Tag Archives: Tonopah

Hawk sighting

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A top-secret product of the Lockheed Skunk Works, the F-117 Nighthawk, better known as the original “stealth fighter,” first flew in 1981. After gaining IOC in 1988, they became public knowledge during the Gulf War after they helped take down some of the key strategic nodes of Saddam’s air defense and C4I network.

Officially retired in April 2008, just 59 production models were delivered. Of those, one, #82-0806 “Something Wicked”, was lost to Yugoslav SAMs over the Balkans in 1998, just one was scrapped, leaving the other 57ish Nighthawks (most of those on public display are early YF-117A “Scorpion” prototypes) to be put in what the Air Force described as “Type 1000” climate-controlled hangar storage.

Last year, 82-0803 “Unexpected Guest” went on permanent display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

However, at least two still have their wings attached and are in flyable condition. Withness this footage of two F-117As leaving Miramar MCAS last week:

The Gipper gets an Unexpected Guest

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Lockheed Martin Skunk Works recently partnered with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Insitute and National Museum of the USAF by reconfiguring F-117 Nighthawk 82-0803, nicknamed “Unexpected Guest” for permanent display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Just 64 (5 YF-117As, 59 F-117As) Nighthawks were produced with one, 82-0806 Something Wicked, shot down over Serbia.

Of interest, four of the early YF-117A Scorpion prototypes are on public display with Unexpected Guest being the first production Nighthawk put on a pedestal. The aircraft formerly flew 78 combat missions with the USAF 8th FS during Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999 and Operation Enduring Freedom over Iraq in 2003 and was last spotted in the air in 2007 at Nellis. 

Retired in 2008, Unexpected Guest has been in climate-controlled storage since then with the rest of the F-117 fleet, which is still seen in the air over Tonopah from time to time. 

“The F-117 Nighthawk reminds us of our country’s ability to rapidly develop disruptive technology critical to national security,” said Michele Evans, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the Air Force and the Reagan Foundation to install a permanent symbol of American innovation at the Reagan Library for all to see.”

Looking pretty good for something that doesn’t offically exist

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A top-secret product of the Lockheed Skunk Works, the F-117 Nighthawk, better known as the original “stealth fighter,” first flew in 1981. After gaining IOC in 1988, they became public knowledge during the Gulf War after they helped take down some of the key strategic nodes of Saddam’s air defense and C4I network.

Officially retired in April 2008, just 59 production models were delivered. Of those, one, #82-0806 “Something Wicked”, was lost to Yugoslav SAMs over the Balkans in 1998 and just one scrapped, leaving the other 57ish Nighthawks (those on public display are early YF-117A “Scorpion” prototypes) to be put in what the Air Force described as “Type 1000” climate controlled hangar storage.

Thus:

However, for an aircraft that is supposed to be put to pasture sans their wings, they sure do get a lot of air time.

Could the ghost fleet be ghosted?

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It looks like the Air Force may finally be getting rid of the F-117. Sure, just 64 airframes of all kinds were made and at least one was lost before they were put to pasture in 2008, but it has been a little known fact that most of these early 1980s stealth birds were put in regenerative storage at the F-117’s original operational home, desolate Tonopah Test Range Air Base in south central Nevada, where they were spotted in the air as late as 2014.

f-117 stored
Others, specifically early YF-117s, have been scrapped.

Well among the other things the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) came up with in the NDAA policy bill last week was a measure to “remove the requirement that certain F-117 aircraft be maintained in a condition that would allow recall of those aircraft to future service.”

Sure, the USAF could always keep them around forever, as the amendment, which still has to make its way through Congress and the White House just says they don’t “have” to which could mean they just get towed out to Davis-Mothan or donated to museums. Or heck, donated to the South Koreans.

Any and all of the above could make everyone happy.