Free Republic

The F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter, the world’s first purpose-designed stealth aircraft, was recently sighted high in the skies over Death Valley, California. The fighter, part of a fleet of jets retired in 2008, was sporting a brand new camouflage paint job and accompanied by a NASA jet and aerial refueling tanker. What was it doing? That’s anyone’s guess.

PALMDALE - The once top-secret Blackbirds on display in Palmdale have a new nest mate: the F-117A Nighthawk, also known as the stealth fighter. The dart-shaped aircraft, the fourth of its kind built and used solely for testing, was moved into display position Monday at Blackbird Airpark, taking its place beside other former "black" aircraft, the SR-71 and U-2. "Look at how many black airplanes you can come see right here," said Fred Johnsen , curator of the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, of which Blackbird Airpark is a satellite. Escorted by members of the 410th Flight Test Squadron,...

Stealth jet quietly slips into history F-117A fighter retired after 25 years Cutting-edge design cloaked in mystery Nov. 2, 2006. 12:54 PM BILL TAYLOR FEATURE WRITER Almost as furtively as it flew above war zones from Bosnia to Baghdad, America's F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter has retired from active duty. The years had snuck up on it. Though it remained cutting-edge contemporary in many people's minds, the Nighthawk had hit the quarter-century mark. At a discreet "Silver Stealth" ceremony at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico this week, some of the people who built, serviced and flew the plane marked...

Some of the 15 radar-evading stealth fighters which the United States is deploying to South Korea have arrived there, a U.S. military spokesman said on Monday. North Korea has bitterly denounced the deployment of the F-117A Nighthawks in its official media, saying it is part of U.S. plans for an invasion of the reclusive country. The U.S. Air Force has said the planes, from Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico, are being deployed for training in the region for four months. But it not clear whether the planes are in addition to the two dozen stealth fighters which the...

Vice-president Dick Cheney stepped up America's war of words with North Korea yesterday by calling it a police state run by an irresponsible leader indifferent to the fate of his malnourished people.His words came just 48 hours after the Pentagon announced that it was sending 15 F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter-bombers to South Korea, a US ally, for an undetermined period. The aircraft crews, trained to seek out targets with precision weapons, needed to familiarise themselves with the Korean terrain, the air force said. Speaking to CNN in an interview broadcast last night, Mr Cheney described North Korea's leader, Kim Jong...

The Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that ten U.S. F-117A stealth fighters would be deployed to a U.S. airbase in the southern part of Korea to take part in military training that will last several months. An official with the Ministry said, On Wednesday and Thursday, F-117A aircraft will move to Korea from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and will engage in military training in Korea for several months. This would be the fourth time that stealth fighters have been deployed to Korea since 1993, 1996, and 2003, when those planes participated in U.S.-ROK joint military exercises such as the...

For the first time in aviation history, three Air Force Stealth aircraft are scheduled to fly in formation at the 115th Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, Air Force officials said today. A second flyover by the B-2 Spirit, F-117A Nighthawk and F/A-22 Raptor is scheduled before the Rose Bowl game later in the day. Plans call for the F-117A Nighthawk and F/A-22 Raptor to be flown from Edwards Air Force Base and the B-2 Spirit from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. The F/A-22 Raptor is the newest dual-engine stealth, long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground fighter, with supersonic,...

The F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter was in service for 6 to 8 years before the public was informed. Inside secret military leaks tell us the TR- 3B has been in service since 1994. Sources say witnessing this craft will do one of two things to you. Either make you think you really are just some wayward experiment or turn you against the governments. It's un-earthly technology and sight will literally blow your mind. ­The US Patriots Welcome to the TR-3B: It has been rumored for years that the military's black operations has perfected incredibly advanced gravity-defying triangular supersecret aerial platforms...

Stealth fighters sent to SKorea By Shane GreenTokyo March 13 2003 The United States will boost its arsenal on the Korean peninsula with at least six stealth F-117A fighters, although Washington denies the deployment is part of an action designed to deter North Korean aggression. US officials maintain that the fighters will arrive in South Korea to take part in military exercises with South Korean forces. Described by the US as a "routine" deployment, the radar-avoiding fighters will be based at the Kun San air base in South Korea, taking part in the US-South Korean "Foal Eagle" exercises that end on...

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The Pentagon has deployed F-117A "Nighthawk" stealth fighters, which played a key role in the 1991 Gulf War, from Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for use in a possible war with Iraq, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. Robert Pepper, spokesman for Holloman Air Force Base, said the black, angular, precision-strike fighters left the base on Monday night, marking their first deployment for possible hostilities since 1999 in Kosovo. The F-117A was the only American or coalition aircraft used to strike targets in downtown Baghdad during the Gulf War, according to the Air...