USAF Will Send Last F-117s Into Retirement

USAF Will Send Last F-117s Into Retirement

The 15 remaining F-117 will make their last flight to the Tonopah Test Range Airfield in Nevada on April 22 -- this is where the F-117 made its maiden voyage in 1981.

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So either they have something new and secret or the F22 really is that good...


peace..

Yeah, this surprises me and will no doubt fuel *secret weapon* debates. I'm sure that USAF doesn't have any secret aircraft in squadron level use else it wouldn't be secret anymore - just as the F-117 became public upon entering service. And remember that the rumours of the F-117 program leaked very early on, it's not like it took industry watchers by surprise.

But for the next year or two, there is a system gap until the F-22 and F-35 are fully up to speed with operational strike missions. F-22 *can* already do it but seem to be focused on air-air in their current deployment. They'd have to switch training which would get reported.

They're being replaced at Holloman by F-22s. The plane has been to retire them since a year or two ago.

i honestly though they had gone allready ; the nighthawk was designed as a first strike weapon for the european theatre - for a high value target; but in this day and age of multiple targets and heavier weapons , the small weapons bay , and the massive expence of operating them really wasn`t condusive in this ongoing campaign.