F-117 Nighthawk UP CLOSE at Sentry Savannah 2022

The FIRST UP-CLOSE LOOK at a present-day operational F-117 Nighthawk, back in action after being retired from service (officially) back in 2008. The stealth jet here was participating in exercise Sentry Savannah at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia May 1-6, along with other active duty & Air National Guard units from around the country. It's assumed to be based out of the Tonopah Test Range, and its tail had a 40th anniversary tribute insignia. The pilot wore a Dark Knights squadron patch.
A couple of the stealth jets have been spotted flying around Death Valley & the Nevada Test & Training Range the last couple years, as well as a very visible visit to the California Air National Guard to support a training exercise with the 144th Fighter Wing last year (2021). USAF has been very tight-lipped about what the jets are doing or why they were even put back in service to begin with.
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[@kinch613]

As a former F-117 maintainer from TTR Im SO HAPPY to see these not just flying, but actively training new systems. And even more happy to see the old TR tailcode. Brings back some of the best days of my youth. Thank you to everyone of our Bandits past, present and future and all maintainers past, present and future!

[@PpAirO5]

But wasn't they retired ?

[@kinch613]

@@PpAirO5 they were taken to Holloman AFB after TTR, then retired. But are once again flying as test aircraft for new systems. Not sure how many but I assume there are a few. Many ended up on static displays and in museums.

[@PpAirO5]

@@kinch613 .. Okay, thanks. Beautiful and something "alien" about this aircraft. Lucky you, for having worked on it 😊

[@kinch613]

@@PpAirO5 it was an honor and thanks. Definitely some great folks in this program through the years

[@azimutazimut3165]

Hey!... I am curious about something.. how many times are those drag chutes used before deemed unsuitable for use on the F-117?... those F-117 are crazy looking!

[@IMTHEBIGGESTCUNT]

30 years on and the Original Stealth Fighter still looks the beast! 😉

[@breakthechains8362]

They already had the basic concepts in the early 70s, I think this thing was already secretly flying and bombing shit by 1984.

[@DOGMA1138]

Have Blue flew in the late 70's the F-117 had it's maiden flight in 1981, the design and tech is nearly 50 years old today.

[@aa11ff]

@@breakthechains8362 what bombing irak hahah in serbia we same this junk hahahha

[@Military872]

@@aa11ff YOU TALK SHIT

[@fight2flyphoto]

They need to have a Stealth heritage flight program for airshows next year.

[@MikeKillian]

The stuff avgeek wet dreams are made of

[@blairthandi7058]

They really need to get Knighthawks back on the airshow circuits to preserve its history so today's generation can see it.

[@AvengerII]

They have at least twelve F-117s on static display in American museums already! If watching them on KZbin isn't enough for you -- they've been spotted regularly for the last 14 years since "retirement" -- you can find the closest museum to you that has an F-117 on display.

[@eaea1529]

the previous generation didn't see it either

[@cbowers318]

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to maintain these planes just for an airshow?

[@tumsfestival8027]

It looks like they have been put back into operation and are being used to test new tech

[@SteveR-ym3yc]

We need a F117 demo team!

[@22airjordan1]

As a very little kid in the early 90s I used to plane watch at Langley Air Force base and I knew every military airplane there was by heart. One day I looked at something in the sky like the when the first South Americans saw Spanish Ships. Being so little I had absolutely NO mental concept of what shape I was looking at. I screamed in terror for my Dad and said "WHAT IS THAT!!" I remember his voice like it was yesterday say... "Son....I...don't...know...."

[@briansmith6535]

I grew up in newport news and my mom lived on base! Px! Lol we jse to drive by the hamgers with the doors open with these.chilling in there. The crazy one was the b2 flying over at tree top level!

[@jumpingeagles1]

anyone else notice the guys holding the wings and working on the plane have skunk works t shirts on.. amazing

[@bennyfactor]

There are certainly more modern and more powerful LO platforms out there today, but none will ever have the mystique of the Nighthawk!

[@xfilesxfilesxfiles]

checkout the guy who saw a ufo in a jungle as soldier and they were trafficking stuff

[@mishu002]

No more problems in the air.

[@jasonbose3507]

THE NIGHTHAWKS ARE LEGENDARY AND NEED TO BE HONORED AND PRESERVED!!!

[@limvo1260]

Still look pretty darn good. It's amazing what the engineers can come up with using crude tools to design this beast! An engineering marvel!

[@user-eh5fc8gd4q]

GOOD TO SEE FLYING AGAIN.

[@SsgtHolland]

Great shots, Mike!

[@kennethlane3896]

Great videos. Thank you.

[@edutaimentcartoys]

amazing aircraft spotting and the engine sound is really cool

[@jumpingjeffflash9946]

They had some of these come to Korea when i was stationed there in 1992/93, I worked w/a guy that came from them when they were black projects at TTR and he knew some guys that came over w/them so he arranged us crew chiefs a sneak peek (this would be in the "tree" area at Kunsan) Anyway, my memory is faded but I do remember going up the ladder and seeing a very old analog cockpit that wasn't unlike the Block 15 A/B model F-16's I started on. Cool aircraft however and I'm so glad I was in the USAF, our technology is incredible and fearsome for the people on the receiving end of it.

[@mikefm4]

Ever since I was a kid and the world first saw the 117 in dessert storm I was obsessed. To this day it’s my favorite aircraft. It kicked open the door on an entirely new generation of jets

[@alexaltamura1724]

The Return of F-117

[@vasilije94]

Loved the look of the F117 ever since I saw it in the museum in Belgrade. I know its not really that great for today's standards, but it always looked like the coolest stealth jet.

[@Epicaviation47]

Epic video broo

[@joevicmeneses8918]

The Grandad of stealth is back !!

[@stardude2006]

VERY COOL !! I love the Nighthawk 😎💜💜

[@sagaindustry6342]

I really love F-117 ❤💙🤍 THX USAF

[@TheArea51Rider]

Note the tail number "828" on the bomb bay door at 4:12

[@rdmgwinn]

No "tail" number? Not advertising how many are in service??

[@SteveR-ym3yc]

The Wobblin Goblin! Love it!

[@AB-su2de]

I love this jet...f117 glad to see it flying again, although as a training one but still...great news.

[@MikeHuffman410]

Bunch of oldtimers watching this getting all excited! lol. I gotta say wathching the flight controls go through the start up routine got me a little... Miss that jet.

[@Fran_SG]

Very cool. I love F117!!!

[@RAMBLE_ON]

Great video.

[@GladBeastBoy]

117 and 22 are just so beautiful and alienlike

[@davehodges6258]

Outstanding jet" and well ahead of its time, 💯👌

[@leeofallon9258]

Interesting tail assembly ... for different assignments!

[@basedaf5580]

Wow that is incredible. they are so much smaller than i thought.

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

still looks sleek and agressive.thank you to all of our military personel who stand in the defence of our great country.

[@alfredozertuche784]

Just something about that paint being black like the SR-71 makes it mesmerizing. Top Aircraft in my books is: 1)SR-71 2)F-22 3)F-16 4)F-35 5)F-117 only cause it looks cool😂😂 I was did depot level service/overhaul on rotary wing. HH-60Pavehawk,UH-60 blackhawk, AH-64 Apache, OH-58 Kiowa, UH-1N Huey. Learned alot and thank you to those that showed me the ropes. Learned the pavehawk from Top to bottom FWD & AFT. Seen some crazy things on those aircraft. Thank you to all the Men/Women past, present and future for your service.

[@darklordchris]

This was a great video, I like how it ends with the Ch-47 prop wash on the stealth planes lol (I know it was far away and was no danger)

[@ajtikalsky9704]

Prop wash ?

[@stevecurd3944]

fanatstic i first saw one fly & in the static park at Raf Mildehall Airfete in 1992 mazing piece of engineering & design

[@Newclip1]

The design is something like sonic the hedgehog would fly

[@chrysopylaedesign]

35 yrs later & the F-117 still looks like a lethal alien death machine.

[@JIMJAMSC]

Heck bring the F-117s out of storage... While they are at it, bring out the SR-71. F-4s, F-104s, the F-14.... Just charge it on our four trillion dollar + bar tab hahaha....

[@prestonmartin6135]

Talk about a Lockheed bird farm!

[@rickmaldoo4205]

Project Have Blue

[@tiigalilly5320]

Man just beautiful😎

[@utley]

that is a LOOOOT of money sitting on that tarmac..also hard to believe that the newest F-22A is over 10 years old now.

[@paulblack5883]

They using them for aggressors in Red Flags? I've heard that was the case.

[@freema22]

I want the black Nighthawk t-shirt!

[@saintuk70]

Got to still love the F22

[@porscheguy09]

Can you imagine what it was like for the first pilots who were chosen to fly the F-117 when they saw it in person for their first time? They weren’t told what they would be flying. Just offered a new posting and very few details.

[@kiwidiesel]

and then imagine being told it is inherently unstable on all axis of flight and requires 100% computer augmentation to control🤣 might as well be in a helicopter.

[@f3xpmartian]

Ah, brings back memories from TTR. Surprised to see the RAM coating is still maintained. F-117's on display have it removed. Also the reflector is gone from the side.

[@lear31awalker48]

O i love flying into SAV . Side note if you look at SAV on google earth runway 10/28 about mid field. You can see the grave markers head stones for the graves they were not allowed to move when the airport was built.

[@awomk]

Did he say 48 flyable?? That's interesting

[@jamesw71]

they have to reattach the wings first, the rest are on poles at museums, couple were cut up

[@Brooklyza]

Seeing an F-117 in person doing a pattern or just landing is something else, forget F-22 35 whatever those are cool too and powerful but 117 stands out!

[@ReneGarS]

The S200 watching the F117: 😚

[@awriter1950]

F22 always steals the show

[@c431inf]

Thanks for sharing video 🇺🇲 , fuckin things are so badass looking

[@Lil_Thick]

F-117's stealth is still so good, it even hides the landing of the F-22 lol

[@rededwards3479]

I still think that is the most beautiful plane ever made! I want one!

[@rededwards3479]

@@magnatarbeing8749 Actually YES! I would build a museum and sell TICKETS for $10. I Guess on getting 300 visitors aday on average(School visits, Military holidays, walkins, etc). that's $3000.00 times 365 days equaling $1,093,000.00....Plus I would create some SIMULATED 3D animations of the FIGHTER in Flight and in Battle complete with Explosions and HOW I FLEW over BAGHDAD ....you know ..just to get the VISITOR entertained! hahahahahaha .Not bad!..here are some of my 3D animations...kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKvEppejisZ_mtk

[@carlbivens9028]

The "Wobblin' Goblin"

[@mgmg-sb7ze]

US will achieve victory upon all challenges by using this Air Power ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@donaldjohnson394]

I'm 48, hard to believe this thing first flew on June 18th, 1981, summer break before going into the 1st grade.

[@incredifall]

Looks Sci Fi! Next we might see one boosting into space.

[@P-J-W-777]

The F-117 is an absolutely beautiful aircraft. Unique and pushed the limits of airframe design. As a teen loved that airplane so much when it came out because to me no one really pushed the limits with the design. Every other fighter jet shares common design characteristics however the F-117 doesn’t. It’s like the Skunkworks threw the design manual out the door and said we’re gonna show you something new. Unfortunately they should have made it a tad bigger for bigger internal weapons bay, made it able to carry air to air weapons and thrown bigger engines in it giving it the ability to fly a bit faster and carry a bigger payload.

[@StrikeNoir105E]

The thing about the Nighthawk is that it was a product of an era where stealth technology was in its infancy, and trying to make a stealthy platform with aerodynamics that can actually fly was a massive technical hurdle. Modern stealth aircraft like the F-35 are able to use more "conventional" aerodynamics while still retaining stealth characteristics due to the lessons learned from the F-117. Hell, the F-35 already has the qualities you want, having a larger weapons bay able to carry more weapons, can carry air-to-air weapons, and is capable of supersonic flight.

[@P-J-W-777]

@@StrikeNoir105E yep exactly! The only problem with the F-35 is it follows the same practical design standard. It’s claimed the by some the RCS on the F-117 is still smaller because the airframe itself was designed to be stealthy. Whether it is or isn’t no-one really knows because that kind of data is obviously very classified. The only other modern or shallow we say semi modern airframe that was actually built that tired to push the limits of airframe design to its limits for a fighter was the YF-23. In all honesty if it went into production today the YF-23 airframe would be a very advanced airframe when compared to 99% of the fighters in the world today. Of course with modern computers/avionics. I just like it when I see the manufacturers push the limits of design and not follow the same old standard design profile. The SR-71 was an amazing technological achievement and absolutely beautiful especially seeing it was initially designed in the late 50’s with nothing more than a slide ruler. They pushed the limits! Nothing else like it existed! All these other countries are building their new fighters and they all have one thing in common. They all either look similar to the F-22 or a combination of the F-22 and F-23. I want to see the U.S. come out with something that bring that wow and shock factor the same way the F-22 and especially the YF-23 did when foreign nations saw them for the first time. It really surprised me how many countries tried obtaining the rights to build the YF-23.

[@aerospacematt9147]

They’re not even pretending anymore. “Retired” I don’t think so. It’s awesome that they’re still flying.

[@jerrywatt6813]

Ya never see close up shots of the trailing edge of the wing root even at air shows when it's on display not that I've seen ' wonder why ?

[@hanovergreen4091]

DSLR? Every time your shutter activates it jiggles the camera at the beginning as the 117 taxied in. Did your shots come out alright? Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@fireoil]

Younger i though it was a brand new plane, only saw it like 20 years ago on tv

[@loganj.2329]

They should have never stopped using these. Such an amazing plane.

[@benjaminperez7328]

Who says they stopped? 😉

[@pointnozzleaway]

Awesome. I heard the F-22 Canopy alone cost like 6 million ?

[@kevspss]

If you look really close you can see the shock diamonds on the F-16’s.

[@mishu002]

Diamonds? Where?

[@thelazy0ne]

Still the most beautiful looking her ever made. 🥰👍

[@paulchilds9128]

Maybe it's just me, but I like the engine sound of the 117 better than the 22. I think it has a higher pitch zingy sound.

[@reineriogarcia7614]

God bless usa , and all of you

[@Bevrinton]

I love America because they have always had all the best cool military hardware and this plane being one example

[@mikes7446]

Lovely chemicals in that sky

[@REktSigMa]

F-22 Rapture is by far the most advanced fighter jet ever known. No doubt. I play the flight simulator in DCS. Like it seams so, so real I would assume if this is really what it is like flying without flying if that makes sense. If you guys never tried this Combat Simulator I implore you to go try DCS on pc.

[@ioanbota9397]

I like this powerful fastest planes

[@sly2392]

i just had to make another comment. there is a lot of airpower at this one airport.

[@rubenlopez3364]

With our military shifting away from Counter Terrorism combat, the relevance of these fighters has come back, they still are good at being Stealth and can strike targets planes like the F-15 can't and it won't cost as much as sending the F-35, these were Retired because we had no use for a Stealth Fighter Bomber in the skies of Iraq or Afghanistan but now the Russian threat is back and they have advanced radars that call for all the Stealth craft we can get our hands on.

[@mikes7446]

Look like Lamborghini with wings

[@spuds416]

In my 20 years in the USAF as a Weapons loader the F117 was my second favorite (and easiest) Aircraft to work favorite...F4E.

[@nathanz7205]

the fact you got to work on a F4E makes me jealous let alone load weapons for the 117, both are such awesome aircrafts. Thank you for your service keeping these birds in the air during the time you did, its much appreciated by people like me.

[@Marie579]

I don’t know the location of this airbase but it’s definitely not former RAF Coltishall. Jeez there’s a lot of aircraft there!

[@TEACHERLEE163]

watching

[@ltv..123]

…for those of us that worked in aerospace I salute you. Few people know how much effort went into every stinking part of those planes…….and I’m proud of it…..

[@SPBurt1]

Love them all but for me the Viper ( I actually prefer Falcon ) is King and she's still going.

[@fangospucklovesveena464]

I wish my ride wuz That...Jazzy !

[@RobertPRobinsonJr]

If the f-117 was a combat soldier on the ground it would be a sniper a really good one too. It has two rounds laser-guided I wouldn't say bombs more like a rocket it sneaks in it sets up one or two rounds hits its Target and gets the f*** out of there before anyone knows what happened we have the raptor and all that but honestly I liked the roll these planes played in Baghdad in the early nineties they did really good and we never replaced them

[@zelkuta]

Anybody have any information on if these aircraft have ever been flown around the Raleigh, NC area? I think it was....2019? 2020? In maybe april? Mayish? We had for several consecutive days of military jets flying low and fast over our house, usually in the mid to late morning. I was never able to get a look at them except for one time, I briefly saw two jets from side on, they looked black with twin tails. For a lot of reasons I may have perceived the color being darker than it was. But for the briefest moment I saw those jets, they did resemble a f117. My buddy told me that is prolly f-15's or maybe even f22's and I agree, that is more likely, but I still can't fully shake what I saw. In all likelihood I didn't see an f117 but it doesn't hurt to ask. Does anyone have any more information about the aircraft and what exercise they were participating in doing if any?

[@MilanGrujicic-fk5ls]

Sorry, we didn't know it was invisible 😂 Serbian PVO got u HAHAHAHAHAHA

[@crazyhorse18]

Top👍👍

[@xekoan507]

If only it had bigger engines !!! Speed if life !

[@blackbrd99]

Nothing to see here… “they’re just training” lol stay tuned. Gonna get real juicy.

[@piranhabadass1]

Even though retired... The US still uses this plane for training.

[@steelerpat33]

What a beautiful bird.

[@intrepid_wandering]

Maybe it's just perspective, but buddy in the black shirt at 5:22 came extremely close to getting 3000 psi of aluminum to the spine.

[@sumanmoktan1694]

O my god night hawk jets has been retired from the military base...now it is a ghost jet

[@ellisd3165]

It only carried 2 bombs but youd never see it coming

[@willthacker5182]

Does anyone know why they chose to give it the F fighter designation? Its obviously more bomber/recon than fighter.

[@22airjordan1]

Yes everything about the F-117 is about deception. F is obviously deceptive. 117 is deceptive as is it not a century series fighter. It is really a light attack airplane or light bomber. It is a surprisingly BIG airplane. Longer than an F-15. Also they recruited only the best fighter pilots in the 80s to first fly the NightHawk. And the best fighter pilots only want the F designation lol

[@dougross8043]

Kill AWACS aircraft

[@stevennagley3407]

If you do some searching on the web it does talk to why there are a few documentaries that explain why mainly for secrecy

[@fernandooliveira995]

Algo que estremece

[@erikvanname]

Landed KSAV rwy 19 while these boys were taxiing. Nothing in the NOTAMs about Sentry Savannah. Kept the controllers busy!

[@DOGMA1138]

When you so far a head of the game that you need to use a nearly 50 year old design to simulate the emerging stealth capabilities of your "near peers".

[@theplug_games]

I rememeber when I paid 30$ on MSFS for this plane!! Best Purchase of my life lol... Work of Art but kind of slow if you ask me..

[@BatonOps]

Civilian maintenance on the 117

[@rubenlopez3364]

They are probably retired flight crews that worked on them in the 2000s

[@Vekurus]

@@rubenlopez3364 Agreed. Also possible they are employees directly from Lockheed.