More evidence that the F117 lives

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Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 4,619

Over the past week, images and now video footage of active F117 flights over Tonopah have come to light:

http://theaviationist.com/2014/10/08/new-photos-f117-ttr/

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testing sensors or working up to operational use (once the wings have been reattached).....?

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Member for

16 years

Posts: 353

Over the past week, images and now video footage of active F117 flights over Tonopah have come to light:

http://theaviationist.com/2014/10/08/new-photos-f117-ttr/

testing sensors or working up to operational use (once the wings have been reattached).....?

Interesting. I would assume they would be a great stealth test platform with well know RCS data. Usefull to test new ground and air based radar systems.

Even more interesting if they were in support of some limited use, especially by certain friendly nations.

Member for

14 years 9 months

Posts: 421

There will be some reason this example is flying not that the public will find out. I always thought they got retired a bit early. I don't know what it's stealth abilities are, I suppose it's only rival in this department would be the B-2 and the F-22 to a lesser extant

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 8,505

Don't quote me but I heard once that the 117 had better stealth characteristics than the B-2. The person who said it was not anything to do with the 117 in fact more likely the other one.

Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 4,619

Well the general consensus seems to be they are flying in support of sensor testing. There was also a suggestion that new materials could be in test on a platform whose RCS characteristics are well understood (a bit like when Replica was dusted off recently).

Member for

10 years 6 months

Posts: 1,760

Testing stealth coatings maybe?

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 4,472

The USAF revived the project after Spudman told them it was actually a 5th gen fighter.

Nic