Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Summary
| Category | Bomber |
| Origin country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| First flight | 18 June 1981 |
| Year of introduction | 1983 |
| Number produced | 64 units |
| Average unit price | $111 million |
Description
Entered service 5 years before its existence was revealed, the F-117 Nighthawk, sometimes nicknamed "Black Jet", is the first stealth bomber.
It is a single-seat aircraft equipped with electronic piloting aids and quadruplicated electrical circuits, as it would be impossible to fly without assistance. Its fuselage is composed of Radar-Absorbent Material (RAM), which absorbs radar waves, and its distinctive silhouette allows it to reflect a radar echo equal to that of a seagull. The Nighthawk is used for surgical strikes on specific targets.
It was during the Gulf War that it proved its worth: the F-117 destroyed 40% of Iraqi targets without suffering a single loss. The Nighthawk does not have a cannon, but it can carry AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for self-defense, although this greatly reduces its air-to-ground weapon carrying capacity. Its strength lies in its invisibility.
Technical specifications
| Version: F-117A | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 pilot |
| Maximum speed | 993 km/h (617 mph) |
| Wing area | 73 m² (785.8 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 13.2 m (43.3 ft) |
| Height | 3.8 m (12.4 ft) |
| Length | 20.1 m (65.9 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 21031 m (68999 ft) |
| Empty weight | 13380 kg (29498 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 25000 kg (55115 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 2 × turbojets General Electric F404-F1D2 delivering 4781 kgp |
| Ejection seat | McDonnell Douglas ACES II |
Current operating countries
| Country | Units | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
United States | 4 | |
Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.
All operators
Armament
Missiles payload:
- Air-to-Surface AGM-65 Maverick
- Anti-Radiation AGM-88 HARM
Bombs payload:
- Guided GBU-32/B JDAM
- Low-Drag Lockheed-Martin BLU-109/B
- Low-Drag Mk 84
- Laser-Guided Raytheon GBU-10 Paveway II
- Laser-Guided Raytheon GBU-12
Photo of F-117 Nighthawk
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