |
| KNOWN OPERATORS: | United States (US Air Force) |
| 3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
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