F-117 Night Hawk Stealth Fighters at Fresno in September 2021
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- 13 September 2021: The 144th Fighter Wing welcomed the arrival of two F-117 Night Hawk aircraft to California's Fresno Air National Guard Base, to conduct dissimilar air combat training missions.
The 144th Fighter Wing is the first unit to host these stealth fighters for a full week of training.
Several months ago, photos of an F-117 in flight over the California desert confirmed at least one of the first-generation stealth fighters was flying; evidently more are still airworthy.
The 144th Wing’s F-15 pilots were scheduled for multiple dissimilar air combat training missions with the F-117 pilots. The training at Fresno was the result of more than two years of coordination with agencies and leadership responsible for the unique F-117s.
The Fresno F-15s trained against integrated forces that included the F-117.
This is the first time that F-117 Nighthawks have landed at Fresno. Although officially retired, many F-117s remain airworthy and are used to support limited research and training missions based on overall cost effectiveness and their ability to offer unique capabilities.
As of January 2021, the U.S. Air Force had 48 F-117s remaining in its inventory, and is disposing of about four aircraft each year, according to a California Air National Guard spokesman. As airframes are identified for disposal, some have been offered to museums though the US Air Force Strategic Basing program and the National Museum of the US Air Force, the spokesman said.
Here's a look at jets in Star Wars Canyon a few years back; also the 1969 arrival of a B-47 to Boeing Field for museum use; more -- take a look at this issue of Airailimages Video Magazine: th-cam.com/video/V1Pj1e-4ylU/w-d-xo.html
My Dad was stationed at a B-47 base in the late fifties. We used to see them taking off all the time from our house with those JATO bottles. Had a lock down at school once when one crashed on the runway carrying nuclear bombs. It was rather scary when they went on alerts as we never knew if it was the real thing or not. The Cold War sucked.
Remarkable to see. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it
I always liked the look of the F-117. Very future looking. If I remember right they first flew in combat in Panama for Operation Just Cause.
Thanks for the video.
Very interesting news.
Would it be too much to hope there was at least one SR-71 being kept in warm storage similarly for the time it might be thought worthwhile bringing it out? Yes, I expect it would
interesting thought...
Used to simulate cruise missiles for training on defense against stealthy missiles from china and russia.