[sukhoi-30mki]

[freedumb2003]

>>but the Pentagon wanted to pursue a more capable next-generation stealth fighter rather than trying to revive a dated design. <<

And yet, airframes from the 80s such as the F-15 and F-15, when fitted from the factory with the same avionics are matching the over-burdened, massively expensive, way over budget and yet to be truly deployed F-35 Flying Anvil.

[ConservativeMind]

Beautiful concept plane.

[Snickering Hound]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_A-12_Avenger_II
There was a stealth bomber that was supposed to be deployed on a carrier called the A-12.

Canceled by Bush in 91’.

[Vendome]

[Rebelbase]

Anyone know the wing/body sq.ft. area between an F-117A and an F-15 with its wings folded back?

Seems like the F-117A would have a larger combined lifting body and wing area and if so might be a bit more squirrely wanting to stay on deck in heavy winds.

[tang-soo]

As a young engineer, fresh out of The Ohio State University, I worked on the ATF project at General Dynamics - Ft. Worth Division during the early 1980s. The ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) project was G.D.'s version of what eventually turned into the F-22 Raptor. One of the managers on the project was retired Colonel, Robert Jackson. I knew Bob was a former Thunderbird pilot and a candidate for the U.S. Space Program.

Sidebar: Once I found out Bob was a former Thunderbird Pilot I had a mission on my mind. My wife and I traveled to Columbus for the following Christmas. As soon as I greeted my family, I headed upstairs to where I kept all my kid stuff. I quickly dug through all my keepsakes and soon found the autographed program from the Thunderbird show I attended as a kid during the mid-1960s. My parents took my sister and me to Lockbourne Air Force Base (Now Rickenbacker) just south of Columbus for the show. I met some of the pilots after the show and got autographs from two of them. Right in the middle was a picture of the face I recognized of Robert Jackson. I think he flew the slot position. That program made a great show-and-tell when I returned to work the following week.

I worked in the stealth group, but was not even aware of the F-117 program, much less who led the original pilots. Years later during the later 1990s, I nearly jumped out of my chair one evening while watching the History Channel's weeklong special on Stealth Technology. The narrator said, "And now, we will speak with the original wing commander of the F-117, Retired Colonel, Robert Jackson".

I learned that evening that Bob had personally interviewed, vetted, selected, and trained all the original pilots for the F-117.

[Afterguard]

If I recall correctly, the main reason the Air Force retired the F-117 was that it was hideously expensive to maintain. Flight hours/dollar were simply unacceptable. Any maintenance beyond going thru the wash rack required removal and replacement of the radar absorbent material that covered the airplane. For Naval use it was probably a little too unstable, but just guessing at that.

[PJammers]

The F-117 was only good at one thing, it was invisible to radar. That was until one was mysteriously shot down over Yugoslavia who promptly gave samples of the skin to Russia and China.

Bill Clinton was president at the time. The aircraft “crashed” in tact. Draw your own conclusions.

[KarlInOhio]

Do they have a version with rotor blades turning it into an AH-117 stealth attack helicopter?