Can the F-117 break the sound barrier?
The F-117 lacks afterburners, because the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature, and breaking the sound barrier would produce an obvious sonic boom, as well as surface heating of the aircraft skin which also increases the infrared footprint.
Is the F-117 a fighter or bomber?
F-117, also called Nighthawk, single-seat, twin-engine jet fighter-bomber built by the Lockheed Corporation (now part of the Lockheed Martin Corporation) for the U.S. Air Force. It was the first stealth aircraft—i.e., an aircraft designed entirely around the concept of evading detection by radar and other sensors.
Why is the F-117 invisible to radar?
Because the F-117 didn’t carry any onboard radar, it wouldn’t have been able to support radar-guided weapons. That means the aircraft would have no way of spotting enemy fighters (due to a lack of radar) and would have no radio communications to be warned of their presence.
Can an F-35 take off vertically?
The United States Air Force and the majority of F-35 international allied customers operate the F-35A. Can land vertically like a helicopter and take-off in very short distances. This allows it to operate from austere, short-field bases and a range of air-capable ships.
Are stealth fighters invisible to radar?
While no aircraft is totally invisible to radar, stealth aircraft make it more difficult for conventional radar to detect or track the aircraft effectively, increasing the odds of an aircraft successfully avoiding detection by enemy radar and/or avoiding being successfully targeted by radar guided weapons.
When was the F-117 stealth fighter developed?
F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter attack aircraft was developed by Lockheed Martin after work on stealth technology, and the predecessor test demonstrator aircraft, Have Blue, was carried out in secret from 1975.
Is the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk a stealth aircraft?
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft that was developed by Lockheed ‘s secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The F-117 was based on the Have Blue technology demonstrator.
What kind of bombs does the F-117 carry?
The aircraft can carry a range of tactical fighter ordnance in the weapons bay, including BLU-109B low-level laser-guided bomb, GBU-10 and GBU-27 laser-guided bomb units, Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick and Raytheon AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface missiles. In January 2004, an F-117 successfully released a JDAM (JDAM) 2,000lb bomb for the first time.
What was the original goal of the F-117?
Originally, the Senior Trend program that gave birth to the F-117 included the goal of having the aircraft be able to carry the majority of the weapons the Air Force had to offer for its tactical fighter and attack aircraft at the time—the 1970s.