Another "F-117 Companion" thread and a bit of history!

a reply to: Ironside800

1st point, I dont believe there was ever reference to 1991 Desert Storm but to 2003s OIF & OEF. 2nd point was that he didnt just have a "sighting" but refuelled it in the box near Groom and got a photo of it, and then saw them in a hangar (@ Diego Garcia?) Beside F-117s during OIF (and im assuming he then refuelled them on mission ops.) 3rd point - Are we all assuming it was a "companion" for the F-117 in its mission role? When infact they may have just been "hangar companions" for the sake of OpSec?

1) Yes pretty much

2) He saw them when it was stationed at Al Udeid AB during OIF

“In Qatar during the second Gulf War, we had the 117 hangers directly across the road from the tanker squadron office. When they came in, right before we went into Iraq in 2003, other aircraft accompanied them to the party. […] Long story short, these "other" aircraft were parked in the same hanger as the F-117's were housed, except they were kept way more secure, behind partitions, in the back of the area. And yes, only a select few had the training to refuel them.”

“On March 17, 2003, President Bush gave his famous speech telling Saddam and his sons that they had 48 hours to leave Iraq or face war "at a time of our choosing." By this time we were based at the sprawling Al Udeid AB in Qatar, along with a heavy buildup of every aircraft imaginable, and some that are still classified. During this time period I remember a squadron meeting where the Operations Group Commander told us to "be careful what you say over the phone, and pay no attention to the black, pointy shaped aircraft and "others" that were coming to the base." […]
Now we were facing refueling the F-117s and "the others" at night, with no lights on, and no communications. Receiver aircraft simply flew to where they knew the tanker would be and got enough fuel to get back to home base so that they could reload and launch again. It was an all out free for all.”

etc etc

I’m actually not sure if he talked about refueling the Companion in the box. I know offhand that he refueled certain other secret aircrafts there and at one point had a buddy tell him about refueling the Companion inside in 2014. That’s the last sign of life we got from the aircraft.

3) The Companion definitely flew missions alongside the F-117 helping out in some way. But the Companion role was something the aircraft got by circumstance, not by design. It was never built as a Companion to specifically help out the F-117 it just ended up this way, presumably acquiring more and more support roles over the years.
For its original mission, my money is on SEAD/DEAD as SpeedFanatic argued in the first post of this thread.

And yes, VS-07. Its obvious when you read the thread. sigh

a reply to: mightmight

Thanks for bringing up his quotes from the original thread!
I was going by memory and hadnt read that thread for quite some time.

Im in total agreement with SpeedFanatics OP and your subsequent posts that it operated in the SEAD/DEAD role by circumstance and not design. Mere common sense tells us that.

I have to wonder though, (designation aside) what its "name" is, given it replaced a 'Raven' flew alongside a 'Nighthawk' and may or may not have had something to do with the 'Blackbirds' coming out of retirement briefly.

a reply to: Ironside800
Fun with words and names: www.abovetopsecret.com...

If i had to bet... 'Pandora'

a reply to: mightmight

grrrrrrrr..

I read it twice.

Astra was probably the one name that stood out for me.

And from another thread this drawing.

Hello, Ironside800. Nice to see you posting back!

originally posted by: mightmight
I’m actually not sure if he talked about refueling the Companion in the box. I know offhand that he refueled certain other secret aircrafts there and at one point had a buddy tell him about refueling the Companion inside in 2014. That’s the last sign of life we got from the aircraft.

Just curious, where Boomer admitted that his buddy refueled Companion in "the box"?

a reply to: SpeedFanatic
www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: grey580

Definately not Astra.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
ASTRA is Airborne Surveillance and TRAcking. It's not an aircraft type, it was a program, reportedly run by Boeing.

As for the picture. It is an artwork I made by editing a pic from this link: rense.com...
At the time I thought that it is the drawing the Boomer was talking about but that's probably not it.

a reply to: SpeedFanatic

Yeah.

Maybe one day when enough people retire we will get to see what this plane was.

Maybe not even then.

It's fun to try and guess.

Dis onez?
Vs-07
Another Aussie!!,welcome mate.... In the Banana Republic here..

originally posted by: Blackfinger
Dis onez?
Vs-07
Another Aussie!!,welcome mate....

In the Banana Republic here..

Thanks mate, I think ive sussed out who the Aussies are here
Im also from the Great Sunshine State, do some occasional spotting at YAMB and run an ADS-B setup with MLAT. I'll try to post up some of my spotting pics in the Aircraft Pics thread.

If im correct Bassplyr is currently an honorary Qlder, perhaps a Bris-Vegas ATS catch up is on the cards?

Zaphod: RAAF Growlers have departed YAMB for Red Flag, I do hope you get some great photos!

a reply to: Ironside800

Thanks for the heads up. I knew they were coming, but couldn't get word on when.

a reply to: Zaphod58

No wukkin furries
Only a 'small' contingent of 4 Growlers, a Wedgetail and Orion headed over, but the COs plane A46-306 is wearing a nice scheme for 6 Squadrons 100th Anniversary.

A few guys from Aicraft Spotters Online are headed over to catch the action and a side trip to Star Wars Canyon, I was planning on being over there for SHOT show and then to do RF as our honeymoon, but the missus decided to pop a bun in the oven a little early!

a reply to: Ironside800

We've got a stakeout this summer that will probably include at least one day at Jedi, and I've got a great opportunity in March to go to Fallon for the day.

a reply to: Ironside800
Great, just what the forum needs. Another bloody banana bender!
G'day Ironside dont think we have met before. Congratulations on the missus bun too.
Ill have to take a look for some pics of the 6Sqn CO's plane.

a reply to: thebozeian

Thanks mate! I think i've got you and CObzz marked as Mexicans! But I do recall you having a connection with F-111s? Posted pics from Gold Coast dump & burn? If we have crossed paths its quite likely thru QAS or ADF serials on FB. After 8 years lurking this forum and figuring out whos who in the zoo, I couldnt help but join the discussion!

Really honoured to be here among some great minds!

Im gonna have a crack at posting up a photo but im on mobile and learning that ATS is very different with a sign in vs just lurking!
A46-306

Boz and I are ex Red Rat so we all cross threads here and there..

originally posted by: Ironside800
a reply to: mightmight

Thanks for bringing up his quotes from the original thread!

I was going by memory and hadnt read that thread for quite some time.

Im in total agreement with SpeedFanatics OP and your subsequent posts that it operated in the SEAD/DEAD role by circumstance and not design. Mere common sense tells us that.

What was its originally designed role? Something related to nuclear? This was the B-1 era, right?

a reply to: Ironside800

And another. Worked at 6SQN for three years 86-89 back when pigs could fly! Not in QLD anymore but still a QLDer through and through. Would absolutely make the effort if there was a meeting of the Aussie ATSers somewhere. Working as an aviation consultant these days so easy to get on a plane for a cough, cough Conference

Here's another option to throw up as the companion based on the quote around it being an airframe not really seen before or since

www.airliners.net...

This thread is from 13 years ago, maybe relevant maybe not...........

www.abovetopsecret.com...

A link to an old thread on the Switchblade topic circa 2014 linking to an older thread below (circa 2004).

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: Gurumuka

both are links to same thread