In the 1970’s Soviet air defense systems improved and the U.S. realized they had to develop
aircraft to counter this. Lockheed Skunk Works was tasked with the job and two aircraft were built
under the code name “Have Blue” that proved stealth aircraft could be produced. As a result the
F-117 Nighthawk was developed and first flew in 1981 with the first production F-117 80-10785
making its maiden flight on April 20, 1982 but it wasn’t until 1988 that the Pentagon confirmed its
existence.

The Kosovo War was an armed conflict between Serbia / Montenegro and Kosovo Albanian
rebels known as the Kosovo Liberation Army who were supported by NATO forces. The conflict
lasted from February 1998 until June 1999 with the U.S. sending 36 stealth F-117s to fly missions
over Serbian targets that conventional aircraft couldn’t reach. F-117A 82-803 “Unexpected
Guest” from the 8th FS “Black Sheep” was one of them. It was the 19th aircraft produced in lot 4
and first flew on May 8, 1984 and accepted on June 22, 1984.

Specifications
Specifications for the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Role – Fighter/Attack
First Deployment – 1982
Retired – April 22, 2008
Full Scale Development Aircraft – 5
Production Aircraft – 59
Crew – 1
Dimensions
Length – 65 ft 11 in   (20.09 m)
Wingspan – 43 ft 4 in   (13.20 m)
Height – 12 ft 9 in   (3.78 m)
Weight
Empty – 29,500 lbs   (13,380 kg)
Loaded – 52,500 lbs   (23,800 kg)
Performance
Powerplants – 2 X General Electric F404-F1D2 Turbofan Engine Each Producing 10,600 lbf
(48.0 kN)
Speed
Maximum – 617 mph   (Mach .092 / 993 km/h)
Range – 930 nm   (1,720 km / Unlimited with Air Refuel)
Service Ceiling – 45,000 ft   (13,716 m)
Armament
2 X Internal Weapons Bays, 1 X Hardpoint Per Bay, Total 2 Weapons Capacity
Laser Guided Bombs
GBU-10 Paveway II 2,000 lb Bomb
GBU-12 Paveway II 500 lb Bomb
GBU-16 Paveway II 1,000 Bomb
GBU-27 Have Void (Modified GBU-24 Modified For The F-117) 2000lb
GPS Guided Bombs
GBU-29 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)
GBU-30 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)
GBU-31 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) INS/GPS Guided Munitions
GBU-32 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)
(WCMD) Wind Corrected Munition Dispenser
Missiles
AGM-65 Maverick (Air-to-surface Guided Missile)
AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-radiation Missile)
AGM-137 TSSAM (Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile)
AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon)
AGM-154 JASSM (Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile)

This new site is being updated regularly and it will be much improved before too long. Please be patient, give it time, and check back regularly. Opportunities for community collaboration are in the works for a little further down the road.