F-117 Stealth Fighter Retired

[Kor37 9]

F-117 Stealth Fighter Retired

Posted Mar 12th 2008 1:15PM by Tim Stevens

Filed under: Computers

 

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched...3/f-117-425.jpg

 

 

Back in the late '80s and early '90s, the F-117 Stealth Fighter was a global symbol of U.S. airborne supremacy. We had a jet that was so advanced, it was virtually immune from being shot down. However, the unending march of technological progress is a real drag, and now those cool -ooking angular jets are being retired, tossed aside like so many of last year's hottest graphics cards.

 

The F-117 actually entered service in 1983, but it wasn't made public for another five years. Soon after, it played an important role in the first Gulf War, where pilots raved about being able to fly right into the sweeps of enemy radar without being detected. However, everything the F-117 can do, the military's new F-22 Raptor can do better, including carrying more weapons and flying faster. Perhaps most importantly, the new Raptor will be cheaper to operate in the long run.

 

Of the 59 F-117 Nighthawks that were produced, all are now out of commission, seven having crashed and the remainder mothballed at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio. They will be kept operationally ready so that they could be brought out of retirement if needed.

 

So, R.I.P., Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. We look forward to seeing you up close and personal at the museum.

 

 

Wow...I never thought that the stealth fighter would become obsolete quite this fast!...

Edited March 13, 2008 by Kor37

[VaBeachGuy 12]

F-117 Stealth Fighter Retired

Posted Mar 12th 2008 1:15PM by Tim Stevens

Filed under: Computers

 

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched...3/f-117-425.jpg

 

 

Back in the late '80s and early '90s, the F-117 Stealth Fighter was a global symbol of U.S. airborne supremacy. We had a jet that was so advanced, it was virtually immune from being shot down. However, the unending march of technological progress is a real drag, and now those cool -ooking angular jets are being retired, tossed aside like so many of last year's hottest graphics cards.

 

The F-117 actually entered service in 1983, but it wasn't made public for another five years. Soon after, it played an important role in the first Gulf War, where pilots raved about being able to fly right into the sweeps of enemy radar without being detected. However, everything the F-117 can do, the military's new F-22 Raptor can do better, including carrying more weapons and flying faster. Perhaps most importantly, the new Raptor will be cheaper to operate in the long run.

 

Of the 59 F-117 Nighthawks that were produced, all are now out of commission, seven having crashed and the remainder mothballed at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio. They will be kept operationally ready so that they could be brought out of retirement if needed.

 

So, R.I.P., Nighthawk Stealth Fighter. We look forward to seeing you up close and personal at the museum.

 

 

Wow...I never thought that the stealth fighter would become obsolete quite this fast!...

 

Well, it is 25 years old. Not "Old" by any means (especially if you look at the B-52) but the technology has advanced so much that they can do so much more now that it's probably time to retire them.