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RAF turned down chance to buy F117 Stealth Fighters

996 radar had no issue tracking "stealth". Neither did 968 (outside of 30-40 miles). That's when they were in their 'stealth-ed up mode' too.
 
...That's when they were in their 'stealth-ed up mode' too.

Without wishing to go into TTPs, if you're talking about GW2, they weren't. I also never saw one feet wet (in Kosovo or GW2) so I'd be interested to know where you were!

Equally, we should probably avoid mention of actual sensor performance and ranges...just a thought!

Regards,
MM
 
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It may have visited Campbeltonw, it may have not....got this from PPRUNE

30942633598_0972a8cd1f_h.jpg


cheers
 
It may have visited Campbeltown, it may have not....got this from PPRUNE

Unfortunately for all of the swivel-eyed conspiraloons out there, after the USN left Macrihanish it became available as a training location - and so, lots of TA units had the joy of driving all the way towards Campbeltown, and spending two weeks training in the middle of nowhere, next to a long runway with a single, decidedly boring, non-hardened hangar.

If there were any sekrit tunnelz from ther sekrit hanger to ther SEALs base, we'd have been all over it. Unfortunately, the SEAL facility was depressingly normal - offices, classrooms, a garage, a non-standard indoor range, a big tall space to dry parachutes, cages for their kit, and a four-person bath next to it for the unquestionably hetero SF types, rinsing all of their kit in fresh water after playing in the sea

Of course, it could all be disinformation, and they magically filled in and made good all of their back passages before leaving...
 
Despite the 'official' retirement of the F-117 in 2008, there have subsequently been regular sightings of the type flying from Tonopah and in the Nellis Range Complex. This forced the USAF to acknowledge that some of the fleet were being kept in a state which would essentially allow them to be recalled for ops. In 2017 the USAF then announced that the type was being deactivated permanently with 4 per-year being divested.

Yet further footage has now emerged showing an F-117 flying in Death Valley (not far from Tonopah). Interestingly, it was at low level which is very different to the type's medium altitude operational profile.
F-117-video-composite.jpg


Regards,
MM
 
Despite the 'official' retirement of the F-117 in 2008, there have subsequently been regular sightings of the type flying from Tonopah and in the Nellis Range Complex. This forced the USAF to acknowledge that some of the fleet were being kept in a state which would essentially allow them to be recalled for ops. In 2017 the USAF then announced that the type was being deactivated permanently with 4 per-year being divested.

Yet further footage has now emerged showing an F-117 flying in Death Valley (not far from Tonopah). Interestingly, it was at low level which is very different to the type's medium altitude operational profile.
F-117-video-composite.jpg


Regards,
MM

What would be their utility, though? How does their signature stack up next to later types? Ok, I can imagine still better than teen-series jets and equivalents but F-35?

Also, unless they’ve been upgraded, the avionics/targeting capabilities must be fairly old by now - they weren’t exactly outstanding in the first place, being on a par with (and often inferior to) those of more conventional types.
 
What would be their utility, though? How does their signature stack up?

Flight testing new capabilities, sensors and tactics.

For example (my guess), the “loyal wingman” capability seems all the rage at present and the F117 could be a viable host asset for this programme?

2p spent.
 
Flight testing new capabilities, sensors and tactics.

For example (my guess), the “loyal wingman” capability seems all the rage at present and the F117 could be a viable host asset for this programme?

2p spent.

Aye, but:

This forced the USAF to acknowledge that some of the fleet were being kept in a state which would essentially allow them to be recalled for ops.
 
Don’t agree necessarily with loyal wingman, F-117 only had 2 weapons IIRC? Seems a little bit wasteful to have an autonomous platform only capable of having 2 bombs.

Wasn’t there a rumour that the Nighthawk had a companion? I seem to remember a ‘conversation’ where some Gulf War boomers and aircrew were told not to comment on the ‘triangles’ then pointed the Nighthawk and said ‘not those triangles’!

Perhaps I need to change my tinfoil.
 
Don’t agree necessarily with loyal wingman, F-117 only had 2 weapons IIRC? Seems a little bit wasteful to have an autonomous platform only capable of having 2 bombs.

Wasn’t there a rumour that the Nighthawk had a companion? I seem to remember a ‘conversation’ where some Gulf War boomers and aircrew were told not to comment on the ‘triangles’ then pointed the Nighthawk and said ‘not those triangles’!

Perhaps I need to change my tinfoil.

TR-3A

Black triangle (UFO) - Wikipedia
 
I’m not advocating the F117 as a loyal wingman in combat but an airframe used for test and integration of the necessary black boxes as a possible use for the keeping them airworthy... maybe.

The tinfoil for my hat has been ordered but hasn’t arrived yet.
 
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