F-117A retires today, 27 years in service

[N35t0r]

hmm.. right, I must have been thinking of some scenario then.

[Patroklos]

We are retiring aircraft 2 gernerations ahead of our most likely rivals. Why are some scared of China again?

[Richelieu]

27 years already?

[Q Classic]

It's hard to believe that it's older than I am.

[Jon Miller]

I like the A-10 a lot.

JM

[snoopy369]

Stealth I spent the last few years of my childhood in Alamogordo (where Holloman + the F117 are). Nice planes

Wonder what's going in at Holloman now? Other than the F117 they had a bunch of F4's and were teaching Germans how to fly them... but not much else from what I recall.

[onodera]

Shot down by an outdated missile.
Needs more stealth.

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Richelieu
27 years already?

My thought exactly.

[Verto]

I must confess the F-22s don't look anywhere near as cool.

[SlowwHand]

They retired the 117 for it. There must be something awesome about it.

[Verto]

Oh, I'm not arguing its technical merits, it kicks ass

[Verto]

I wish I wasn't color blind, I'd love to pilot one of those Raptors.

At altitude: Mach 2+ (1,325+ mph, 2,132+ km/h)
Supercruise: Mach 1.72 (1,140 mph, 1,825 km/h) at altitude
Service ceiling 65,000 ft (19,812 m)

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan gatling gun in starboard wing root, 480 rounds
Air to air loadout:
6× AIM-120 AMRAAM
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air to ground loadout:
2× AIM-120 AMRAAM and
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder and one of the following:
2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM or
2× Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMDs) or
8× 250 lb (110 kg) GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

The B-2s are really cool as well

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Verto
I must confess the F-22s don't look anywhere near as cool.

It does come pretty close though

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Verto
I wish I wasn't color blind, I'd love to pilot one of those Raptors.

At altitude: Mach 2+ (1,325+ mph, 2,132+ km/h)
Supercruise: Mach 1.72 (1,140 mph, 1,825 km/h) at altitude
Service ceiling 65,000 ft (19,812 m)

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan gatling gun in starboard wing root, 480 rounds
Air to air loadout:
6× AIM-120 AMRAAM
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air to ground loadout:
2× AIM-120 AMRAAM and
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder and one of the following:
2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM or
2× Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMDs) or
8× 250 lb (110 kg) GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

The B-2s are really cool as well

Less than 5 seconds of gunfire time. If they need it they're screwed anyway.

ACK!

[Verto]

If we can ever get around to fighting a war with a worthy adversary...