Close Up Footage of Stealth Bomber Refueling

The Nighthawk was developed under great secrecy in the 1980's and it is thought to be a product of the famed skunk works research facility. Once operational all F-117's were assigned to the 27th tactical fighter wing, based out of Tonopah Air Force Base Nevada. The aircraft was very advanced for its time with a full glass cockpit and fly by wire control system. The structure of the aircraft was manufactured from aluminum and composite with radar absorbing material sprayed onto the exposed surfaces and key joints such as the wings leading edges and fuselage faucets. The Nighthawk has a specially designed in flight refueling receptacle that is incorporated into the aircraft spine to reduce radar reflections. Its tail fins have been strategically placed to minimize radar reflections and help shield the engine exhaust from infra-red missile and aircraft sensors.

Flight information is gathers from four low profile sensor probes in the aircraft nose. The F-117's wings are swept back at 67 degrees to reduce radar detection and facilitate high speed performance. Although the Nighthawk is considerably slower than conventional fighters its deadly weapon load, long range and ability to remain invisible to radar makes up for it lack of speed. As was demonstrated during the gulf war, when operated at night the aircraft performed its missions undetected and delivered devastating and pinpoint accurate strikes like a ghost in the night. Weapons are carried in the aircraft internal weapons bay which eliminates any chance of radar reflections occurring from them. When coalition forces were forced to act after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq an undisclosed number of F-117 Nighthawks were secretly transferred to a base in Saudi Arabia. This technically advanced fighter bomber was used to spearhead the military operation to free Kuwait and its people. The Nighthawks performed their assigned missions extremely well taking out key targets and defences during the night while remaining completely undetected.

The aircraft flew 1271 combat missions during the first gulf war destroying strategic target such as communication installations, roads, bridges, airfields and command centres. There was little evidence of the F-117 Nighthawk squadron's existence in the Middle East or at home as all the stealth aircraft were housed in hardened shelters to maintain secrecy and a low daylight profile. The F-117 was the first stealth fighter ever developed and during the gulf war demonstrated its revolutionary capabilities to infiltrate the enemies airspace undetected and exact its will on any and all key targets. This aircraft not only changed the way coalition air wars are executed today but also single handily disarmed the opponent without sustaining any losses and expediting the entire Gulf war conflict to an swift end.

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Close Up Footage of Stealth Bomber Refueling. by JahazVId