Why The US Air Force Keeps Using This Fighter Jet Decades After 'Retiring' It

The United States Air Force's Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was retired in 2008, but it still has to go to work until at least 2034. Though it no longer sees combat, the Air Force has found a way to continue taking advantage of this retired fighter jet's utility, technology, and stealth capabilities through training exercises.

The F-117 Nighthawk was a trailblazer in stealth operations around the world. The letter F in its name, meaning Fighter, was deliberately misleading to hide its true purpose. Air combat was not the F-117 specialty, instead, these jets were designed to stealthily enter enemy territory and fire at targets on the ground. The sharp-edged design helps it reflect and absorb radar waves, and it could reach speeds of nearly 700 miles per hour. The Nighthawk is designed for one pilot, and it has a range of over 1,000 miles without refueling.

The first F-117s were operational in 1983, and though retired in 2008, the jets that remain airworthy are kept at the Tonopah Test Range Airport in Nevada. While the US Air Force looks to the future with the challenge of hypersonic jets, the Nighthawk is sticking around to train the next generation of fighter pilots and help with new Air Force projects.

Though Finland has the most expensive fighter jet in the world, the F-117 Nighthawk continues to prove itself even after retirement. The Air Force prefers to use retired jets for training and testing, rather than active duty units. This is because if things go wrong, there is less risk in working with something that is not relied upon in combat situations, like the F-22 that replaced the Nighthawk.

The F-117 is currently used for training exercises. Specifically, in stealth training, helping pilots and other military personnel learn how to handle the stealth capabilities of enemy fighters. It also works as a test bed for the Air Force. New tech, such as radar systems and infrared tracking, are tried out with this retired jet to see how well they perform.

Not all of its retirement is off-limits to the public, though. The Nighthawk is occasionally on loan to museums as part of the US Air Force Heritage Program. As of this writing, the Hill Aerospace Museum in Utah has an F-117 Nighthawk on display, which has been there since 2020, for the community to learn about.

The legacy of the F-117 Nighthawk brings to mind trailblazing nuclear-powered aircraft carriers like the USS Nimitz that is nearing its retirement. The stealth capabilities that the Nighthawk pioneered now enable it to help future generations in the Air Force. It was during Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield that the F-117 made a name for itself, where pilots went by the call sign Bandit. 

When the jet was retired, the Lockheed Martin team who created it signed their names on the bomb bay doors in a ceremony to commemorate the jet's innovation and lasting impact. Though the Nighthawk's combat days are gone, it has not been sitting idle for the last 18 years. Through training and testing, the F-117 is continuing to pave the way for the US Air Force's future. With another eight years of planned use, it will be exciting to watch the continuous significance of this retired fighter jet.