Comments on: Goodbye, F-117A. We’ll Miss Not Seeing You

By: nucking futs

nucking futs — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:32:30 +0000

F117A is in my eyes the only plane that can live up to it's name, a Stealth bomber… B2s are just massive chunky bombers with only some stealth about them…

By: VINCE

VINCE — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:46:37 +0000

not surprising. the f117 was designed for stealth above all else. the b2 is so big that the radar cross section is gonna be bigger anyway. the f22 was deisgned as a compromise between agility and stealth. No surprises here

By: Evan Ackerman

Evan Ackerman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:46:31 +0000

So, according to Modern Marvels: Stealth Technology, the F-117A has a radar cross section “of an insect,” while the F-22’s is “smaller than a sparrow.” The B-2 has a radar cross section between 4 and 5 times larger than the F-117A.

By: Evan Ackerman

Evan Ackerman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:23:18 +0000

I could be wrong about this, but I think I remember hearing somewhere that the F-117A has a lower observable profile (radar, infrared, etc.) than either the F-22 or the B-2. I imagine that in certain very specific situations, they could still be the best planes for the job… But you’re right on both counts.

By: Fazal Majid

Fazal Majid — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:12:17 +0000

It’s doubtful they will ever fly again. They have a very limited payload, and need costly maintenance after each flight. The real reason why they are not going to be sold or given away is to preserve what is still leading-edge stealth technology.