BeechTalk - BT - F-117; Still Flying After All These Years

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 13:57

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/why-is ... 1544383008

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 16:05

Some very intriguing hypotheses there, especially the one about using them for one way, unmanned attack missions.

I always objected to the fighter designation for this bird, though. It never was nor was ever supposed to be a fighter.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 16:59

My feelings toward this plane must be how politicians feel toward entitlements. :oops:

I would have a hard time not allowing something that looks like that to continue flying....

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 17:06

Username Protected wrote:

...especially the one about using them for one way, unmanned attack missions.

I can't imagine the fear WE would feel if unmanned 117's like these were coming at us on suicide missions. The world, she is a-changing.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 22:37

kind of an expensive cruise missile :shrug:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Sep 2015, 23:20

Username Protected wrote:

kind of an expensive cruise missile :shrug:

They are free now if the alternative is parking them in the boneyard.

The F117 requires a lot of maintenance to maintain the radar stealth. Simple things on other aircraft require extraordinary effort on the F117. Just keeping the paint/coating in shape is an effort and that is critical to stealth.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 25 Sep 2015, 03:16

I think the cost of conversion, testing, and maintenance would probably be more than just using another cruise missile. Can't launch it from a boat, or another plane. Getting it somewhere to launch it would require considerable logistics and would be difficult to hide. My suspicion is that the effort required to turn one into a weapon system that essentially does what a cruise missile does isn't going to be worth it.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 25 Sep 2015, 11:02

Username Protected wrote:

My suspicion is that the effort required to turn one into a weapon system that essentially does what a cruise missile does isn't going to be worth it.

Two thoughts:

The US rarely uses cost as a prime factor in choosing weaponry.

Our enemies know that and just the possibility we could use an F117 will cause them to think about it.

In other words, just the concept has strategic value even if never implemented.

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 25 Sep 2015, 12:59

I agree cost probably isn't a prime consideration, I just don't see why an unmanned F117 is any more of a threat than a cruise missile. It would take a lot of effort to develop, just to duplicate some of the capabilities of the various cruise missiles in the inventory. It would steal money from other programs, with no real added tactical or strategic value.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 25 Sep 2015, 13:31

Username Protected wrote:

My suspicion is that the effort required to turn one into a weapon system that essentially does what a cruise missile does isn't going to be worth it.

Two thoughts:

The US rarely uses cost as a prime factor in choosing weaponry.

Our enemies know that and just the possibility we could use an F117 will cause them to think about it.

In other words, just the concept has strategic value even if never implemented.

Mike C.