Did the F-117 fly actual combat missions AFTER retirement?

[@SandboxxApp]

Go to ground.news/Sandboxx to stay fully informed on military developments around the world. Subscribe through my link right now for 40% off their Vantage Plan, which is what I use everyday.

[@SendingFreedomTM]

You should get on that platform nebula or whatever the KZbinrs that do documentaries and educational videos do. I think it’s uncensored too! Just an idea!😊

[@lukearts2954]

@@SendingFreedomTM he'd have to work on that voice first tho. Thank God for mute and subs. If he would drop the forced cramp thing, I would probably sub, because some of his videos are interesting indeed. But listening to a guy that's trying to press out a fecalome for half an hour, is just unbearable.

[@johno8817]

Should check out the EH-60 BlackHawk, I used to be crewchief on 019. Only crew of 5.

[@patriot1234100]

Stop calling the SU-57 fifth generation. It is not a stealth aircraft. It has the same radar cross section as a clean F-18. You have a great channel, you should know better then to quote Russian propaganda.

[@superfisto]

Flying for the CIA!

[@PsRohrbaugh]

My grandfather retired as director of logistics for the USAF. In around 1993 or so, he bought me a toy model of a F-117. I remember him "five years ago, this was top secret. Now it's a kid's toy".

[@MuffinManUSN]

Cheers to what your pop did with the time he had. Thank you for sharing that pride and fond memory with us as well today. Stay proud and happy to remember things like that from the past. Kind regards❤

[@thudthud5423]

Before that, I bought myself a plastic model "F-19". The public pretty much knew there was a stealth fighter, they just didn't know the details. Its suspected designation was F-19. Interestingly it seems that maybe they chose "F-117" as its designation because there are engines with very, very similar designations, maybe as a "hide in plain sight" tactic on paperwork.

[@pkt1213]

​​@@thudthud5423 I have no idea how many flight hours and missions I have in the f-19

[@CoffeeAndPaul]

It's interesting that China & Russia didn't seriously attempt to duplicate this aircraft. It's obviously the "starter girlfriend" like Meg Griffin from Family Guy 😂, like, it's a great way to study the construction & techniques of stealth & airplanes, how people successfully came up with something that made the 2 things work together.

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

​@CoffeeAndPaul one of the rare times where the simple answer is also the full truth: they couldn't. They lacked the technological and industrial capability to do so in the height of when the F-117 was at its most useful. There's a reason why China was so heavily invested in buying up the shot-down scraps of the shot-down F-117 from Serbia, as well as the modified stealth blackhawk tail rotor from the Bin Laden raid. Then *still* had to perform major cyberattacks against Lockheed in regards to the F-35's stealth composition just ti make the J-20 that isn't to the same level, though admittedly better than China's existing fleet in that aspect. Then look at Russia, who has not managed to make even a single squadron's worth of Su-57s over the past 18 years, and whose 'Su-75' has only ever been 'built' in the form of an "almost-to-scale" wooden mockup with a paint job. Simply put, if they could have, they would have. They couldn't, so they didn't.

[@3isr3g3n]

This and the SR71 are my favourite planes. They were so far ahead of their time, and they still are unbeaten champions.

[@spartancrown]

Queue the idiots “tHe F117 wAs ShOt DoWn bY lOwLy yUgOsLaViA wItH oLd TeChNoLoGy”

[@douglasthompson201]

Well, the F117 isn't exactly "unbeaten."

[@MuffinManUSN]

​@douglasthompson201 I mean...all things considered it has quite the Batting Average. We all strike out. We do not all swing. ❤

[@spartancrown]

And there it is.

[@MuffinManUSN]

@@spartancrown I didn't see it. Was "it" a Nighthawk?

[@jimandnena4]

As a retired GD/Lockheed/Lockheed Martin employee, I am loving these broadcasts. There is much more information about these aircraft that still can not be published, but your research is stellar. Thanks

[@rockroll7649]

The research you all put into these productions is incredible. Y'all are one of my favorite channels. Keep doing what you are doing.

[@Doodelz02]

Exceptionally well told, Alex. Thanks!

[@jloiben12]

When our over 40 year old stealth fighter is a good enough substitute for other countries leading edge stealth…

[@jg3000]

It's got better all aspect stealth then F-22 and F-35. If those 2 are in fact stealthier. It from sensors not frame.

[@coreytaylor5386]

it also formed the basis for the other one other country who's stealth technology development isn't a literal joke or just propaganda. China got their hands on debris of one and used it to develop their stealth coating that they used until the J-20 when they got the f-35's stealth tech, and even then most military engineering circles consider it an achievement for China because even just to build the infrastructure and specialized industry needed for the modern f35 based coatings its a hell of a struggle

[@jg3000]

@@Future-Preps35 You could always paint it on F-117.

[@alanaldpal950]

My 3 favorites warbirds, plus a bonus #4: In no particular order: P51 Mustang, F16, Catalina PBY, Boeing Stearman biplane

[@daviddudeskie6940]

​@jg3000 Yeah, its better than retiring 10's of billions of dollars of investment.

[@jloiben12]

That deconfliction channel was super helpful for Russia when we asked if the fighters we were about to call all the killstreaks on were Russian and they said no

[@bigusdallastexamas5740]

I would see these almost daily in the mid 1990's. The shape of them always made it extremely difficult to confidently decide exactly what direction it was actually flying. It was a really strange effect that I don't think I've ever witnessed with any other airframe.

[@Ifoughtpiranhas]

The fact that a 40 year old stealth aircraft can still operate with impunity should be very disconcerting to adversaries using the most advanced Russian air defense systems like the S-400. (Looking at you, Russia & China)

[@riskinhos]

you should visit the belgrade aviation museum before making such stupid comments on social media.

[@passportbrolife]

@@riskinhos you should visit the kursk region and toropets region of rusya first...

[@robinseibel7540]

@@riskinhos And you should look into exactly how that F-117 was shot down. It was not because of any advanced Russian SAM technology but rather a crafty and observant Yugoslav SAM battery operator.

[@counterstrifekid]

@@riskinhos the reason the F117 was shot down was due to operational laziness, and a consistent and observant Radar operator. We were flying missions on the same flight pattern at the same times on the dot with a window of just a few seconds to get a lock (when the payload doors open). That SAM operator took advantage of our operational laziness and got a positive lock in that very short window.

[@nolean99z]

The S400 turned out to be junk. Popping like popcorn in Crimea. I don't know what country would be stupid enough to spend money on that Russian overhyped garbage anymore.

[@bryonslatten3147]

The real trick is keeping a group of F-117 pilots and maintainers qualified to operate this aircraft at a moment’s notice.

[@ViceCoin]

Bring them out of senior homes, if they are still alive.😅

[@kyledabearsfan]

Yeah, I imagine day by day those capable are retiring.

[@delly4358]

They have a small school to train the squadron maintainers that keep these birds operational

[@ehsnils]

Just the fact that it might still be a few around could be enough to seed doubt on the matter and that could be enough to make an enemy hesitate.

[@ViceCoin]

@@ehsnils Subsonic, old stealth. Hypersonic missiles and drones are the new airpower.

[@gooner72]

How the Nighthawk actually flies is the most impressive thing for me, I mean, just look at it.......... it looks like it should just fall out of the sky, let alone be that capable of what it actually was. She is a true marvel of technology and for me, it doesn't surprise me that it hadn't been completely/permanently retired in the 2010's and it doesn't surprise that they are still active now and will still be useful in the years to come!!

[@leeriterii2128]

Hoopie Lives Matter

[@super8hell]

F-117 made me interested in aviation as a child.

[@jlehm]

Same

[@viktor_v-ughnda_vaudville_476]

Me too

[@MuffinManUSN]

Amen. America is truly unparalleled in her ability to her weapons of warfare. May our citizens always find enough pride to overcome our residents that would likely prefer a government subsidy for Oreos over a defense industrial base that will not leave us short when compared to our Geopolitical neighbors.

[@CoreyIsTheName]

The way you present these topics is the same way I tell stuff I find cool to my wife. Shows how much you're truly into this stuff and I'm here for it.

[@KylerSeck-wo7oz]

I saw an F117 flyover, South Hutchison, Kansas in 2009 or 2010. I did not know what it was at the time, but it's interesting now looking back on it, seeing how significant that was.

[@whateverrandomnumber]

The bomb through vent stunt was a nice party trick. You don't need to nail the vent. You just need to set the delay for the warhead a few milliseconds after impact.

[@ayuchanayuko]

But but Top Gun Maverick!

[@Korporaal1]

...And have a bomb body and guidance package that can withstand the impact and still work long enough after that.

[@whateverrandomnumber]

​@@Korporaal1 no, it doesn't need working guidance after impact. Haven't you ever heard about concrete penetrating bombs? It doesn't even need that; it's just a thin roof after all.

[@Korporaal1]

@@whateverrandomnumber It's not about the guidance... It's already hit the target, after all! It's about the timer in the ignition. That timer can -and has to- be set to a specific timing in order to set off the main charge inside the cavity of the objective and not before, or after passing through that.

[@whateverrandomnumber]

​@@Korporaal1 Well that's what i said in the very first post.

[@EstorilEm]

NEVER bet against Lockheed and the Skunkworks when it comes to groundbreaking or state-of-the-art aeronautical engineering. Ever. It may take a decade or more for people to appreciate it, but eventually history speaks for itself - they always had the right idea, and were generally years (sometimes a decade or more) ahead of the competition or adversary.

[@Ali3ninvad3rr]

Logically it checks out if it can perform similar missions to the f-35 / F-22 without giving our adversaries the chance to study the stealth characteristics

[@stubryant9145]

Isn't it in actuality an attack bomber? Wouldn't think it would much if any air to air capability.

[@Appletank8]

It has an F prefix but it's technically from the bomber lineage, giving it an F was just to make pilots feel better.

[@travisparker5632]

​@@stubryant9145Ben Rich said in his book Skunk Works that the fighter designation was used to keep the budget for a stealth bomber untouched. If it was considered a bomber, Congress might have pushed back when the B2 was developed.

[@jeffmeyer9587]

The plane that made Elon want to make a pickup......

[@MuffinManUSN]

😢 That comparison is....charged. 😅 That pun was not intended.😊

[@jeffreyfarlow9862]

And he used an Nintendo 64 to design that truck 😂

[@MotoNomad350]

He wanted to make a pickup but instead he made that urinal on wheels.

[@lukeamato423]

*bbq​@@MotoNomad350

[@jordostan]

​@@COM70 you're right, nobody else has managed to make such a shitty electric pickup.

[@TheTmieBandit]

This is how you speculate the right way, what a great video

[@jonniez62]

We supported the 4450th's A-7 boresight kits at Kirtland PMEL, got a hint of what we were supporting after talking to maintainers who brought the kit to us

[@gareth204]

Nothing surprising in the fact a 40 year plus airframe is still performing front line duties. Look at the F-15, F-16, B-52, B-2, A-10, etc. When you think about it, it’s quite common as they were so well designed, tested, and made, and have adapted so well to modern warfare.

[@Egilhelmson]

None of the B-52 airframes are that old, because they have been rebuilt repeatedly.

[@gareth204]

@@Egilhelmson so they are that old, if not older. Rebuilt doesn’t mean they are all new airframes, but overhauled, updated, adapted and repaired to the existing aircraft.

[@unicaller1]

@@Egilhelmson The last B-52 rolled off the production line in 1962. They have been upgraded and repaired but yes they are all that old.

[@skibo3522]

I've seen the pics of Nighthawks flying in and around Area 51 but this is the first I heard of them doing Missions in 2017, wow. Explains several things now, Thanks very much for the Post!

[@Scottagram]

20:55 Media often portrays mortars with this sorta soft "doonk" sound, but even with visuals alone this clip really shows how mortar operation is just as intense as any other artillery.

[@strikercwl]

The F117 was the first model I ever built (and a super easy one). I would not call it my favorite aircraft, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. The way they designed this thing without the aid of modern computers to run the sophisticated radar signature simulations that make current gen stealth possible is amazing.

[@fletch3538]

My dog was freaking out on a walk just now as a F-22 and a P-51 flew over us together getting ready for this weeks air show . So loud but sooo cool to see. Poor dog

[@RyanRothermel-ix4bx]

Lucky ducky. I saw the f22 demo team in Oceana on the 22nd and it was so cool. Beautiful plane

[@fletch3538]

Yeah they are flying out of the Los Alamitos base in Orange County CA. Got to watch the thunderbirds do their practice run one year so it’s like my own air show sometimes

[@steventhehistorian]

How did that Merlin engine sound?

[@fletch3538]

@@steventhehistorian the only reason I heard it was it took off first and that was only for a brief moment before the Raptor was drowning it out from the runway. Still a great sound!

[@Wyomingchief]

I remember getting to see an F-117 at Holloman Air Force Base in the early 1990s. My best friend from high school was an aircraft maintainer at that bass, and I and my wife of the time visited him and his family. I got to go on base with him, met the commanding officer of the squadron, he was the F-117 Squadron commander, and he took me out to one of the hangers. I wasn't able to touch the aircraft or get closer than about 5 ft but OMG but that thing was amazing.

[@senoirntraining]

As a military contractor for this bomber I can speak from experience. Ground transport for training missions 4 years. March AFB primarily. 0130 is when I would clear at a remote airfield on a regular basis in the high desert. A G5 in the take-off position where I dropped took the crew to a classified location. Scuttlebut says Test site, Fallon, or China Lake Or both. Transporting KC46 crews was another assignment during its infancy 2014, same drop location. CHP had to give me a courtesy pass on rare occasion when running late. 2010-2014

[@densealloy]

1:08 the biggest secret is that it has a rather large passenger compartment and can dock to commercial airlines in the air. 😊

[@Edge51]

True story I served with Segal and Russel on that mission I was one of two of the only survivors of the plane coming apart. Segal will back me up he will say he was there…😂

[@ianhilliker8149]

​@Edge51 you've been double crossed. Segal is a double agent working for the Russians.

[@Shadowboost]

​@@Edge51 operation detail, can only carry suppressed MP5 because long rifles won't fit up the docking shaft

[@thomashenshallhydraxis]

I was totally there; I was the guy flying and filming the planes docking together. Seagull will totally tell you that I even went into a full dive and saved one of the falling passengers that the bad terrorist threw out the plane; because of a tantrum. Russell and seagull totally gave me a high five 🙌 and we all went to a strip club in Thailand with van dam and we all told great stories of bushit-do feats about our grand masters of super secret craft. It was great technology; the planes we had still aren’t visible to this day.

[@michaelshortland8863]

That is not true, that was a fictional movie not based on fact.

[@johngardner3530]

Had the pleasure of working with the F117 while stationed at Tonopah (90-92). It truly was a special airplane. Would love to see it again.

[@-Mr.ScottDaugherty]

That’s tone-a-paw Alex, phonetically!

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

Like a Brit would say "torn apart", just without the t :)

[@lewiskemp5893]

This plane is too good to retire. They just quit flying it every day

[@jeremyortiz2927]

Excellent choice to break into 2 parts. Great video 👍

[@timrodgers8551]

We had laser designation befor the f117. A system called pave spike was a pod that was installed on f4 phantoms

[@wigon]

Yes that technology dates back to the latter part of the Vietnam War. However, what is unique about the F-117 is that the laser targeting system is not in a pod, but rather built into the body of the aircraft. As such it is able to retain it's stealth characteristics more effectively. This feature is only now available to the latest variants of the F-35. As far as I know, the F-22 does not have this ability, but then again the F-22 is not designed to be a CAS aircraft as it's main role is air superiority. The F-35 however is meant to be a more multi-role platform. Another feature that the Pave Spike did not have was the ability to auto-track a moving target as more modern systems can. The F-117 can do this.

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

@@wigon This. Also there was the F-111 with the Pave Tack which was a retractable pod, but integrated into the airframe as it if was part of it. That whole thing took up the bomb bay, though, so the LGBs had to go on wing pylons instead.

[@hoghogwild]

@@CakePrincessCelestia F-111F.

[@chrivedy]

Alex this is one of my favorites to date and that’s saying a whole lot! So much info packed in here

[@SilverbackBubba]

Dr A Timothy Warnock, my father, researched, published several reports, and did several presentations on the effectiveness of the F-117 and laser guided munitions. He had included a comparative analysis between the tonnage of bombs dropped in WW II and damage assessments vs the tonnage of laser guided bombs dropped in Desert Storm and damage assessments. He worked as Deputy Chief and temporarily as the Chief for the Air Force Historical Research Agency. I’m curious if the report you mentioned had the researchers or author listed? My father passed away July 28, 2024. He was very proud of the work he did for the USAF.

[@Anubis78250]

Retirement doesn't mean what you think it means. It doesn't mean they stop flying. It doesn't mean they immediately cease operation. These have support contracts for operation and maintenance for another decade.

[@GM-fh5jp]

The F-117A Stealth fighter is pretty much loved by everyone. It still looks like an extra from a Star Wars movie, like something you would see in one of the Star Destroyer's hangars. I'd love to see it armed with some AIM 9X heaters on board for some self protection tho :/ Totally badass jet, I'd love one.

[@doubleutubefan5]

this was one of the longest 30 min videos i have ever watched, must be because I listening to every work and/or this video was information packed and was interesting content

[@bushgreen260]

*The still classified Black Manta was the companion aircraft to the F-117.*

[@jamesjross]

that's a bold statement.

[@super8hell]

Pilots had tinfoil hats for helmets.

[@Christian_Johansson]

no

[@Make-Asylums-Great-Again]

@@Christian_Johanssonmaybe

[@grayman556]

My mom let me stay up past my bedtime and eat 12 double stuffed Oreos. I get excited playing with fire 🔥 and staring into the sun☀️ . I’m mama’s special boy.

[@jloiben12]

Ahh yes. The aircraft version of Schrödinger’s Cat. Is it in service or out of service?

[@MuffinManUSN]

(Redacted)

[@Christian_Johansson]

yes

[@davidwilson1273]

Good one!

[@countvonthizzle9623]

Is it in/up your "airspace"? Or is it not?

[@maerten9517]

Alex, as always, awesome explaning and story telling.

[@khyronthethunderhawg6577]

When you go into the mountain, see if Joshua is still in the WOPR. If he is, try and play a game with him.

[@khyronthethunderhawg6577]

@@Future-Preps35 Just a safe game or tic tac toe, # of players - zero

[@briangriffiths114]

Amazing looking piece of kit and hard to believe that it is 40+ years old.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

As strange as it sounds, I wonder what other "obsolete" platforms might still be useful. If I recall correctly from reading Ben Rich's "Skunkworks", the F-102 and F-106 had surprisingly low RCS (especially for the era) and that data was fed into the Have Blue program. Also of note: The F-102 was used in Vietnam for interdiction, because it had an infrared target designator. Not saying the Deuce is still on the loose, but the F-15 upgrade to fly by wire in the new F-15EX makes me wonder if other aircraft could be upgraded in the same manner.

[@michaelputtre7731]

Great video and interesting look at different operational functions of specific aircraft. Looking forward to Part 2. While you are in Colorado, maybe you could look into actual U.S. anti-satellite capacity and planned capability and put it alongside what we know about possible adversarial ASAT capacity.

[@ImpendingJoker]

I was based at Ali Al Salem Air Base during Operation Desert Thunder back in 1998. I was there when a very naughty "vegetable stand" locked up an RAF Tornado that was there as part of Operation Southern Watch. They returned promptly, armed themselves, went back out, and destroyed the offending plant vendor. We had a good laugh at that with the Iraqis said it was a farmers vegetable stand that the RAF destroyed.

[@LFCJOEM91]

Sorry, Confused. Who locked the tornado?

[@ImpendingJoker]

@@LFCJOEM91 It was an Iraqi SAM site that locked them up. The Iraqis later claimed that the RAF destroyed a farmers vegetable stand. Go back and re-read my comment.

[@WoodlandT]

I love these incredible planes so much. They changed the game and will always remain the first of a new era of aviation technology 🖤

[@joevaccaro6655]

I enjoyed listening to the operational history of this jet 👍. The F22 pilots displayed the utmost professionalism 🇺🇸

[@briancrawford69]

We had a couple F117s come to the airport here in Fresno a couple years back to do some type of training with the F18s of the air national guard

[@WasabiSniffer]

the nighthawk is like that 80s action hero, a long-retired special operator living in peace with his family, a helicopter lands in his front yard and a general with the goofiest looking beret walks up to him. "hawk, we need you for one last mission. (your rival), he's back. you're the only one who can."

[@Krhys1]

I heard the reason it's so angular and not smooth like new stealth planes, was that when it was being developed, the computers used to do the 3D modelling didn't have enough computing power to show more surfaces.

[@argonx666]

The F117 is an awesome aircraft. The Darth Vader of Jets. LOL But if i had to choose which jet I'd be willing to lose if things went sideways it would have to be the F117 over the F22, or B2. The F117 tech is already out there from the one getting shot down over Yugoslavia in 1999. It has older tech, still HIGHLY classified tech, but older. Hate to see another F117 destroyed, but that's how it goes sometimes.

[@thebathman0987]

Non related to the (again very well done) video: it''s crazy how I immediately recognised the island around 27:30 as being Farallon de Medinilla off Saipan from playing DCS.

[@Rusty.1776]

I saw one last Thursday over Reno NV.

[@TheMelbournelad]

0:57 ok that’s CRAZY because we are as far away from its first flights now, as it was away from when the SPITFIRE first flights. That’s nuts

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

This clearly is getting those "Steve Morse has been longer in Deep Purple than Ritchie Blackmore has ever been" vibes.

[@TheMelbournelad]

@@CakePrincessCelestia maybe but for me reminded me of the cleopatra term. She is closer to us now, than she was to the pharaohs that built the pyramids

[@HERETIC529]

Get a good picture of the stargate while you’re at Cheyenne mountain.

[@Egilhelmson]

You know that it is actually just a broom closet, with a cool label?

[@gutstompenrocker]

I was driving a remote country road maybe in 80 and seen one of these pull vertical and turn away from me real quick. It was flying maybe 150 feet across the terrain. I had been introduced to combat aircraft since I was a child and had seen SR-71's and even a Valkyrie fly. I knew this was something not on the books yet and we were in for one hell of a ride. My father worked at Lockheed.

[@curtjoyner4493]

Hey Alex, that's Tow-na-pa, Nevada, not tanopa.Not trying to be sarcastic, you're my go to guy for this kind of info.

[@jul1440]

Also, they were only there until '93, after which the entire fleet was transferred to Holoman AFB near White Sands, NM.

[@tomwilson1006]

They’re back at Tonopah now, there’s videos of them on YT from the last few months.

[@jul1440]

@@tomwilson1006 Yeah, they sure as shoot ain't at Holoman anymore.

[@Plaprad]

I too have seen F-117's landing at Ali Al Salem. But, that was over twenty years ago.

[@concord14]

40 years? OMG I am getting old. I remember when it was just a legend.

[@roshanchachane142]

I believe the F-117 has enough space to be upgraded with modern electronics.

[@erod19969]

Awesome footage and pictures of the F-117

[@KPX-nl4nt]

Hey Alex, just a friendly heads up from a retired USAF vet who worked in the flight test world. Tonopah is pronounced “Tone-uh-Pah”, or more commonly “Tona-Paw”.

[@romincurrier4328]

Would love more detail on the continuing escalation in Syria by Russia leading up to the attack on the Conoco refinery in February 2018 and Russia's conduct east of the Euphrates after that.

[@travissheets4071]

I got to see one once at an air show. I’ll never forget it. Surrounded by Air Force security forces

[@DnD_Adventures6966]

Say what you will about my comment....The F-117 never retired. I am no longer obligated to keep certain knowledge secret. I was intel in the military and did work in aerospace. With that being said there are other variants of the aircraft that are kept from the public and there are more "radical" technologies/iterations of this and other craft. The United States is very good at keeping the highest levels of equipment secret and unseen. What civilians know as public knowledge is many levels below what the government has. In this area there are more levels of secrets than non secret. Secrets are intentionally allowed to slip thru the cracks to our adversaries only the throw them off. It makes sense if you know. ;)

[@j.j.7860]

If you’re able to enter BLDG 2, go to the little cafe and order the chili. If you’re there for several days, get the tuna melt. Those are the two best things to eat on Pete (if the cafe is still there, it been many years).

[@8cervezas648]

Class! Excellent content mate.

[@Reepicheep-1]

When PGM changed 'planes per target' to 'targets per plane,' that by itself was a gamechanger. Add low observability, and the tech jump is amazing A $100 mil plane which can take out 2 targets with 2 weapons in a sortie, and come back. Compared to dozens of cheaper planes with hundreds of unguided munitions, and many planes won't return. Stealth is expensive, but I'd argue it's a comprable price to before with far greater efficiency.

[@forestgrant3437]

Great work as usual Alex.

[@LunaryxDiarmait]

Helluva jet, the F-117. Was fun to fly in Ace Combat games.

[@DarkRendition]

****I LOVE YOUR STORIES!!**** Your videos are INCREDIBLE 🎉❤!**** Please light yourself with cooler, more yellow lights. Currently your videos are lit too harshly lit. 😮A more natural color palette would be great. Additionally you should get some sound dampeners to deaden the echo in your audio. Your are on the verge of KZbin Perfection. ❤ Every time you make a drop I love it!!! -Stewart Graham Again, I LOVE your content. Just don’t mention Rapid Dragon unless it’s absolutely necessary 😊.

[@DelfinoGarza77]

I remember reading in popsci in 1990 that the f22 was not supposed to be as stealthy as f117a.

[@blacktemplar5970]

I really enjoy these long videos 👍, what's happened with the content of non Aviation topics?

[@davidtotten3042]

It’s tone-ah-paw. I’ve heard the name butchered before, but you win the prize. Other than that, another great show!

[@robertc.9503]

He butchers it every time, and we correct him every time. Either he doesn't read the comments or he's doing it on purpose for engagement bait

[@robertc.9503]

Sounds like he almost said it right the second time. Maybe he is learning.

[@jeffk412]

If it works, use it.

[@HopSkipRun22]

Detection is the “easy” part . Maintaining the detection or lock is the hard part. Having los is crucial.

[@crystallineentity]

Question for your visit Alex: Ask about the UFOs, sure the Chinese balloon was the "big" story but there was some shadey stuff that went down around the other small hovering objects that they "never recovered"

[@forestmichael3518]

Alex, since you asked, anything on the x plane, or the Starship global uses, would be valuable. Thanks for your Great works.

[@trevynlane8094]

I don't know if I believe it due to metal fatigue and wear and tear on the platforms. The airframes are likely incredibly worn out, and we lack the tooling to make more of them, just as we do with the F-22 or the Iowa class battleships. We can maintain them (barely), but we can't build new ones as the tooling was scrapped.

[@bluemarlin8138]

The tooling was most likely saved. It turns out it was a myth that the F-22 tooling was scrapped. Some was used for the F-35 production line, and the rest was preserved.

[@Shadowboost]

​@@bluemarlin8138 having been in the business, even if they have it all, they probably don't know how to use it. The process engineering paperwork and so on is probably a garbled mess, if not missing

[@twotrackjack2260]

​@@bluemarlin8138This is the first time I've heard that but would not be at all surprised if it's true.

[@FunnyQuailMan]

The tooling was not scrapped. It had been erroneously reported that the tooling was missing from storage sites prior to studies commissioned to determine the efficacy of restarting certain production lines, but upon inspection, all tooling was found to be in the correct storage site, fully accounted for & properly stored.

[@fakecubed]

I hope this story is true simply because I hope it woke up some people at the Pentagon that maintaining the F-117's unique capabilities is essential and it must be preserved in any future air forces of the United States. Maybe it'll just be some drone, maybe another stealth fighter. But it should be something.

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

The F-117, same as the A-10 BTW, is a perfect example for how important it is to have some assets that are made to fulfil a specifc role and do it great. Multi-role is great, but it can't replace the perfect-fit singe-role things that always will be better at what they're designed to do.

[@fakecubed]

@@CakePrincessCelestia The A-10 is shit though. Causes more friendly fire than damage to the enemy.

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

@@fakecubed "It's the man, not the machine."

[@fakecubed]

@@CakePrincessCelestia The design of it is flawed, doesn’t matter who’s flying it.

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

@@fakecubed What about its design makes the pilot do friendly fire?

[@jcdenton6074]

Any aircraft in our inventory could use laser guided bombs. I don't buy it. Especially putting all the emphasis on that alone.

[@Dejavuproned8]

I think we all know someone who "retired" but just keeps on working.... The nighthawk is that someone. Allegedly.

[@tsechejak7598]

Modern systems can easily detect the F-117 unless its been upgraded or always had Klingon full EM spectrum cloaking device. I find it hard to believe the F-117 can evade the S300 system used in the theater in 2017 unless there were other growlers and EC-130s supporting it and even then it might not be very safe from getting engaged

[@ConstContact]

Just yet another awesome ALEX, you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a “Too Be Continued” Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!

[@jongmans38]

It would make more sense to use these aircraft rather than reveling the replacement, which is more advanced.

[@wildgoosechase72]

Gotta hit the airplane museum on Peterson AFB and the wwii aircraft museum when you are in town. Also Dragonman has the largest private collection of military vehicles

[@bertg.6056]

A great report, Alex. Thanks !

[@maerten9517]

I remember as a kid I was an avid Popular Science and Popular Mechanics reader and reading all the articles and seeing all the blurry photos of the F-117 and being so into all the rumors and speculation of what it looked like and what it was capable of. Even as a layman, I always thought retiring it was shortsighted and idiotic.

[@GauntletKI]

6:08 type 1000 flyable storage. Wasn't that what they did with the SR-71. Packed them in that shed like sardines.

[@hoghogwild]

Those were the CIA A-12s, single seater, flown by civilians.

[@davematthews3534]

I read somewhere that due to it's lack of computers, supercruise, lack of more modern things etc that it's still the stealthiest aircraft ever. And it's used to test radar, aircraft detection and new stealth coatings

[@nolean99z]

Still the coolest looking jet. IMO

[@ConstContact]

Just yet another awesome Video ALEX,! you didn’t actually have it pop up on the screen however I used to really dislike when a “Too Be Continued” Would appear on the screen just when I was sitting on the edge of my seat and boom there you go we’ll see you next week but it’s definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much. Awesome work!!

[@acemcplane]

I love the Nighthawk. It’s like using a game genie in DCS. It can even take out battleships without breaking a sweat. You can only really use it in mission planning sadly. I want to fly it.

[@davewebster5120]

This is a most obvious yes, yes and yes! The Nighthawk is the only American airframe, other than the B2, to be stealthed thermally. The F-117 will be flying for a very long time because it just plain works. The F-22 and F-35 can still be downed by IR guided missiles. The F-117 and B2 cannot. That's why new tech has appeared to replace the old tech. My Uncle used to fly F-117's he also flew the A-12. Everything you've heard about piloting the Nighthawk is wrong. My Uncle said, while it was fly-by-wire it flew like a Cadillac. F-117's are much easier to pilot than popular reports would suggest.

[@sortaspicey9278]

Well yeah the only reason it could even fly in the first place is because it was fly by wire. The airframe itself is wildly unstable without constant inputs that humans aren't capable of, hence the fly-by-wire.

[@Shadowboost]

YF-23 was stealthed thermally

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

The thermal stealth thing gets overlooked way too often.

[@hoghogwild]

@@Shadowboost Stealth covers ALL emissions from all portions of the Em spectrum. F-117 also has IR emission improvements.

[@Shadowboost]

@@hoghogwild the YF-23 has literally space shuttle tiles. It is significantly thermally stealthy. In addition to being far stealthier in radar to the F-117

[@nadejdakostin8700]

Thanks Alex!

[@chrispavin1373]

The 3 letter agencies have 4 of these currently in active service. They have been upgraded and altered to keep up with the current 5th gen aircraft.

[@montecorbit8280]

At 6:40 0.0250 square meters.... According to meta AI, that is 250 square centimeters or roughly square inches. This is about the same size as an A3 size piece of paper, The top of a pizza box for a small pizza, or about 40% the size of a standard sheet of notebook paper, or about 40% of the size of a standard US license plate for a car.... Just putting visuals out there for you.

[@SamKalivoda]

Another great video as always Alex. I would love to hear your thoughts on the news from a few weeks ago about Chinese scientists supposedly being able to detect stealth aircraft using starlink satellite signals. Keep up the great work!

[@raymondtuckerjr1886]

I've tuned in to you for a minute now, and you're top level, thanks for your work. I have a question. Is morph technology real?