F-117 Nighthawk still flying
 

Already been mentioned in a thread on this forum about 5 years ago.

OMG why didn't the poster check PPRUNE for a five year old posting? Shame on him....:rolleyes:

Could have just checked Wiki......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-117_Nighthawk

........Although officially retired, the F-117 fleet remains intact and photos show the aircraft carefully mothballed.[53] Some of the aircraft are flown periodically,[78]and have been spotted flying as recently as February 2019.[79] [80] [81] [82] In March 2019, it was reported that four F-117s had been secretly deployed to the Middle East in 2016 and that one had to make an emergency landing at Ali Al Salem (AAS), Kuwait sometime late that year.[83][[i]verification needed] An F-117 was also photographed in 2019 carrying unit markings previously unassociated with the aircraft – a band on the tail bearing the name Dark Knights, suggesting an either official or unofficial squadron is maintaining the Nighthawks.[84] In July 2019, one Nighthawk was spotted flying above Death Valley, trailing behind a KC-135R Stratotanker in a hybrid aggressor scheme.[85]........

Still think it's a distraction technique from something much more hush hush. Why else fly it in public areas if it's just a check flight to ensure they remain airworthy

Might just be a Mirage...

Or its Russian counterpart, the Optical Illyushin...

makes sense -use it to train everyone from mechanics to cleaners - a lot cheaper screwing up a remedial paint job on an old 117 than something newer..................

and yes they're not the same but the idea is to fix it in people's brains that these TYPE of aircraft are very different and require very special handling at every step

Perhaps because it is just a check flight to ensure they remain airworthy. Occam's Razor, and all that.

-117s
 

Of course, that's what they could want you to think...

I think it is still an interesting and valid topic. I always thought the retirement was a bit premature, and the 117 could still be quite useful for the US and a few other nations.

Wasn't there a 'suggestion' the RAF might take over some; some RAF exchange pilots did train on them after all.

The Dof D refused to let one land at Farnborough claiming our 2,000m LDA (used for airshow traffic only - normally it's 1800m) wasn't long enough.
If 2000m is OK for an SR71, what LDA does the F117 need then?

there was certainly an offer from the US in the 80's(iirc), but the RAF - and government - took the view that F-117 was so devastatingly expensive to operate (in whole force/effect terms) that it alone would hoover up most of of the RAF's budget for pretty much everything.