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An F-35A Lightning II prepares to receive fuel from

Lt. Col. Christine Mau, 33rd Operations Group deputy

A US Air Force (USAF) F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft Pilot sits in the cockpit of his aircraft during a refueling mission flown in support of Operation NORTHERN WATCH

A KC-135 Stratotanker with the 121st Air Refueling

Capt. David Antonio, 77th Fighter Squadron F-16 pilot,

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Miller, F-16 crew

Army One, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, passes behind

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III has equipment

A flight deck crewman stands on the wing of an Air Anti-submarine Squadron 22 (VS-22) S-3B Viking aircraft on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) during Fleet Ex 1-90

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An F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing rolls toward the runway for the flight back home after OPERATION DESERT STORM.

An F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing on its way home after Operation Desert Storm.

A ground crewman communicates with the pilot of an F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing prior to the flight back home after Operation Desert Storm.

A ground crewman communicates with the pilot of an F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing prior to the flight back home after Operation Desert Storm.

MAJ Joe Bowley of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing performs a preflight inspection on his F-117A stealth fighter aircraft in preparation for the flight home after OPERATION DESERT STORM.

A 37th Tactical Fighter Wing F-117 Stealth Fighter Aircraft takes off on a mission during Operation Desert Storm.

An F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing sits on the taxiway while the pilot waits for clearance to takeoff for the flight home after Operation Desert Storm.

A 37th Tactical Fighter Wing F-117 stealth fighter aircraft lands during Operation Desert Storm.

An F-117A aircraft from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (37th TFW) moves in for a midair refueling during Operation Desert Shield

An F-117A stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing takes off for the flight back home after OPERATION DESERT STORM.

description

Summary

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM

Country: Saudi Arabia(SAU)

Scene Camera Operator: SGT Kimberly Yearean

Release Status: Released to Public

Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files

In 1964, Pyotr Ufimtsev, Russian mathematician, pioneered the idea that the level of the radar return from an airplane is related to its edge configuration, not its size. Basing on work by the German physicist Arnold Sommerfeld, Ufimtsev demonstrated that an aircraft radar signature can be reduced. By the 1970s, Lockheed analyst Denys Overholser found Ufimtsev's paper and F-117 Nighthawk was born as a black project, an ultra-secret Pentagon program. The F-117 has a radar cross-section of about 0.001 m2 (0.0108 sq ft). The F-117A carries no radar and whether it carries any radar detection equipment is classified. The F-117 also reduces infrared signature, lacks afterburners, and limited to subsonic speeds. However, the resulting design makes the aircraft aerodynamically unstable and requires constant flight corrections from a fly-by-wire flight system to maintain controlled flight. A pilot, who flew it while it was still a secret project, stated that when he first saw a photograph of the F-117, he "promptly giggled and thought to this clearly can't fly'". It has low engine thrust due to losses in the inlet and outlet, a low wing aspect ratio, and 50° wing sweep angle to deflect radar waves to the sides. Supercomputers made it possible for subsequent aircraft like the B-2 to use curved surfaces while maintaining stealth. The 558 Nighthawk's pilots called themselves "Bandits", such as "Bandit 17", that where 17 is a sequential order of their first flight in the F-117. The aircraft was in use during Panama invasion, the Gulf War in 1991 and was first shot down in Serbia during on 27 March 1999 by an antiquate Soviet-made SA-3s (S-125 "Neva" ) anti-aircraft missile. The pilot was recovered by a United States Air Force Pararescue team. According to Serbian anti-aircraft unit commander, they spotted the aircraft on the radar when its bomb-bay doors opened, raising its radar signature. The Serbs invited Russians to inspect the aircraft's remains, compromising the stealth technology. Although officially retired, the F-117 fleet remains intact and some of the aircraft are flown periodically as of 2019.

label_outline

Tags

stealth fighter aircraft stealth fighter aircraft tactical flight home operation desert storm f 117 a stealth fighter f 117 f 117 nighthawk tactical fighter wing high resolution f 117 a stealth fighter aircraft desert storm tactical fighter saudi arabia military aircraft fighter jet aircraft us national archives
date_range

Date

30/03/1991
collections

in collections

F-117

F-117 Nighthawk stealth bomber aircraft
create

Source

The U.S. National Archives
link

Link

https://catalog.archives.gov/
copyright

Copyright info

No known copyright restrictions

label_outline Explore F 117 A Stealth Fighter Aircraft, Stealth Fighter Aircraft, F 117 A

A close-up of the exterior of the cockpit area of a B-2 Spirit, stealth bomber, from the 509th Bomb Wing, inside the hangar. Inside the cockpit pilots can be seen climbing into their seats prior to engine start. Global Guardian is designed to exercise the ability of USSTRATCOM and its component forces to effectively deter a military attack against the United States and employ forces as directed by the National Command Authority

F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter attack aircraft, on static display in support of the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT) Seminar held at Langley AFB, Virginia. The SACLANT Seminar was attended by 100 delegates from 18 countries, the purpose was to bring NATO leaders together to discuss issues from a Maritime and North American perspective and give leaders a hands on opportunity

Col. Jeffrey T. Schreiner, the incoming 509th Bomb

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead delivers remarks during the rollout ceremony for the F-35C Lightning II, the Navy's first-ever stealth fighter.

F-22 Demo Team pilot, Major "Loco" Lopez performs during

A US Air Force (USAF) B-2 Spirit stealth bomber taxis onto the flightline at Anderson Air Force Base (AFB), Guam (GU), in support of exercise Coronet Bugle 49. The B-2 is deployed to Anderson from Whiteman AFB, Missouri (MO)

An F-4D Phantom II aircraft takes off, ending its assignment with the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. The aircraft will be reassigned to a stateside Air National Guard unit

Lt. Col. Christine Mau, 33rd Operations Group deputy

A B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, assigned to the 509th

F-117 stealth fighter aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing stand on the flight line with canopies raised following their return from Saudi Arabia where they took part in Operation Desert Storm.

An air-to-air view of a U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom, assigned to the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida as it climbs vertical while participating in REFORGER '82. Exact Date Shot Unknown

A U.S. Air Force F-111 aircraft of the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing is exhibited in front of the naval air station's operations building during an air show

Topics

stealth fighter aircraft stealth fighter aircraft tactical flight home operation desert storm f 117 a stealth fighter f 117 f 117 nighthawk tactical fighter wing high resolution f 117 a stealth fighter aircraft desert storm tactical fighter saudi arabia military aircraft fighter jet aircraft us national archives