Americans will be removed from service stealth fighter F-117

U.S. Air Force decommissioned inconspicuous fighter-bomber F-117 after 27 years of their operation, reports the Jerusalem Post. The first informal ceremony on this occasion on 11 March at the U.S. Air Force Wright-Patterson.
Entire existing fleet of stealth F-117 will be put on deposit until the end of April 2008 year. The last fighter on April 21-22, will make a scheduled flight from Holloman Air Base on the test airfield in the Tonopah, Nevada, where it will be put into storage.
Fighter-bomber F-117 is designed for precision attack of critical targets in the autonomous individual missions, as well as the tactical electronic reconnaissance of areas covered with enemy air defenses. The fighter is radically different from other combat aircraft, primarily through the use of special malootrazhayuschey form. Unique characteristics of the aircraft stealth allow him to fly at low altitudes to increase the precision bombing.
The first large-scale operations using the F-117 deployed during the Gulf War. In 1999, the stealth aircraft were widely used during the operation against Yugoslavia. March 27, 1999 F-117 fighter, who was considered invincible, was shot down by Serbian air defenses.

Vladimir Ilyin EV / Moscow, Andrew Yu Sovenko

"Nighthawk" is almost invisible.

Article from magazine "Aviation and Time" № January 2002.

In the early 1980's. Aviation magazines of the world blossomed reports conducted in the United States worked on a plane invisible to radar - the silent ghost "that can penetrate undetected into the most protected corners of the airspace of the enemy and cause sudden, and therefore unavoidable impacts on the most important objects. Cited figures very exotic "mantoobraznyh" aircraft, made from the words of random witnesses and "experts", allegedly involved in the mysterious top-secret programs. As firms-developers most often mentioned Lockheed (modern name - "Lockheed Martin"
however, in the period in the company was simply called "Lockheed. and we'll stick with it), and Northrop, cited distinguish their products (F-19, F-25 and others) and even reported on catastrophes "invisible." A famous Italian model aircraft company "Italeri" in late 1986 issued a "whale" fighter-bomber F-19A, developed under the program "Aurora". Pentagon officials denied such reports, and even partially confirmed them, repeatedly stating that the extensive work in the field is invisible to radar aircraft are maintained, although it is premature to comment on them for reasons of secrecy. However, many experts, including and in the Soviet Union, very skeptical of the possibility of "stealth aircraft", believing reports of it "duck", designed to send the developers of military equipment a potential enemy in the wrong direction. Therefore, the demonstration in 1988, U.S. Department of Defense of the "official" images of the bomber Northrop 'B-2 and tactical fighter Lockheed »F-117, designed for stealth» (stealth - stealth), a bombshell. It became clear that Americans not only have experienced "stealth", but have already run one of them - F-117A in series production. The Soviet Union had at that time anything like this ...
 

On the way to "stealth"

Since the Second World War, the primary means of detecting aircraft was radar, so far unparalleled in range and all-weather use. Almost simultaneously with the first radar station there and the means electronic countermeasures (ECM), which create obstacles to their work. During the same period are the first attempts to reduce its own radar visibility of military equipment. So, in 1944 the Germans began to cover the snorkel (equipment for diesel engines work under water) and its submarine periscopes radio absorbing materials (PRM). According to some reports, in Germany in 1945 created one of the first aircraft, which
assumed to apply PRM - jet fighter "Horten" No.IX (Gotha »Go.229). On serial samples of the "flying wing" was planned to use plywood paneling impregnated with a special adhesive composition containing charcoal and sawdust. In an emergency defense program of Nazi Germany was included production of 20 such machines, but only a prototype of a disaster and the collapse of the Third Reich was interrupted this work.
In the early postwar years, aviation has evolved at a rapid pace so that the radar technology could not keep up with them, and the task of reducing the radar-for-metnosti aircraft was not so urgent. However, some work in this direction is still conducted. Thus, when designing high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft Lockheed »U-2, its outstanding American aircraft maker" Kelly "Johnson (Clarencel« Kelly »Jonson) sought to minimize the size of the machine, making it less visible to enemy radar. In the Soviet Union conducted research on the reduction of RL-visibility through the use of special radar absorbing structures and materials. In particular, the bureau Myasischev considered ways to reduce the effective surface scattering (RCS) of the strategic bomber ZM.
By the end of 1950. with the advent of American and Soviet anti-aircraft missiles, equipped with powerful radars and high-altitude missiles, the question of reducing the radar visibility of aircraft has regained relevance. After all, the primary means of avoiding detection radars of the enemy, then considered a treatment for small and extremely small height, and this led to excessive fuel consumption, crew fatigue and reduce the combat capabilities as a whole. This explains the key idea of ​​the impact of low visibility aircraft: he must carry out a flight over the territory, protected by air defenses, the middle and high altitude. With this improved knowledge of the crew on the tactical situation, facilitates the search for ground targets at long range and provides a steep trajectory of the falling bombs, which increases the accuracy of the bombing and the increasing penetration of ammunition. The possibility of flying at medium altitude increases and the efficiency of laser illumination target their own managed funds lesions (with bombing from low altitudes rapid angular movement of aircraft on the objective, and its shading the terrain difficult to make laser illumination).
The first major attempt to reduce the ESR program was high-altitude supersonic reconnaissance Lockheed »SR-71, developed under the direction of the same Johnson. The layout of the aircraft was determined mainly aerodynamic requirements, but its characteristics (shape of the cross section of the fuselage and engine nacelles, and their smooth interface with the wing, a small deviation into the fins) and contributed to a decrease in the EPR machine. The firm has also developed a radar absorbing shipovidnuyu internal construction with a plastic honeycomb and applied it to the side fade, socks wing and elevon the original version of this aircraft, designated A-12. On the basis of the latter and was created by SR-71 first flew on December 22, 1964 It has radar absorbing material is retained in the construction of socks and wing elevons. SR-71 covered with a special paint with high teploizluchatelnoy ability that lowers the temperature of skin at cruise altitude flight. Made on a ferrite-based, it reduces visibility, and radar-plane due to more uniform reflection of electromagnetic waves. EPR aircraft A-12 and SR-71 was significantly lower than that of the U-2, and later developed UAVs D-21 (started with the SR-71 bomber and B-52) had even less visibility. Later versions of the U-2 (U-2R and TR-1) is also covered with ferrite paint.
SR-71 and U-2 is usually referred to as the first generation of stealth aircraft, is considered to be representative of the second F-117A. Its creation was preceded by lengthy research and development (R & D), which were conducted in the U.S. since 1965, impetus for them was the appearance in the Soviet Union S-75 and C-125, demonstrated in Vietnam and the Middle East, an unexpectedly high efficiency. Hopes of Americans on board the means were not justified REP - SAM rapidly improved and, in addition, the containers with the equipment "ate" part of the combat load of aircraft. In 1972-73. in the United States experienced made mostly of plastic, four-piston civil aircraft "Eagle", built by "Windecker, and its further development - experienced YE-5A, which had shielded from fiberglass and
internal construction, which have been applied PRM. The tests were successful, and in 1973 the U.S. Air Force jointly with the Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) began a secret project in-depth research to create unobtrusive jet fighter aircraft. Leading aviation concerns was sent to a special assignment, which responded by Boeing, Grumman »,« LTV »,« McDonnell Douglas and Northrop.
Among the firms receiving the task Lockheed was not hit, because in the previous 10 years, fighters are not doing. But it is still submitted to the DARPA your speculative proposal, which, along with the project company "Northrop" in November 1975 was selected for further 
work on the aircraft XST (experimental Stealth Technology - an experimental technique of low visibility). All further work on the "stealth" in the firm Lockheed assigned to the Office for Advanced Engineering, located in Palmdale, ea. California and semi-officially called "Skunk Works". It was there previously were created by SR-71 and U-2.
Terms of reference on aircraft XST makes strict demands, above all, to the value of its EPR. The analysis showed that using only RPM and some "stealth" design elements do not succeed, requires innovative solutions. The real way out is in wide use malootrazhayuschih forms. If you have previously defined contour of the airplane, basically, aerodynamics, but now she had to retreat to the sidelines while the leading position in the development of the airframe configuration should give a reduction of its reflectivity. By the time the most powerful reflector of electromagnetic energy were already known. This so-called
specular (shiny) points, reflecting the energy exactly in the direction where the wave came, the contact surfaces, acting as corner reflectors, as well as the sharp edges of the aircraft lifting surfaces. Thus, malootrazhayuschaya airframe configuration should differ integrated layout with the minimum number of edges and the absence of protrusions. For this we ensure a smooth pair of wing and fuselage, within which to place engines and target loads, delete the vertical flat surface, or to minimize their size (this is the strongest side reflectors, because the exposure plane by ground radar, as a rule, under the canopy of an angle ), and the keels, if they are stored, deviate from the vertical to prevent direct irradiation of the radar compressors engines by
use of curved air intake duct, etc.
Generally speaking, the greatest degree these requirements are satisfied the scheme "flying wing" with the traditionally smooth contours, which, among malootrazhayuschey configuration differs large internal volume to accommodate the motor and load. In the U.S., evidence of such a low ESR
layout first got back in the late 1940's. when irradiated bomber Northrop »YB-49 onshore radar defense system, located south of San Francisco. Later, during NATO maneuvers, Americans celebrated the complexity of the radar tracks of the other "flying wing" - British bombers "Volcano", which in size was not inferior to the B-47, but had several times less powerful echo pulse.
One could assume that the scheme is close "Vulcan," and choose the developers aircraft XST, the more that the traditional disadvantage of this arrangement, the lack of longitudinal stability - it removes appeared at that time wire control system. However, the magnitude of the ESR of the aircraft, except the geometry and electromagnetic properties of the surface, affect the ratio of the size of LA and the wavelength of the illuminating radar and the angle of radiation. This makes it difficult to determine the optimal shape of the complex curvature of "flying wing". Limited capacity of computers of the seventies and the complexity of the mathematical simulation of the EPR was not allowed then to solve a similar problem. Much easier than for surfaces of complex curvature, was to determine the dependence of the EPR irradiation angle for the combination of flat surfaces.As a result, Lockheed and Northrop "in their aircraft design XST decided to use a scheme close to the" tailless "with the so-called faceted (polyhedral) shape of the body. This configuration does not remove the shiny spots, but with a definite orientation of flat surfaces and edges allows you to combine the perspectives of intensive reflection on several design elements, thus reducing their numbers and output of the sectors most probable directions of irradiation. This means that in these directions facet shape provides a significant reduction in the reflected signal, and the entire range of wavelengths of the incident radar. That is, the plane is virtually invisible to the calculations of air defense radars.

The first pancake

Projects XST both firms were close. In addition to housing faceted forms, both aircraft had a wing of the great sweep and dvuhkilevoe plumage with tilted inside the keels for the screening of the output nozzle engines. The main difference lies in the arrangement of air intakes: Northrop has offered a dorsal, situated just behind the cockpit, Lockheed - two sides. In the first stage of the competition program XST company created a special model in scale 1 / 3 to assess the EPR.Their tests in an anechoic chamber began in 1976, and in the middle of that year, Lockheed came out the winner of the contest, received a contract to build two experimental aircraft program "keV Blue» (Have Blue can be translated as "task for deceptive, fraudulent object "). According to lokhidovskogo engineer A. Brown, the success of his company contributed significantly to the use of Soviet technical literature and, above all, theoretical papers P. Ufimtseva, the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, USSR Academy of Sciences. Article of the physics of computational methods to determine the ESR, which was published in 1962 in low-circulation journal Bureaucratic, was translated into English in 1971 and used by Lockheed to develop a program "echo" intended for calculation of the EPR bodies of different configurations. As they say the Americans themselves, it allowed a 30-40% reduction in costs to develop the aircraft XST, and later the F-117. Tests in the cells made it possible to specify the configuration of the aircraft, developed from the only settlement on the program "Echoes." Next, place blowing in the low and high-speed wind tunnels, the volume of 1920 hours. Then, Lockheed produced a full-scale radar model aircraft, which will finally work out the details of construction and in the short term to build two flight instance.
Pilot "keV Blue" was a small (length of the nasal shtangoy14, 4 m) Single subsonic aircraft, equipped with two engines, General Electric »J85-GE-4A, taken almost unchanged from the deck of training aircraft," North American "T-2B. Sweep angle of the front edge of its wing deltavidnogo almost equaled 72,3 °. No flaps or air brakes the plane had not, because they are inevitably raised ESR. The only control surfaces were simple elevons and two tselnopovorotnym trapped inside the keel. Airframe, mostly aluminum, with steel and titanium in the most heat-stressed sites. Flyer piloted aircraft with a side handle and conventional pedals, the signals from which the perceived wire control system, not having, by the way, mechanical duplication. Weight of the car during the tests ranged from 4200-5680 kg, of which up to 1600 kg of the fuel.
The first engine start "keV Blue" was held November 4, 1977 on the "Skunk Works", which is adjacent to the airport Berbank. To keep the product secret from prying eyes, it was placed between two trailers, pulling the top of camouflage net, and race engines performed at night, when the airport was closed. Then the aircraft was dismantled and 16 November on board the C-5A was taken to the place of flight testing - on the classified Groom Lake base in Nevada. December 1, 1977 test pilot Bill Park (Bill Park) picked up in the sky the first "blue keV, provides for the study of stability and control characteristics. Held 36 successful flights, but the May 4, 1978 during the landing with a large vertical velocity of the aircraft hit hard on the surface of the runway, resulting in the right landing gear stuck in poluubrannom position. Pilot three times tried to shake it, putting the left hand wheel to the band, but to no avail. Then, Park scored a height of 3000 meters, has developed all the fuel and ejected. The second copy of the aircraft, designed specifically to study the characteristics of visibility, took off on July 20 and during the next 12 months, completed 52 flight test program is fully completed. Their final phase included the "game" with a real defense, when the plane tried to find all available means. "KeV Blue" showed a really low visibility to radar, infrared and acoustic bands, proving the feasibility of creating unobtrusive warplane.

What is he, F-117?

Say what you like, but talented government officials were in the U.S.. Deputy Secretary of Defense for research and William Perry (William J. Perry) fully appreciated the benefits of technology "stealth" yet at the stage of testing models of XST and decided to develop an extensive program to develop low observable vehicles. For
accelerate the work, he organized in mid-1977 secret "Experimental Committee (HSot), composed of senior military leaders. The Committee was vested with broad powers, thus avoiding bureaucratic red tape and lengthy procedures for a "democratic" discussion of work plans. Sam Perry became chairman of the committee and received the right of the sole solution to all problems. The first major project, which authorized the HSot was the development on the basis of XST series of tactical attack aircraft F-117 on the secret program, "Senior Trend» (Senior Trend). The second project involved the creation (and by "Lockheed"), unobtrusive cruise missile program "Senior Prom» (Senior Prom). Work on it was stopped at the end of 1981, as Rocket not fit in weapons bays of B-1B bomber, and then resumed, but on firm General Dynamics. " As a result, there was a cruise missile ACM (Advanced Cruise Missile). Third program was a strategic bomber ATV (hereinafter - the B-2) program, which took up a firm Northrop.
The contract to develop the F-117 DOD concluded with Lockheed November 16, 1978 in the number guaranteed by the characteristics included: range, precision bombing and the magnitude of the EPR. A few countries for the U.S. Air Force combat aircraft indexing "stealth» - F-117 (in fact, why not F-19 or F-21?) Was due to all of the same secretive work. Three-digit codes given machine, which was not customary to spread in the press. So tested America Soviet MiG-17 took place in the Pentagon as the F-113 and MiG-21 were named F-114.
Externally, the F-117 was designed to look like a "blue keV, differing primarily by increased size, a smaller wing sweep, and the collapse of the vertical tail surface. (As shown by flights of keV blue, tipped into the keels, screening off the nozzle of engines from seeing the top, at the same time reflect the heat flow down). However, the real differences between the machines were much more significant. It was connected with the fact that the development of "invisible" for the first time in the history of the aim was to reduce all, without exception, unmasking the factors of aircraft: the ability to reflect radar exposure, most emit electromagnetic waves, sound, leaving smoke and vapor trail, to be visible in the infrared and visible ranges. The emphasis was made on reducing the radar and infrared visibility, as well as preventing any proper emissions. To this end, during a flight in the "Stele" all airborne radio communication device, the defendant "friend or foe" and altimeter must be disabled, and a navigation system and all equipment to search for purpose and use of weapons - to work in passive mode. The only exception - laser target illumination, but it should be included in a very short time in the course of the attack. All this combined with the aerodynamics of the problem, as well as the static longitudinal and directional instability led to a huge technical risks, and to somehow reduce it, the designers used on the F-117 series of proven elements of existing aircraft. For example, engines and much of the instrumentation took on F/A-18, the control system and elements of other systems - the F-16, something that has removed the "Stela", even with older machines-SR-71.T-33 , C-130 and others.
Faceted forms, realized in the architecture of the aircraft, provide the major share - 90% - reduction of the EPR. This happens due to surface reflection airframe radar beams up and down, but not in the direction of incident radar. To this end, the majority of surfaces F-117 is inclined at an angle of more than 30 * from vertical, as usual exposure of the aircraft search radar is a gentle angle. If the F-117 is irradiated from different angles and look at the picture of the reflection from the top, it turns out that the strongest "bunnies" from the sharp edges of the body F-117 and violations of the continuity of cladding is concentrated in a few narrow sectors, rather than being distributed relatively evenly, as in the case of conventional aircraft. Failures between these sectors difficult to distinguish from background noise, and the sectors themselves are so narrow that the radar can not learn from them sufficient information. Targeting key sectors defined by the provisions of the anterior and posterior edges of the aerodynamic surfaces of aircraft, which are the strongest reflectors. Other components of the airframe are oriented in such a way that reflected from them is strictly in key sectors. All the cracks along the contour of manholes and optical windows, joints canopy and fuselage, etc. have a lining with a sawtooth edge, wing sections chassis, engines and weapons also have a sawtooth edge, where the prongs are oriented in the direction of the desired sector. Provided, that no one sector of intense reflection was not aimed directly forward.
Lantern cockpit also has a facet shape. For all five panels of his glass deposited multilayer conductive gold-coated to prevent exposure cockpit equipment and gear pilot microphone, helmet, night vision goggles, etc. For example, the reflection from only one hat can be much greater than that of the entire aircraft. Air intakes "stealth" covered by special arrays with cell dimensions close to half the wavelength radars operating in the centimeter range. Electrical Resistivity arrays optimized for absorption of radio waves, and it increases the depth of the lattice, to prevent the jump in the resistance (which increases reflection) on the boundary with air.Similarly, protected from exposure and exhaust nozzle engines, and design features are associated with high temperature exhaust gases. Radio communication antennas and other radiating devices on the surface of the airframe, for example, the antenna system gosopoznavaniya are made retractable. The entire airframe is covered with radio absorbing materials of several types, drawn for "wallpaper" technology - by attaching them made of ribbons and sheets. External surfaces and internal metal parts are painted plane ferromagnetic paint. Its black not only masks the "Stele" in the night sky, but also helps dissipate heat. As a result, the ESR of the F-117 irradiated with front and tail angles reduced to 0,1-0,01 m, which is approximately 100-200 times less than that of conventional aircraft similar size. However, with other angles, it can reach 1 m 2.
Designers Lockheed taken some effective measures for reducing heat radiation of his brainchild.Thus, the exhaust nozzle flaps covered the sides, bottom and rear. The area of ​​the air intakes have done more than is required for normal engine operation, and excessive cold air is directed where it mixes with hot exhaust gases to reduce their temperature. Very narrow nozzle shape is almost flat shape of the jet exhaust that best promotes its rapid cooling.
It is interesting that such a revolutionary machine was developed in less time, fewer specialists and less expensive than a conventional combat aircraft similar dimension. Lockheed is very proud of this fact, vaguely hinting at the latest methods of managing the development project, which applied a branch of the "Skunk Works" in this case. However, on the part of the reason for success is much easier. It is - in the secrecy of the program. Simply lists allowed to use, and thus wage earners were less common, but all these people were really needed. The discussion of each decision taken part less than specialists, and the meeting was not as long. But that is absolutely indisputable - due to privacy program has avoided the stage of a long and dilettante by nature debate in Congress, and other bastions of American democracy.
Contract for the full development of the "invisible" and the production of initial batch of five aircraft (serial numbers from 79-10780 to 79-10784) military signed an agreement with Lockheed on Nov. 16, 1978 Construction began after 8 months, and the first finished car was transferred to test on Jan. 16, 1981 Planes initial batch were called F-117FSD. From the subsequent machines, under the designation F-117A, apparently they are different tail of smaller size. Somewhat later, in the formulation adopted, the aircraft was given the name of Nighthawk (Nighthawk).

To pay for everything

This is an old truth with new force opened professionals Lockheed immediately after the start of flight tests of the "invisible". As it was not difficult to anticipate, shape optimization by the criterion of the airframe to reduce visibility significantly worsened the aerodynamics of the car. In the official history of "Skunk Works" narrated 
that when the leading aerodynamics department Kentrelu Dick (Dick Cantrell) first showed the desired configuration of the future F-117A, that was enough kick. When he came to and realized that he was dealing with a unique aircraft, with the creation of which the first violin is played by non-specialist of his profile, but some electricians, he put in front of his subordinates, the only possible goal - to make sure that this monster was able to at least as a fly. The main problems met in achieving sufficient aerodynamic control in cruising configuration for a given range, as well as the acceptable level of artificial stability and controllability. Angular fuselage, sharp leading edges of surfaces, the profile of the wing, formed by straight lines, everything is very poorly suited to subsonic flight. As a result, the aerodynamic quality of the F-117A during landing was only about 4, which corresponds to the plane Mozhaiskii and only slightly higher than
Spacecraft Space Shuttle.
Since the "Nighthawk" was created statically unstable, then before the flight was absolutely necessary to test the algorithms used in its system to improve stability. Only after a series of flights flying laboratory NT-33A and corrections to the program on-board computers they were found fit.
Nevertheless, the first flight "stealth" It was decided to perform with disabled systems enhance sustainability, and that the aircraft could fly at the same time, its time to have static stability in the longitudinal channel, laying in the forward fuselage ballast. In this case, however, the systems were fully functional and can be easily incorporated with a specially installed in the cockpit switches. In this configuration, 18 June 1981 "Nighthawk" was first flown on running a test pilot Harold Farley Jr. (Harold Farley, Jr.). It was a dramatic flight nearly ended in disaster. Immediately after the separation of the pilot realized that thanks to the ballast, the longitudinal stability of the aircraft is well tolerated, but Track was much worse than expected. Unable to keep the car, he was forced to immediately turn on the computer, and the remainder of the flight was more or less normal. But further flights have shown that even with working systems, directional stability and control is still no good, especially when opening the valves weapons bays, or in case of power failure of one engine. As a result, the area of ​​the keels on the production aircraft had to be increased by 50%.After removing the ballast in a few flights of the aircraft has demonstrated a complete bouquet of instability, not only for individual channels, but also in numerous versions of their relationship.Incidentally, this explains why the F-117A is no mechanical backup control system - in case of failure of electronics pilot still will not be able to fly a plane. But gradually, through the refinement of software and imposing some restrictions on the flight modes fathers "stealth" managed to achieve acceptable handling characteristics that make its behavior at small angles of attack similar to the response of conventional aircraft. One of the biggest challenges in debugging automation delivered search siting receivers air signals. Moreover, it was required to install 4 sets of sensors, because the control system of four-fold redundant. More than 60 points on the surface of the airframe were investigated, and everywhere the influence of design elements on the readings were too conspicuous. In the end, all four PVD installed in the aircraft nose is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis.
Tests have brought many other surprises. For instance, showed a significant kabriruyuschy moment, the reason is first seen in the formation of the zone of increased pressure on the upper surface of the rear of the fuselage so unusual shape. However, rigorous flight tests
showed that the stability of the aircraft breaks the flow of reactive gases coming through the flat nozzle and communicates with the plates, the shielding nozzle from a survey of the lower hemisphere. After identifying this effect management system again had to be finalized. During the tests need to be changed and the procedures for preparation of kerosene from the tanks, resulting in unloading the wing domestic fuel has decreased, and the flights had to be aborted before the gain of attachment of the wing. During this period, special attention worthy of the lattice air intakes - they were subjected to partial destruction, obstruction, and icing. To combat the most recent effective was old-fashioned way, which consists of spraying on the lattice alcohol-water mixture strength of exactly 40%.
After the "one hundred and seventeenth" learned to fly decently, but to test other machines hooked up the initial batch, it went pretty quickly. The first refueling was done already on Nov. 18, 1981, the first night flight - March 22 next year, the first dropped bombs on 7 July and 23 August 1982 the U.S. Air Force got its first "stele" (tail number 787). The plane was, and is successful and a great program flutter tests. And after their completion, drill a pilot, carrying out one of the flight to check the compatibility with the suspension, introduced the plane in the slip, causing the left vertical fin flutter of an explosive nature. Kiel immediately fell off and the pilot brought the plane on
base with great difficulty. A new, much tougher keels manufactured from composites. As it may seem strange, but the F-1 17A executed a number of test flights at high angles of attack, mainly to check the restrictions. But there was a second reason - during the purges and the free flight planning models have yielded conflicting ideas about shtopornyh properties of the aircraft. The elucidation of the truth has taken a lot of flights, in which angles of attack rose by just half a degree, and if it detects the slightest deviation from the calculated behavior of the aircraft immediately started blowing and new experiments on the flight stand. Historians "Skunk Works" in great detail describe this process - is immediately evident that they were proud of his progress.However, prior to any angle so it came "one hundred and seventeenth, they have not written - perhaps ashamed.
In general, as a result of "ostelsivaniya" most affected the flight characteristics of F-117A. Despite the relatively high thrust-weight ratio, "Nighthawk" is limited maneuvering vehicles, with a low rate, relatively short range and poor landing characteristics. In real flight, it has nothing to do with the "stealth", which won all of Hollywood action movies. This is evidenced by the ironic nickname of "lame dwarf" given to him by his pilots.

Business and Politics

The first half of 1980. was a period of sharp confrontation between the USSR and the USA.Perhaps the first time since the Cuban missile crisis, a real danger that the war of the cold could turn into a "hot". In these circumstances, the technique of "stele" was considered by the United States as one of the trump cards, a kind of miracle weapon, capable of a critical moment to shake the balance of strategic "balance". If we consider that the most massive air defense system of the Warsaw Pact (C-75, C-125, C-200, "Circle", "Cube"), available at the arsenal at a time when only radar guidance could bombard targets with RCS not less than 1 m2, the chances of "Nighthawk" unpunished penetrate into enemy airspace looked very impressive. From this and the first production plans: to issue in addition to 5 pre-production for another 100 production aircraft.Construction of F-117A went with the maximum rate of 8 cars a year. However, at this time in the Soviet Union began Gorbachev's "perestroika", and soon politicians talking about the imminent end of the Cold War. Of course, under the new conditions in the first place began to leave the requirements of efficiency, ease of use and versatility of aviation systems. And over all these parameters "Nighthawk" lost so much aircraft as F-15E or F-16C. In addition, the widespread deployment of Soviet air defense system of the new generation C-300B, can bombard targets with RCS to 0,02 m led to a further reduction of interest to the U.S. Air Force F-117A. Production rate dropped to 4, then 3 cars, and the last production aircraft of this type was delivered to the customer 12 July 1990 Total production was built in 1959 copies (tail numbers 785-843).
But even in a shortened form of the program has brought the firm Lockheed significant financial and, more importantly, the political dividends. Firm's reputation as the creator of the most outstanding aircraft more matured. Branch "Skunk Works" and the Department of Aviation Systems U.S. Air Force received the prize in 1989 by Robert Collier "For the development and deployment of undistinguished aircraft F-117A, which changes the whole concept of the design of future military aircraft and their military deployment." The cost of a production aircraft, according to official figures for 1990 amounted to 42.6 million USD (roughly the same amount of American taxpayers treated and F-15). For the program at that time was spent 6.56 billion USD, of which about 2 billion USD - the R & D, 4.27 billion USD-procurement and 295.4 million USD - to build infrastructure on the ground. Later (after 1992) had been spent more than 400 million USD to upgrade equipment consisting armed with stealth. Proved very unprofitable, and measures to ensure secrecy: they accounted for 10-15% of the total program cost.

Surrounded by caring

If you recall, at what rate did this plane and that these reasons it placed far from being the new equipment, it is not surprising that he almost immediately began to remodel. True, Americans for euphony called this a permanent process of modernization. 
Its first phase began in the midst of production - in 1984 - and was replaced on-board computers, service indicators in the cockpit, autopilot and armament control system. Initially, the F-117A used by a computer system with three computers M362F firm "Delco" with F-16 fighter-related duplicated data bus in the standard MIL-STD-1553. It was replaced by computers AR102 production IBM, similar to those used in videoconferencing, "Space Shuttle" and relevant to the new standard MIL-STD-1750A. This step allowed to apply new models of precision weapons. The second phase of the modernization program known as the OCIP (Offensive Combat Improvement Programme - program to increase effectiveness in offensive combat operations), unfolded in 1987 and was a complete review of information-management field cockpit. In his order passed on three full-color multifunction display firm "Honeywell" on the cathode-ray tubes capable of displaying the image formed by the IR-stations, as well as the tactical situation and terrain map. Were also set an upper front panel input, three-dimensional system optimization of the flight, a new light on the background of the windshield by "Kaiser" and the automatic return to the aerodrome RAARS. The first modified in such a way "Nighthawk" (tail number 805) was transferred to the Air Force on Nov. 27, 1990, and renovations to other cars went with the rate of one aircraft per month.
The third phase, which began in 1992 solved the problem of increasing the accuracy of navigation and targeting. To this end, the aircraft laser gyroscopes, and installed the receivers global positioning system GPS, as well as replace the two IC Station (upper - FLIR and lower-DLIR) to one advanced infrared detection system and targeting IRADS with two mosaic receivers located on the ground the previous station . This system, developed by the same firm "Texas Instruments", which replaced the station was the most complex electronic component F-117A.When it is working out, met a number of challenges, including ensuring the quality and image stability, achieve the required speed of rotation sensors, reduce noise, the transfer target for support from the receiver front-review review of the lower receiver, etc. The task was complicated by the subjective perception of infrared imaging pilots: what seemed to be satisfactory one, was totally unacceptable to others. During the year, was made 100 test flights, but finally the technical problems were solved only after the formation of "Team Tiger" of the best specialists in different branches of Lockheed. The work had to abandon the electronic timing receivers turn in favor of a mechanical system, which proved more reliable and provide transfer target for support from one receiver to another without the danger of collapse. IRADS system operation is maintained even when pitching after bombing out of a dive when there is a multiple transfer purposes between the receivers, and bombing with tough pitching from low altitudes with congestion to 4e.
But the nature of running on the F-117A operations depends not only on the abstract command, often life itself suggests a specific direction. Thus, the results of the Gulf War has increased the speed and storage capacity planning tasks, as well as upgraded communications system. Aircraft equipped with automatic throttle, providing the possibility to fly over the target with automatic maintaining a constant speed. In 1999, the U.S. Air Force began a program of SCF, which provides replacement of radar absorbing coatings made of "wallpaper" of technology, the coating applied by spraying using robotic systems, with high accuracy are compatible with the thickness of the layers. The first plane with such a coating has been transferred to the Air Force in October 1999 and by 2005, provided to repaint the entire fleet "Nighthawk". As you can see, Americans are paying their "stealth" constant attention and try to keep these cars on the twenty years is quite a modern level.

Of super secrecy to sverhizvestnosti

Initial plans included the deployment of one squadron of "Nighthawk" in the UK, for use in Europe and the Middle East theater, the other - in South Korea, for actions in the Asia-Pacific region. The third squadron - a training and backup, it was supposed to base itself on U.S. soil.However, secrecy in the program F-117A was so strong that place these machines in any of the existing air bases, especially outside the country, American commanders could not. In order to hide pores "stealth" from prying eyes, it was decided to organize a new base.
Place for it was chosen in the desert of Nevada, where previously was the center of the aerodynamic testing of nuclear weapons. Nearest settlement was a place Tonopah. Important role in this choice is the close proximity of extensive, well-equipped and hard-to outside observers landfill Nellis Air Base. For the operation of stealth aircraft airfield center was completely renovated - to extend the runway and taxiways, a new CDP, and most importantly - erected special hangars for storage of very gentle aircraft "invisible". This work began in 1980.Then in the course of a fairly complex procedure had been selected and the first pilot "Nighthawk". At this point, each of them had been at least 1000 flight hours in jet aircraft, mostly on the F-4, F-111 and A-10. The first task of the group was developing a program of training flights on the "stealth" in view of singularity of the aircraft and the lack of "Sparky." Additional difficulties in the development of F-117A was expected because of its high landing speed, and because all flights, including the first, for reasons of secrecy were instructed to perform at night. In August 1982, in Tonopah came first "Nighthawk", and base personnel, not to mention the pilots, day and night are reversed. Each pilot four nights a week, rising into the sky Nevada, performing two to three 90-minute flight during the night, and only from Monday to Tuesday was permitted a departure. All training, in fact, reduced to working off a single task: to sneak into enemy airspace, locate a target goal and put it with laser-guided bomb. For training pilots "stelsistov in daytime organized flights to the attack aircraft A-7 Corsair-2, most similar to the F-117A on handling characteristics. Such intense training soon gave the result: 26 October 1983 was announced on the achievement of operational readiness of the first unit "invisible." They became a specially crafted 4450-I tactical air group (4450th TG - Tactical Group), for which the pilots once stuck a romantic nickname "Night Stalkers." Due to the increasing number of F-117A and personnel on Oct. 5, 1989 the group reformed in the 37 th Tactical Fighter Wing (37th TFW - Tactical Fighter Wing), the deletion of its composition "Le Corsaire". "Stealth" was enough for three squadrons: two fighting - 415 th and 416 th (415th TFS and 416th TFS - Tactical Fighter Squadron), a well as a combat-training - 417 th (417th TFTS - Tactical Fighter Training Squadron). Assigning units of these numbers, the command of the Air Force has sought to emphasize the continuity of generations - they were the squadron of American night fighters during the Second World War.However, even at this patriotic wave of renaming is not over - May 9, 1992, often called the 49 th Fighter Wing (49th Fighter Wing), retaining its structure treheskadrilnuyu (7th, 8th and 9th Squadrons). At any time in combat squadrons were at least 18 "Nighthawk" in training - from 6 to 10, still 10/11 machines, usually stayed at
severe forms of maintenance and improvement. However, in each squadron only 5 or 6 aircraft considered is always ready to carry out combat missions. Others in the case of a declared period of the threat had to be brought into this state for 2-3 days.

Almost all the time around the "stealth" does not waned a strict regime of secrecy. Although Tonopah was one of the most protected air bases there to take additional, truly draconian measures to conceal the truth about the "stealth". The American rezhimschiki often practiced very ingenious solutions. So, to discourage idle "aviation enthusiasts" from among the base personnel, the F-117A was applied special stencils type "reactor coolant system" icons "radiation" and other "horror stories". We must agree that on the plane with the appearance they do not look far-fetched. But nothing lasts forever no longer exist, and the veil of secrecy surrounding the "stealth" has also become gradually subside. In April 1990, even held a public demonstration "Nighthawk", which was due to start its flights in the daytime, when it still could not hide his form. But the main reason for the sudden rush of frankness was the aspiration of the American command to show the public the results of a secret program to prove the need for funding of others.
After the publication, ie, since the early afternoon flight, combat training program "stelsistov" practically changed little. Still their main task was to solve this aircraft at night. Is that a somewhat less acute is the problem of lack of "Sparky." Now, when the first flight beginning his instructor pilot flying alongside in a double trainer aircraft T-38, maintaining constant radio contact with him.
Of course, the type of F-117A hit the international aviation community. He became almost the most insolent challenge traditional notions of aerodynamics in the history of human flight. And Americans would not be a, if not used this shock, "one hundred percent." They put on "one hundred and seventeenth" responsible role convincing example of U.S. technological superiority over the rest of the world, and to prove this thesis, no money spared. "Nighthawk" received a permanent residence permit on the covers of magazines, became the hero of cool fighters and star of numerous airshows. In the course of one show - the Berlin salon ILA-2000-author of these lines could, so to speak, to get acquainted with "invisible". I must say the impression of F-117A produces strong. This is a great airplane, its appearance causes association with something in between the iron and the armored car, with a tower which served at the Finland station leader of the world proletariat.

As always, recovered from first impressions, begin to notice the details. For example, in places including expanded as poorly glued room wallpaper, sheets, radar absorbing coatings. Bubbles and irregularities were easily visible from a distance of ten meters. Cause - sudden changes in temperature: that summer in Berlin, the nights were cold, but roasted afternoon sun. To take care coverage, "stealth", as opposed to other entities represented at the airport Schönefeld aircraft at night and rolled into the hangar. Monitoring the preparation of aircraft for departure suggests that the technical operation of F-117A - exercise very difficult. While crashes ahead for the demonstration and non-combat, training them took about an hour, and the technical platform to its fullest inject at least a dozen people. However, "Stele" flew to Berlin a lot, and successfully compensating for the lack of maneuverability of exotic shapes and skillfully prepared the program of demonstration flights. In the parking lot, he looked even better, especially under the protection of brave American "Rambo" with rifles, effectively to flex its muscles before the young Fraulein Berlin.
The loss of "stealth" in the course of operation of reliable data is small, and it is connected primarily with the general secrecy of the program. To conduct its own analysis of the same full almost impossible, because Americans carefully hide the number of remaining in service aircraft.

Nevertheless, all sources agree that the first machine was broken April 20, 1982, and it was the first production aircraft (tail number 785), which drill the pilot carried out one of the last acceptance flights. Actually, by the time the aircraft acceptance has passed, but just before being sent to the Air Force engineers Lockheed decided to make some changes in hardware configurations. In the process of the computer processing of air data has been moved to a new place, with new electrical connections were made correctly. The plane lost control after the separation, rolled onto his back, fell to the ground and caught fire. Came to the rescue rescuers extinguished the fire and removed the pilot, who then spent eight months in hospitals. An interesting nuance - as wine "Lockheed and the Air Force in the incident has been proven, they covered the costs of treating the pilot, but it 700,000 USD!
At night, June 11, 1986 on a 32-minute flight crashed into a mountain top eight serial F-117A (tail number 792), the pilot was killed. Cause of the accident remained unclear, it is only known that before the flight the pilot had complained of fatigue. The third "stele" was also lost due to collision with the ground. This happened with 31 production aircraft (tail number 815) at night on Oct. 14, 1987 at the site Nellis airbase. As in the previous case, the pilot made no attempt to eject and the aircraft was completely destroyed. At this time, a possible cause of the accident called the loss of the pilot orientation - the night was particularly dark. August 4, 1992 a fire was lost 18-I serial machine (tail number 802). September 14, 1997 during an air show near Baltimore, Maryland, one of the F-117A in-flight wing collapsed. The plane crashed to the ground, injuring 6 people.The pilot managed to eject. There is evidence that just before mid-1999 with a flight manual shot nine F-117A, including several on the development of the resource. In addition, according to official figures - one, according to independent sources - four cars were lost during the fighting.Two "Nighthawk" from among the pre-series aircraft are mounted on pedestals at the entrance to Nellis Air Base and Wright-Patterson.

"Invisible Man" in action

F-117A was created to address the "special" problems in the first place - in the initial stages of armed conflict. Americans have carefully studied the experience of Israelis who were able to powerful, well-calculated blow to paralyze the defense system of Egypt in the 1967 war and clear the sky for its aircraft. Taken into account by them and the Soviet experience in 1968, when massive use of air assets REB, especially jammers Tu-16, virtually deprived the combat capability of quite a powerful defense system of Czechoslovakia, which allowed freely to land a major airborne assault in Prague. It was concluded that the need to have in the armed forces a special plane-proryvatel defense, can rapidly paralyze the enemy by striking at its' nerve nodes "(of course, covered by the most powerful means of defense). Aircraft such appointment received in the U.S. called the "silver bullet" (as we know, only a bullet, cast in silver, can kill a vampire). The main objectives of "Nighthawk" in the first hours of a major war were to become the headquarters, communications centers, air defense infrastructure, warehouses spetsboepripasov and their means of delivery. However, before the F-117A set and more exotic tasks. In particular, in accordance with a secret plan "Daunshift-02 aircraft of this type were to attack one of the cottages of the Secretary of the CPSU on the Black Sea coast, located in range tactical aircraft based in Turkey.

Get their hands on such supersamolet how in the early 1980's. seemed to be F-117A, the American command was a well-known vital status, and when you want it to apply, and Colette, and my mother (in a sense - the Congress) will not allow it. For the first time F-117A to be used in action in October 1983, those. even before the formal achievement of operational readiness of the 4450-th group. They were to take part in the attack terrorist camps in southern Lebanon.According to various estimates, from 5 to 7 aircraft were armed, and the coordinates of targets were introduced in the on-board inertial reference system. However, U.S. Defense Secretary Weinberger C. for 45 minutes before departure to the Middle East reversed the order.
The same thing happened in 1986, when planning a raid on the residence of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. It was assumed that the heavy military transport C-5 will transfer a number of "stealth" of Tonopah on U.S. Air Force air base in Rota Spain. Penetrated into the airspace of Tripoli, covered with a very sophisticated air defenses (including S-200), several "Nighthawk" had to strike guided aerial bombs on the villa of colonel. However, against this plan, lobbied interested in checking its most modern weapons of Air Force command, is strictly by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff William Crowe. He stated that "the technique of" stele "is too valuable to put her at risk." As a result of a blow to Tripoli on April 14, 1986 g, was struck by planes F-111. After losing two cars, the Americans have not achieved the main objectives of the operation - the physical removal of the Libyan leader.
For the first time F-117A were used in combat on Dec. 21, 1989 in Operation Just Cause »(Just Cause-a fair deal) - U.S. intervention in Panama. Two "Nighthawk" dropped one bomb GBU-27 caliber 907 kg laser-guided by the Panamanian National Guard barracks in Rio Hato, where, as expected, was President Noriega. Press Service of the Department of Defense reported that "the operation was successful, with a jeweler's precision bombs hit the pre-selected targets - areas of land, located at a distance from the barracks, a guarantee against damage, but at the same time, can cause panic among the Panamanian soldiers. Indeed, the guards rushed out of the barracks in their underwear, but as it turned out later, it was planned all the same to get into the building.Bombs went to a large deviation from the targets due to unfavorable weather conditions and pilot error. Defense of Panama, not having even the radar, of course, is not represented for the U.S. aviation major threat, and the only reason for the participation of F-117A in the operation was still the same desire
test it in battle, and to facilitate (by creating a favorable "PR") passing through the U.S. Congress funding the other programs unobtrusive bomber B-2A.
The first large-scale operations using the F-117A were developed during the war with Iraq in January-March 1991, however, for the crews of "stealth" this war began well before the first explosions in Baghdad - yet August 19, 1990, when "Night Stalkers" of the 415th TFS had left a permanent 
home and went to Saudi Arabia. 18 "Nighthawk" Squadron, completed a nonstop 14.5-hour flight with one stopover from nine escorting them to the COP-10. New home for the next six months for them to become an air base at Khamis Masheyt south-west of the country, located on a desert plateau at an altitude of 2000 meters from the Baghdad airport that separates the more than 1750 km, and it was chosen because it could not get the Iraqi missile surface-to-earth. "With the advent of the secret aircraft in Khamis Masheyt took unprecedented security measures and tightened to the limit mode, providing pilots 415 Squadron ideal conditions to prepare for war than they are diligently engaged in 5 months. Training flights performed exclusively at night in the maximum of autonomy and secrecy. Particular attention was paid to working out in-flight refueling, with full radio silence. Flying, mainly within the borders of Saudi Arabia, but in some cases approaching the Iraqi border to check the reaction of Defense Hussein. Never "stealth" have not been detected, as evidenced by the continued operation of Iraqi radar (when the boundary flew a normal plane, air defense immediately "raised her head"). For the recognition of the squadron pilots, their invisibility was an important moral factor, added them courage during a night raid over enemy territory. The success of the training flights has prompted American commanders to increase the number of F-117A in the region. In December 1990, at the base of profit is 18 "Nighthawk" from the 416th TFS.
And midnight from 16 to 17 January 1991 - finest hour F-117A, when the first group of 10 "Nighthawk" 415 Squadron, each of whom was carrying two 907-kg responsive bombs, flew up to strike the first blow in a new war. Either before or after the events of that night, the crews of one hundred and seventeenth "not achieve such good success. Party recalls that the raid by Mr. Donaldson (call sign "Bandit 321"): "We did everything with full radio silence, focusing solely on time. Right now we have to start the engine, taxied out of hiding now, to start the run, etc. At the current time we met 10 tankers, coming from Saudi bases Riyadh, and carried out refueling.General systems flew to the Iraqi border, and then separated and each went to his goal. We did everything to make us not able to find all the lights turned off and removed the radio communication antenna. We could not say a word and his comrades could not hear if someone wanted to send us a message. We followed a route, carefully watching the time. The first bomb dropped a pair, led by Mr. Fisto ("Bandit 261"), the Iraqi Control Center interceptors and tactical missiles south-west of Baghdad. Due to the precise coordination of our actions over time in the following minutes, most of the planned targets were caught off guard and surprised, including 112-meter high tower in downtown Baghdad - the key to the whole system of administration of the armed forces. This important goal to destroy Mr. Kerdevid (Bandit 284). "
Once in Baghdad, the first explosion, all ground-based air defenses, especially the artillery, opened fire indiscriminately on the night sky, trying to hit targets that were invisible to them and which had already formed to reverse course. For their unconditional picturesqueness this point is particularly fond of artists: the most depicting F-117A canvases story one - fireworks fire trails in the black southern sky, the silhouettes of mosques in the background of the fires and the shadow of mysterious, almost alien stealth, dissolving in the mist.
The list of objects, which caused damage to the first group - two sectors of the defense team points, Air Headquarters in Baghdad, the Joint Center for Management and Tracking in Al Taji, the seat of government. The second wave of F-117A (3 cars from the 415-th and 9 - of 416 Squadron) caused repeated blows to the Air Staff,
air defense command posts, as well as telephone, television and radio stations in Baghdad, the center of the satellite. "These attacks dazzled the Iraqis," continues "Bandit 321" - and they were unable to detect an attack of conventional aircraft that approached behind us. AD was completely disorganized. We saw on the indicators in their cabins, as the Iraqi MiG-29 flew around us. But they were blind, could not find us and do the capture. "
During the first day of such 5,5-hour raids carried out all 36 "Knight hokov, of which 24 were in the air only in the dark, and 12 partially in light aircraft coming after 17 h local time. Most of the attacks carried out by single aircraft, and only three ground targets were attacked in pairs, in these cases is driven by an infrared system to be able to assess the results of bombing leading and adjust their attack. Typically, F-117A operated autonomously, without involving aircraft REB as jamming could attract the attention of the enemy. In general, during the war in order to improve the operation stealth stealth planned so that the closest allies of the aircraft was on them at a distance of not less than 160 km. Only in some cases "one hundred and seventeenth" interacted with EF-111 and F-4G.
Departures on planned objectives crews F-117A made every night. After two weeks of the war, it became clear that the combat effectiveness "Nighthawk" is quite high. They were sent on missions more often. The load on the crews grew. To help the exhausted pilots, conducting combat missions every night
On January 26, Khamis Masheyt were transferred 6 stealth, pilots and some equipment from the training 417th TFTS. Thus, the total number of F-117A, took part in the conflict had reached 42.
Arrival of reinforcements allowed to somewhat reduce the burden on the crews and materiel.Now the pilots took off again in a half or two days, and still every one of them eventually flew in combat conditions ranging from 100 to 150 hours.
Thesis of high performance F-117A in the war is indisputable. In particular, this demonstrates the successful use of "stealth" to destroy strategic bridges in Iraq, whereas before it was carried out on more than 100 unsuccessful take-off, F-15, F-16 and F/A-18. Another example: four days before the start of the offensive ground forces allied seventeen F-117A for 27 minutes struck the pipeline, through which the Iraqis are expected to be filled with oil barrage ditches in Kuwait: the 34 targets were hit 32. No less important result of combat activity "Nighthawk" was the destruction of SAM positions in central Iraq, which allowed crews to the B-52 carpet bombing without impediment. "Stealth" and attributed the destruction of several Iraqi Tu-16, ready to strike alleged chemical munitions: Total War for F-117A completed 1271 flight of more than 7000 hours and dropped 2,087 bombs with laser-guided GBU-10 and GBU-27 total mass of about 2000 tons of their effectiveness (the relative number of combat missions with the defeat of designated goals) was, according to official estimates, 80-95%. In particular, it is argued that the pilots of "stealth" dobilis1669 direct hits, allowing just 418 errors. (Note that during the Vietnam War impact was on average 33%, and by early 1990. Norm for conventional aircraft types is 50%.) But the most impressive, perhaps, is the assertion that the population is only 2, 5% of the total number deployed in the Gulf of aircraft, F-117A was struck about 40% of all the allies attacked the strategic objectives.
Speaking later at a meeting in the U.S. Congress, Air Force commander of multinational forces in the Persian Gulf, General-l-t C. Gorner on the basis of these data, stated that the subtle planes such as F-117A and B-2, will be invaluable in future local conflicts similar to the Gulf War. 
The central point of Homer's speech was to compare the two raids against heavily defended Iraqi nuclear facilities at Al-Tuva, south of Baghdad. The first raid was carried out during the day on 18 January, it involved 32 aircraft F-16C, armed conventional unguided bombs, escorted by 16 fighters F-15C, four jammers EF-111, antiradar eight F-4G and 15 KC-135 tankers. This large aviation group has been unable to complete the task. The second raid was carried out at night just eight F-117A, each of whom was armed with two bombs, GBU-27, accompanied by two tankers. At this time the Americans have destroyed three of the four Iraqi nuclear reactor.According to Horner, the same damage might have caused one crash two B-2 bombers without involving tankers.
However, to continue to quote here rave reviews on the success of "Nighthawk" American generals, senators and others responsible for handling the public opinions of the persons we still will not. Partly because there is other information about the effectiveness of the F-117A in Iraq.For example, some sources claim that several of the CRR in the goal fell just one, but the real impact of "stealth" does not exceed 30%. At a cost of one bomb GBU-27 175 000 USD is making use of precision weapons is very burdensome. According to official statistics, in the Persian Gulf to "smart" means of destruction had less than 8% of all aviation munitions used by the Allies, but their value amounted to 85% of all dropped on the enemy's missiles and bombs.
In addition, on account of combat F-117A (and simultaneously on the conscience of his crew), there are several unfortunate incidents. For example, the destruction of the bomb shelter in Baghdad on 13 February, which was mistakenly taken as a command post. As a result of this attack killed over 100 civilians, which caused a great resonance in the world. Another interesting point: all controlled by the U.S. Air Force sources of information in one voice say that the entire war, no "Stella" was not something that is not shot down, but even damaged by enemy fire. At the same time there is evidence that one F-117A was shot down on January 20, 1991 Iraqi Igla.
The plane reportedly crashed in the desert in Saudi Arabia, and Hussein's subordinates simply had no opportunity to present its wreckage as evidence of their victory.
With the end of Operation Desert Storm went into decline and successes F-117A, although in this region "stealth" periodically fought during the next decade. Thus, during the "punitive" operations against air defense sites in southern Iraq (command posts, the position of SAM, radar), held January 13, 1993, F-117A were ineffective: six of these cars could hit only 2 of 6 targets assigned. In two cases there was a failure of laser-guided bombs during their passage through the clouds, in the third pilot was unable to detect the target, and the fourth did not detect the turning point of the route and bombed a false target. This indicates the ability of F-117A to perform operations only in normal weather conditions. A describes the raid, in which, incidentally, was attended by 38 different types of aircraft, took place at night in poor visibility. That's weather, according to Pentagon officials, has led to low efficiency plaque: of the 32 planned targets were hit only 16. In December 1998, F-117A, working from bases in Kuwait, the participated in Operation Desert Fox »(Desert Fox) - the bombing of Iraqi factories for the production of weapons of mass destruction. During 4 days of the U.S. Air Force completed 650 sorties against 100 targets, while Navy has released 100 "Tomahawk". However, the results of operations is almost nothing was reported, which can be interpreted as evidence for their absence. Creeping war with "stealth" in the so-called no-fly zone in southern Iraq is still ongoing (article dated 2002 - paralay ) .

So, for the period from December 1998 to May 2000 the Iraqis 320 times threatened U.S. and British aircraft, those will continue to meet the blows of the objects of air defense. In 1999 they dropped the bomb there in 1500 and at least 500 - in 2000 In February 2001, 24 Allied aircraft struck a new blow to the traditional F-117A purposes, the positions of radar and air defense command posts in the Baghdad area.
Another opportunity to excel for the F-117A was the war against Yugoslavia in March-June 1999 In her "Nighthawk" has been widely used since the first day, involving nighttime strikes against air defense targets as well as on other important, well-disguised means of defense stationary targets . In this case, the main weapons were laser-guided KAB. According to some reports, a feature of "stealth" in this operation has become their permanent cover for aircraft electronic warfare. If so, the best evidence of exaggeration of invisibility for a modern advanced anti-aircraft do not need and seek. In general, the participation of F-117A in this war in the American press is written much smaller than the Gulf War, from which it can be concluded that their use in the European theater was less successful. Besides, the conflict in the Balkans, finally put an end to the myth of invincibility "stealth".
A real shock to America was the destruction on the third day of fighting (March 27 at 20.55) of the first F-117A (pilot to Mr. K. Dvili), which was brought down to 32 km away from Belgrade in the village Budanovtsy. There are different versions of the defeat of this aircraft: a missile air defense system "Cube", MiG-29 fighters and antiaircraft artillery fire cannon. Perhaps in the "finishing" of the F-117A was attended by various means the Serbs, so decide who belongs to the basic service, it is difficult. According to the American pilots, the attack on his plane was completely unexpected, without triggering a warning system. In this case, K. Dvili "does not remember how tore ring catapult. Seven hours later the search team found the pilot in the woods, where he was hiding from the Yugoslav police and taken to Aviano airbase in northern Italy.During the operation of its search helicopters were involved in search and rescue HH-60 "Peyv Hawk, one of which with 12 crew members on board and landing in the vicinity of Uglevik was shot down, while two managed to escape only to crew members taken in captivity. April 1 at the airport Pleso (Zagreb, Macedonia) made an emergency landing another F-117A, received combat damage. Another aircraft of this type are reported to the Serbs, was lost on April 5 while attacking the tower "Crvena Cat. Pilot ejected and landed in the village Remeta. May 20 Serbs were told that over Kosovo MiG-29 shot down another one, probably the last in the campaign, enemy aircraft, who was also classified as F-117A. In total, according to the Defense of Yugoslavia in the war that the U.S. lost three F-117A.
The implications of these losses have been to America much more than could be hoped for. Most recently received confirmation circulating within two years of rumors that the remnants of a downed in Yugoslavia "stealth" were shipped to Russia and subjected to comprehensive research.In its issue of October 5, 2001 journal "Aviation Week" posted a report from Zhukovsky, in which an unnamed high-ranking official of the Russian aircraft industry, "acknowledged that the remains of F-117A was used to improve the capabilities of the Russian air defense to detect and destroy the subtle planes and cruise missiles." Of course, it is unlikely the study of technological achievements of twenty years ago strongly advance the Russian science, but our hands on other people's secrets is always useful.
In the war against Afghanistan "Nighthawk" did not participate. Perhaps, in a weak defense Taliban Americans have not seen them for worthy goals, may not have been able to organize their work effectively with remote air bases, and then just decided to take care of oneself, after Yugoslav against possible losses among the "lame, dwarfs, which they erected in a matter of national rank pride.

Summing up

It should be recognized that at the time of its creation "Nighthawk" is indeed a formidable fighting vehicle, designed to solve specific problems in specific circumstances. American aircraft manufacturers were able to create it as soon as possible, while maintaining the highest secrecy works. For several years, this "invisible" in fact, has remained invisible to the Soviet Union, China and other potential U.S. adversaries. However, like any highly specialized product, F-117A quickly become obsolete once the conditions have changed, for actions in which it was created.The development of flight vehicles, including based on new physical principles that make it invisible is very relative. But the shortcomings of the aircraft turned out to be absolute. As time has shown, the idea of aircraft, construction of which "sticks out" any one quality (in this case - a small ESR) at the expense of others, turned out to be futile. Having built only 20 copies of "stealth" third generation - the strategic bomber B-2 "Spirit", the Americans have embarked on the development of more harmonious machines (F-22, JSF) in which the requirement of low visibility is no longer dominant, although it remains one of the key . We note that the Russian fifth generation fighter aircraft - IFI C-37, etc. - sold the same approach.
Perhaps it is because of the "one-sidedness" remained unfulfilled numerous modernization projects "Nighthawk" in the interest of the Air Force and U.S. Navy. So, in 1993, after closing the program unobtrusive deck-bomber attack aircraft A-12 "Avendzher" firm "Lockheed" the initiative to draft the deck worked bomber F-117N «Seahawk" as a "transient" aircraft designed to fill the gap between the rapidly aging deck attack aircraft A-6E "Intruder" and promising JSF.The project involved, in particular, to equip the F-117 conventional tail, the new lamp with improved visibility, folding wing, brake hook, and a number of other improvements. However, this work has received support for the U.S. Navy Command. Did not have development projects and other initiatives Lockheed - Deck A/F-117H attack-bomber, tactical bomber F-117B. In the mid 1990's. fashion technology "stele" in the United States began to decline, and the Pentagon continued its purchases of proven conventional tactical aircraft F-15E, F-16C / D, F/A-18C/D.
Nevertheless, the authors can not but express his admiration for "Nighthawk", because he is a brilliant example of solving the problem, first met in engineering practice in such a radical statement.
To achieve this goal, almost complete invisibility of machines for the modern air defense systems, inmates "Kelly" Johnson had to show such boldness of thinking, so far as to step away from the mainstream of the development of aircraft, that it made the F-117A aircraft is absolutely unique.This aircraft is firmly and permanently took his place in aviation history. Well, to build the U.S. Air Force, according to current plans, it will remain only until the next decade, after which
it will replace the multi-purpose fighter JSF.
 

A brief technical description of the unobtrusive tactical fighter F-117A

(As after the completion of the second phase of modernization,

first half of 1990.)

Airplane F-117A is designed primarily for air defense systems to overcome the hidden enemy in the dark and strike guided weapons on critical ground targets. The plane carried on the wind scheme, which is close to the scheme "tailless", with low swept wing and a V-shaped vertical tail surfaces. F-117A is statically unstable in pitch and yaw. Crew -1 people. Glider is made mostly of aluminum alloys. Also used titanium alloys, composites and ceramics (for a total of about 5%).Composites, in particular, hold doors weapons bays and niches chassis, the console vertical fin.
To reduce the radar visibility glider has a configuration formed by a large number of flat surfaces.This provides a reflection in the direction of the incident radar only a small amount of energy of the irradiating pulse. Curved surface, diffusing the pulse energy in all directions with equal intensity, and corner reflectors on the aircraft are missing. All avionics and weapons inside the airframe, components external suspensions are not available. All hatches have a sawtooth edge.Antenna communications, toplivopriemnik, side lights and speakers for the contours of the airframe components are made retractable or removable. The entire surface of the airframe is covered with radio absorbing polymer ferromagnetic materials, which are attached to the sheathing with epoxy glue and painted with radio absorbing paint. Through these measures, the effective surface scattering plane reaches a minimum value (about 0.01 mg) in the forward hemisphere. For its increase in flights under the leadership of the civil ATC, as well as during the demonstration and training flights provides the installation of two portable radar reflectors on the sides of the fuselage and a reflector on the bottom, made in the form of a telescopic tube. On the plane used as a means of reducing thermal and acoustic visibility.
Semi-monocoque fuselage structure consists of three main sections. In the central engines are the two weapons bays in length by 4.7 m wide by 0.8 meters, fuel tanks and niches main landing gear. In the bow section placed the cockpit, the niche of the front landing gear and most of the onboard equipment. Immediately before the cabin is located IR station front view FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) on a common turret with a laser rangefinder-designator. At the bottom of the bow section of the right of the landing gear is available IR-station bottom review of the DLIR (Down Looking Infrared) and a laser range finder-designator. Niches of the two stations closed glass screen with a grid of fine copper wire, which reflects the radiation radar. Flyer posted on the ejection seat, "McDonnell-Douglas» ACES II, providing emergency escape aircraft in flight and in the parking lot. At ejection lantern cleared by piromehanizma. On the windows cab deposited gold-coating, shielding the internal volume of the radar radiation and prevents the outside of electromagnetic radiation devices and equipment. For de-icing glasses used electric heating. In the tail section of the fuselage are flat exhaust nozzle, a niche braking parachute and braking hook, mounts and drives plumage.
Trapezoidal wing, two-spar, with a sweep angle of the front edge of 67,5 °. 2 / 3 of its scope employing fuel tanks. The aerodynamic wing profile is chosen by the condition of reducing the visibility and is a closed loop formed by five segments. So, the bottom of the wing is formed of two flat surfaces, the top - three of them. To control roll and pitch are hovering on the wing elevons (two on each console). For the transport aircraft (for example, in the fuselage C-5B) are detached to the console side rib.
Tail serves only to ensure stability and control in the yaw canapes. His tselnopovorotnym console with a sweep angle of the front edge of about 65 ° have diamond-shaped profile. Their coffers are made of thermoplastic grafitoplastika and the root part is made of steel.
Tricycle landing gear with the controllable nose wheel. All single-wheeled racks are removed in advance. Depreciation - The oil-air. Dimensions Pneumatics basic pillars of 812x223 mm, Bow - 558x167 mm. Wheel disc brakes, carbon. There is automatic braking. To stop the airplane used as the drag chute and brake hook.
The power plant includes two turbojet engines and General Electric »F404-GE-F1D2 (2x4900 kg), which besforsazhnym option F404 turbofan aircraft F/A-18. The engine management system is fully automatic, digital. To prevent direct exposure radar compressor engines installed at the inlet to the lattice of radar absorbing composites with mesh size 25x16 mm. The walls of the air channels are also covered in PRM. Lattice are combined (thermal and liquid), de-icing system.On both sides of the cabin lights are installed to monitor the performance of the PIC at night.Intakes have increased the area of ​​what is needed to compensate for losses caused by the installation of gratings, and provide additional air intake, which is bypassed by engine and cools the exhaust gases. This reduces the infrared radiation, thermal loads on the nozzle wall and the noise level coming out of the jet. Jet nozzles have a flat shape (cross section 1,65 x0, 10 m), as well as elongated and bent up the bottom panel, the inner surface is lined with heat-absorbing tiles similar to those applied to the FSI the Space Shuttle. " To reduce the visibility of each nozzle is equipped with 11 internal vertical partitions. On the upper surface of the air intakes are additional air intake valve opens automatically on the ground and in flight at high angles of attack. On board there is an auxiliary power unit.
The fuel is housed in two fuselage and four wing tanks totaling more than 7000 liters. Fuel consumption at cruising around 1360 kg / h. During flights using additional tanks that are suspended in a compartment of weapons and allowing to increase the flight range of 50%. For refueling aircraft equipped with fuel-receiver of rotating on the upper surface of the central section of the fuselage. To refuel at night in the top of the canopy is installed lamp.
Aircraft control system by-wire digital four-channel, developed on the basis of FBWCS fighter F-16A / B. All control surfaces are hydro-mechanical drive. Digital autopilot provides pre-programmed flight route in the area, allowing the pilot to establish visual contact with a view to using the IR-stations. Autothrottle allows the aircraft to enter the overseas use of weapons within a few seconds. Back-mechanical control system is absent.
The composition of sighting and navigation equipment includes: inertial navigation system "Honeywell" H-423 / E on ring laser gyros, receivers, global navigation GPS system manufactured by Rockwell-Collins' receivers of ILS ILS, automatic return to the aerodrome RAARS, radar altimeter. Bordcomputer AR-102 performs scheduling of the flight route to the goal, taking into account zones of enemy radar. To search for targets and aiming at night using infrared standard function FLIR and DLIR. Both stations are formed at a central multifunction display in the cockpit thermal image areas, similar to the visually observed. Stations have two fields of view - wide (used for search purposes) and narrow (for the recognition and targeting systems), switching is performed by changing the focal length. Non-optical heads stations closed rotates 180 ° dome screens. Determination of the target range and its light made with laser range finders, target designator. In addition to the central multifunction displays in the cockpit there are two indicators that are displayed tactical information, map terrain, a report on the status of onboard systems. Indicator against the windshield AN/AVQ-28 firm "Kaiser" is capable of displaying data from the infrared stations. Information on various navigation and aiming systems kompleksiruetsya using multiplex data bus technology in the standard MIL-STD-1750A.
Communication equipment uses a retractable antenna and hidden. One - on top of the fuselage on the right, two to the bottom of the doors niches main landing gear. For the hidden connection between the aircraft group used laser communications stations, on both sides of the cockpit canopy.
The hydraulic system is used for cleaning and the landing gear and brake hook, working the brakes landing gear, opening and closing valves gruzootsekov, lifting and lowering the racks in gruzootsekah, the drive control surfaces.
Weaponry is housed in two gruzootsekah on racks that are using the parallelogram mechanism are put forward from the compartments for the suspension of ammunition or missile launch.Model ammunition are two bombs with laser-guided GBU-10 or GBU-27 (with warhead as betonoboynymi bomb BLU-109B) caliber 907 kg. Provides for suspension of bombs GBU-15 guidance system and thermal containers BLU-9 with submunitions. After an appropriate retrofit aircraft might use nuclear bombs the B-61 or B-83. Once installed on the holders of the guides can launch anti-radar missiles AGM-88 HARM, missiles, air-to-earth »AGM-65" Maverick ", anti-ship missiles AGM-84A« Harpoon, as well as missiles, air to air »AIM-9" Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. Active means of electron beam on the plane are missing.

Brief technical characteristics of the F-117A

Wing span, m 3.21
Length (without boom LDPE), 20.4 meters (20.09)
Height, 3.9 m
Wing area, 105.9 m2
Maximum takeoff weight, kg 23815
Empty weight, kg 13600
Mass maximum combat load, kg 2270 (2500 *)
Fuel weight, kg 5500
Maximum speed, km / h 1100
Cruising Mach number of flight 0,8-0,9
Takeoff speed 
normal takeoff weight, km / h 306
Landing speed, km / h 278
Combat radius 
with maximum load 
without refueling, km 1060
Practical ceiling, m 13,700
Max g-load 6

* A decrease in fuel supply