The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a stealth ground attack aircraft formerly operated by the United States Air Force. The F-117A's first flight was in 1981, and it achieved Initial Operational Capability status in October 1983.[1] The F-117A was "acknowledged" and revealed to the world in November 1988.[4]
A product of the Skunk Works and a development of the Have Blue technology demonstrator, it became the first operational aircraft initially designed around stealth technology. The F-117A was widely publicized during the Persian Gulf War of 1991.
The Air Force retired the F-117 on 22 April 2008,[2] primarily due to the acquisition and eventual deployment of the more effective F-22 Raptor[5][6] and F-35 Lightning II.
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