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F117 Stealth To Be Retired

post #1 of 6
3/11/08 at 1:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- The world's first attack aircraft to employ stealth technology is slipping quietly into history.
Article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/11/ste...ndex.html?fark

Not really surprising. The F-117 is being replaced by the awesome F-22 Raptor- which is one sweet aircraft.
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post #2 of 6
3/11/08 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Essayons89 View Post
Article: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/11/ste...ndex.html?fark

Not really surprising. The F-117 is being replaced by the awesome F-22 Raptor- which is one sweet aircraft.
I saw that article this afternoon, and wondered if that's why my sister and I actually saw a Stealth flying during the day near Offut AB last summer.

There used to be an aircraft museum there, but I think it's now located at a nearby state park. I'll bet an F-117 ends up there.
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post #3 of 6
3/11/08 at 5:51pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post
I saw that article this afternoon, and wondered if that's why my sister and I actually saw a Stealth flying during the day near Offut AB last summer.

There used to be an aircraft museum there, but I think it's now located at a nearby state park. I'll bet an F-117 ends up there.
I wouldn't be surprised to see one placed at that museum. They'll do something with them. I could see a lot of them ending up in museums.

I remember seeing the footage of all of the AAA fire over Baghdad at the start of Desert Storm. It looked beautiful until you remember how deadly that fire can be.

For all of the fame they received during the Gulf War, it was the Apache helicopters of the US Army that fired the first shots to open up the air corridors for the fighters and bombers to go through. I still think it's remarkable that one wasn't shot down.

The F-22 Raptor that is replacing it has multiple roles, the F-117 was mainly used for bombing missions. The Raptors capabilities: air superiority fighter, ground attack, close air support, electronic warfare. Air Marshal Angus Huston, Chief of the Australian Defense Force, said in 2004 that "F-22 will be the most outstanding fighter plane ever built." It entered service in 2005, it also isn't being sold for export.

The video in the link below gives a great idea of the maneuverability of the aircraft. Gotta love the thrust vectoring.
http://aviationweek.typepad.com/ares...ptor_vide.html
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post #4 of 6
3/11/08 at 7:35pm
they are 2 very different style aircraft, there roles are very different. in truth, i do not expect the F-117 to be sitting out long.

like the SR-71 that keeps coming out of moth balls.

the air force has been complaing for the last few years that there fighters are old and out dated.
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post #5 of 6
3/11/08 at 7:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by theimp98 View Post
they are 2 very different style aircraft, there roles are very different. in truth, i do not expect the F-117 to be sitting out long.
I agree. Look at how long the B-52 has been in active service. One of my favorite aircraft is the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt. I remember a long time ago there was talk of retiring the "Warthog". I don't see them doing it anytime soon, IMO as a former ground pounder, there isn't an aircraft I liked to see more than the A-10 when it came to close air support. Of course, it's the last thing you want to see bearing down on you if you're in an enemy tank.

Yup. As good as the F-16 and F-15 have been, the air force has been in need of an updated fighter for a long, long time.
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post #6 of 6
3/11/08 at 8:35pm
I see the F-117's all the time here. I live in the mountains near Holloman. Everytime I go to Cruces I drive Hwy70 past the base. It is quite the sight to have one pass just overhead on take off.

We knew the war in Iraq was a definite about 6 months before they declared because of all the night activity.

JCAT, I wouldn't be surprised if some end up in Germany. Holloman has a huge exchange/training type program with Germany. I would bet half the town of Alamogordo are Germans who are here for the base.

I always liked the Stealths, they remind me of the bat plane, LOL.
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