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The F-117 ‘Stealth Fighter’ Summed up in 4 Words
National Security Journal ^ | 7/20/2025 | Christian D. Orr

Posted on 07/21/2025 4:40:42 AM PDT by whyilovetexas111

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, the world’s first operational stealth aircraft, was a revolutionary bomber deceptively designated as a “fighter” to attract the Air Force’s best pilots. Born from the top-secret “Have Blue” program, the “Wobblin’ Goblin” proved its worth during the 1991 Gulf War, where it struck heavily defended targets in Baghdad with impunity on the opening night of the air campaign.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalsecurityjournal.org ...


TOPICS: Government; History; Military/Veterans; Politics
KEYWORDS: aviation; blogkaren; blogpimp; defense; f117; f117nighthawk; history; lockheed; lockheedf117; military; usairforce
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To: AppyPappy

First use was bombing Rio Hato during the Operation Just Cause invasion of Panama. Very effective.


21 posted on 07/21/2025 7:35:36 AM PDT by jagusafr ( )
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To: Lowell1775

SOAP was hilarious.

Burt being abducted by aliens was just as funny as him thinking he could be invisible.


22 posted on 07/21/2025 7:59:23 AM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
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To: The Duke
Word on the street is that they're working on some new fangled shuttle to get into space. I think they're going to call it the "Space Shuttle".

WOW, a reusable space shuttle with a cargo bay would be incredible.

23 posted on 07/21/2025 8:02:34 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Repeal The 17th

Would Laz hit it


24 posted on 07/21/2025 8:46:19 AM PDT by al baby (Whoopie Cushion Goldberg )
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To: V_TWIN

The most incredible part of your story is that the military did something intelligent with respect to maintenance of the F1D2 engines by going to an already active center of expertise.


25 posted on 07/21/2025 9:43:19 AM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: whyilovetexas111

“The first Stealth fighter” are the four words buried most of the way into the article.


26 posted on 07/21/2025 9:46:39 AM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: Sequoyah101

Yeah, the DoD actually has it’s act together occasionally.

Of course, for every common sense decision I saw, there were a half a dozen that made no damned sense at all.


27 posted on 07/21/2025 10:46:19 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: Alas Babylon!

It’s the reason they originally wanted a rotating bomb bay


28 posted on 07/21/2025 10:48:58 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If Hitler were alive today and criticized Trump, would he still be Hitler?)
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To: whyilovetexas111
boneyard-f117-nighthawk-epsteincantmeltsteelbeams-This-decision-was-made-make-sure-aircraft-can-be-found-event-emergency-Afte
29 posted on 07/21/2025 4:13:38 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Drain the Swamp. Build the Wall)
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To: Lowell1775
Then Serbs discovered their obsolete Soviet “long wave” radars lit them up like torches at a Klan rally...That’s my contribution, but what do I know and I do not feel strongly about it.

Citation needed. Research shows:

By 20:00 local time, Zelko’s F-117 Nighthawk was cruising through Dani’s airspace at a leisurely speed of just about 600 miles per hour, shielded from attack by its angular design and a layer of radar-absorbant paint.
Twenty seconds clicked by, as the black jet zoomed across the sky above them… but the dated SA-3 system saw nothing. Dejected, he ordered the system shut down. But he wasn’t giving up yet.
As his F-117 screamed over Serbia, he opened the bomb bay doors and dropped two laser-guided bombs at his target… at precisely the same time Dani’s troops powered their SA-3 up for a regulation-defying third burn. Had the weapon doors not been open, the SA-3 would have seen nothing but empty sky, but the doors’ hard angles compromised the Nighthawk’s sleek exterior for just a moment, giving Dani a split-second opportunity. - https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/04/how-an-obsolete-1950s-russian-made-missile-took-out-a-f-117-stealth-fighter/

30 posted on 07/22/2025 6:54:01 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn 2 the Lord Jesus who saves damned+destitute sinners on His acct, believe, b baptized+follow HIM)
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