Lockheed F-117a Nighthawk

Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk

The aircraft Lockheed F-117 was the winner in the competition secret ( “black”) projects of experimental technology “invisible” (EST – Experimental Stealth Technology) 1975-76 gg. Equipped with General Electric turbojet engines (General Electric) CJ610, EST for the first time the first plane flew in December 1977 with the Groom Lake base in Nevada. It was two reduced prototype aircraft for testing different versions of experimental technology. Although both aircraft in 1978 and 1980. suffered a disaster, the promising results of the tests led to the development of two experienced full-scale machines YF-117A-LO, followed by 57 production aircraft F-117A. The F-117A was declared operational in 1983, but secrecy programs flight took off only at night with a secret base in Tonopa. Only in late 1989, when the program finally, finally declassified, the plane began its flights in the daytime. F-117A, eloquently nicknamed “Voblina Goblin” ( “Wobblin Goblin”), more in line with its pilots nicknamed the “Black Jet” ( “Black Jet”), and officially called Knight Hawk (Night Hawk). The first of these machines was used in December 1989 in one of the phases of “Operation Just Koz” conducted by the U.S. on the Transport of Panamanian General Manuel Noriega. The next action was to participate in the conflict in the Persian Gulf, when one of the planes struck the first bombing in Operation Desert Storm on Jan. 17, 1991

F-117 – is a specialized tactical strike aircraft designed primarily for night precision attack of critical targets in the course of the autonomous individual sorties. It can also be used for tactical electronic intelligence areas, covered with anti-aircraft enemy. F-117 is radically different from previous generations of machines. First, conventional missile and bomb weapons gave way to high-precision weapons. Secondly, the survival rate in the area of air defense is provided not so much reservations as stealth mission.

F-117, first took off in 1981, has long kept secret, since it first applied for a new malootrazhayuschaya form and its main secret – the external contour. And only April 21, 1990 held its first public demonstration.

Low visibility F-117 allows the aircraft to fly over the territory, covert means of enemy air defense, at high altitude. This improves the pilot’s awareness of the tactical situation, facilitates the search for ground targets at long range and provides a steep trajectory of the bombs, and it increases the accuracy of the bombing and increases the penetration ability of the munition. The possibility of flight is not at extremely low altitude also increases the efficiency of laser illumination of targets for their own guided bombs. According to officials, who saw in the 1990 flights, F-117A usually carries cruising flight at an altitude of 6100-7600 m, then decreases to an altitude of 600-1525 m to improve the accuracy of bombing. It is made from horizontal flight, and its accuracy is about 1 m.

F-117 – a low-wing aircraft, V-for-different plumage and nadkrylnymi engine air intakes. Widely used facet forms, which provide the bulk (90%) reduction of the EPR. First of all, it refers to the fuselage having an unusual pyramidal configuration. Opening upwards canopy is designed as a one-piece construction, the five panels are laminated glazing conductive gold coating to prevent exposure RL cockpit equipment and gear pilot. Wing sweep large, trapezoidal, with beveled faceted wingtips, has dvuhlonzheronnuyu design.

Single Cab with the review only forward. Behind her, on top of the fuselage, a receiver system in-flight refueling, which is highlighted at night with lights, located in the ledge above cockpit. The aircraft is unstable in pitch and yaw, and therefore uses a complex system of artificial stability. Since 1991, the program is installed ERP autothrottle. The system has four air signals CVP on booms faceted shape in the bow of the machine. Sensors the angle of attack retractable. Autopilot provides a pre-programmed flight route. Automatic thrust allows the aircraft to reach the line of weapons within a few seconds. Also employed optoelectronic navigation system, detection and tracking purposes.

The first large-scale operations using the F-117 deployed during the war with Iraq in 1991. The planes carried out 1,271 flight and dropped 2000 tons of bombs with laser-guided. Lieutenant General Charles Horner, commander of the multinational military forces in the Persian Gulf, said that the unobtrusive type of aircraft F-117A and B-2 and in the future will be invaluable to local emergency conflict.

Features barely noticeable tactical strike aircraft F-117A:

Wingspan – 13.21 pm

Aircraft length – 20,09 m

Height – 3,78 m

Wing area – 105,9 m2.

Empty weight – 13600 kg.

Takeoff weight – 23815 kg.

Type of engine – turbojet General Electric F404-GE-F1D2 (2h48, 0 kN/2h4900 kgs).

Maximum speed – 1M.

Cruising speed – 0,9 M.

Landing speed – 278 km / h.

Battle range – 1060 km.

Max g-load – 6.

Armament: built-in fuselage weapons with the ability to post the full arsenal prescribed by the U.S. Air Force tactical fighter, but usually – Two bombs GBU-10/GBU-27 laser-guided weighing 907 kg (2000 lb) or missiles air-to-surface missiles AGM – 65 Maverick (Maverick), or AGM-89 HARM.