Farewell Nighthawk-sort of

The remaining F-117s are set to be removed from any kind of flight status and demilitarized. Under the new defense budget, one aircraft is to be demilitarized this year, and starting next year, four aircraft a year, until the last one is gone. The process, if it continues at that rate, will take up to 15 years.

The aircraft were officially retired in 2008, but have been seen flying over Tonopah, including last year by Sammamishman and myself (in fact his video is used in the linked article). The Air Force has never said what they're doing, but rumors have put Lockheed pilots in the aircraft, possibly testing new systems potentially for use on other stealth aircraft.

www.popularmechanics.com...

All that to insure the war on Iraq began successfully. Here we are decades later, still embroiled in conflict in that beleaguered country.

Expensive project, stealth. Mostly though, its been a paper tiger.

Because if you can see it , you can kill it. The myth of stealth invincibility only held until it was disclosed.

originally posted by: intrptr
All that to insure the war on Iraq began successfully. Here we are decades later, still embroiled in conflict in that beleaguered country.

Expensive project, stealth. Mostly though, its been a paper tiger.

Because if you can see it , you can kill it. The myth of stealth invincibility only held until it was disclosed.

Don't overlook the fact that it was a good cover for the introduction of those mysterious triangle that some of have witnessed fairly close at hand and yet it is puzzling that this forum never take them up seriously when usually they are usually on top of any thing with wings or jet engines that are rumored about or fleetingly glimpsed.

a reply to: Aliensun

Because it's really easy to mistake an F-117 that's 66 feet long, with a 44 foot wingspan, with a supposed triangle that's anywhere from several hundred feet on a side, to several miles on a side, depending on what sightings you read. The two look almost identical.

Hope they saw off some cockpits

a reply to: Blackfinger

It's possible they'll allow some to head to museums. I'm sure more than a couple will end up on stands somewhere.

Long as its controlled and the museums have the abilities to keep them.
How are the parts situation concerned keeping the two test subjects alive..?

a reply to: Blackfinger

It looked like there were more than two. We saw two flying, and a third being fuelled the next day. They have at least a few that they can steal parts of. Most of them have the wings removed and would take a week plus to return to flight status. So they can cannibalize them as needed.

a reply to: Zaphod58100% positive the one I saw was NOT a 117.At least as big as a C-5 and lights down both wings,sure it`s not alien, but what it`s purpose is I have no clue.Very similar in shape to the Wichita sighting,maybe more pronounced v shape.

originally posted by: Aliensun

originally posted by: intrptr
All that to insure the war on Iraq began successfully. Here we are decades later, still embroiled in conflict in that beleaguered country.

Expensive project, stealth. Mostly though, its been a paper tiger.

Because if you can see it , you can kill it. The myth of stealth invincibility only held until it was disclosed.

Don't overlook the fact that it was a good cover for the introduction of those mysterious triangle that some of have witnessed fairly close at hand and yet it is puzzling that this forum never take them up seriously when usually they are usually on top of any thing with wings or jet engines that are rumored about or fleetingly glimpsed.

Personally I think a lot of that triangle stuff is nighttime aircraft with their gear doors open, seen from below.

Most aircraft with retractable gear have triangle landing gear arrangement.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Where did you get that? The craft I saw personally many years ago which I have detailed a few times on here. Which led me to here was actually normal fighter size. Not the giant one in AZ.

Aside from that. 15 years seems like a long time to decommission an already retired aircraft. You would think a few museums would get some.

a reply to: Crumbles

Even if there are smaller ones, every one that I've heard described has been described as a triangle with even sides. As in all three sides made a triangle.

Even someone that doesn't know aircraft well would have trouble mistaking this:



For this:



As for the 15 years, it spreads the cost out and allows them to save money, as well as allowing them to keep some around to use as test aircraft for whatever they want to test on them.