F-117 Nighthawk - Stealth Figther
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Manufacturer:
Lockheed-Martin
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Combat Role:
Tatical Fighter Bomber
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First Flight:
June, 1981
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First Production Run:
1981
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Crew:
1
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Engines:
Two General Electric F404-GE-F1D2 Turbofan Engines
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Length:
65 Feet 11 Inches
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Wing Span:
43 Feet 7 Inches
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Height:
12 Feet 5 Inches
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Wieght:
52,500 lbs.
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Speed:
High Subsonic Range (Approximately 600 to 700 MPH)
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Maximum Altitude:
Classified
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Range:
Approximately 1,200 miles without refueling.
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Armaments:
Internal weapons bay can hold any combination of two of the following;
GBU-10, GBU-24 or GBU-27 Paveway smart bombs, AGM-88 HARM anti-radar
missle, or the laser guided AGM-114 Hellfire or AGM-65 Maverick
smart bombs.
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Produced at Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works under the direction of the late Ben Rich,
the F-117 Nighthawk has profoundly changed tatical air warfare more than any other aircraft
in service today. The Nighthawk has no discernable radar signature, and has the lowest
infa-ref profile of any other combat aircraft in service. Although it lacks the performance of other
fighters, such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, or MiG-29 Fulcrum, its high degree of
maneuverability and stealth capabilities make it the ideal tactical bomber.
A flat or platypus flap engine exhaust system diffuses heat very quickly, which in turn reduces the plane's
vulnerability to infa-red missiles. The combination of radar absorbing materials and the unique geometric design
of the F-117's surfaces make it undetectable by most radar. Ironically, the main principles for deflecting
radar signals that were incorporated into the F-117's design were based on the works of Russian physist,
Pyotr Ufimtsev, and later refined by Lockheed radar specialist and mathematician, Denys Overhlser.
Overhlser lead the development of computer software that helped determine the most radar elusive design
for the plane. Perhaps even more shocking was a statement Ufimtsev made in the early 90s, when Ufimtsev
came to the United States to teach at UCLA. Ufimtsev said that when he published his theories
on evading radar signals in the early 80s, senior Soviet military engineers showed no interest in his work at all.
To maintain its "invisibility" while in flight, the F-117's fuel can be mixed with a special additive to reduce the
streak of jet engine contrails so common in the world's daylight skies. For additional cover, most of the F-117's
missions are flown at night.
The unique design of the F-117 may be ideal to eluding radar, but it is not aerodynamic. A series of
"fly-by-wire" computer systems help control all movements of the plane's flaps and rudders. These systems
are capable of making thousands of adjustments in the plane's pitch and attitude every second. Without these
systems, it is highly unlikely that the F-117 would be able to stay airborne.
The F-117 distinguished itself in service during the Persian Gulf War, and in air strikes against Yugoslavia's
occupation of Kosovo during this past year. With the thousands of missions and different sorties flown by the Nighthawk over some of
the most heavily fortified targets in the world, only one F-117 has been lost in combat.
The story behind the development and success of the F-117 makes for truely fascinating reading. For this,
I would highly reccomend Ben Rich and Leo Janos Skunk Works, (Little, Brown & Company,
ISBN: 0-316-74330-5), and Jon Lake's Jane's How To Fly And Fight In The F-117 Stealth Fighter,
(Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN: 0-00-472109-8).
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Additional Web Links:
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