The F-117A Nighthawk is the world's first operational aircraft designed to exploit low-observable stealth technology.
One of the most remarkable things about the F-117A was that in an open society such as that of the United States, an advanced combat aircraft could have been designed, built and entered service in fair numbers, and operated for several years, all in conditions of almost complete secrecy. There were of course some rumours about a so-called F-19; and many artists impressions, all of which were highly inaccurate, found their way into print, which aided security by muddying the waters futher. The NightHawk, as it is unofficially known, started life in 1973 as a design study codenamed Have Blue, the object of which was to determine to what degree an aircraft could be made invisible to radar and IR detection systems. The result was two Experimental Stealth Tactical (XST) prototypes which first flew in mid-1977. Results being satisfactory, the decision to develop a production aircraft was taken about one year later, and this first flew from Groom Lake (Area 51) in June of 1981.
The unique design of the single-seat F-117A provides exceptional combat capabilities. About the size of an F-15 Eagle, the twin-engine aircraft is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines and has quadruple redundant fly-by-wire flight controls. Air refuelable, it supports worldwide commitments and adds to the deterrent strength of the U.S. military forces.
The F-117A can employ a variety of weapons and is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems integrated into a state-of-the-art digital avionics suite that increases mission effectiveness and reduces pilot workload. Detailed planning for missions into highly defended target areas is accomplished by an automated mission planning system developed, specifically, to take advantage of the unique capabilities of the F-117A.
The first F-117A was delivered in 1982, and the last delivery was in the summer of 1990. The F-117A production decision was made in 1978 with a contract awarded to Lockheed Advanced Development Projects, the "Skunk Works," in Burbank, Calif. The first flight was in 1981, only 31 months after the full-scale development decision. Air Combat Command's only F-117A unit, the 4450th Tactical Group, (now the 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.), achieved operational capability in October 1983.
Streamlined management by Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, combined breakthrough stealth technology with concurrent development and production to rapidly field the aircraft. The F-117A program has demonstrated that a stealth aircraft can be designed for reliability and maintainability. The aircraft maintenance statistics are comparable to other tactical fighters of similar complexity. Logistically supported by Sacramento Air Logistics Center, McClellan AFB, Calif., the F-117A is kept at the forefront of technology through a planned weapon system improvement program located at USAF Plant 42 at Palmdale, Calif.