Today we’re taking a look at the F-117A stealth aircraft that’s coming to War Thunder in the Firebirds major update as a new squadron vehicle!
F-117A: A Squadron Vehicle Strike Aircraft for the USA at Rank VI
At a glance:
- Reduced radar and IR seeker signature!
- Air-to-surface guided weapons.
- No guns at all.
- No countermeasures.
- Subsonic.
The F-117A Nighthawk program began in the United States in the 1970s, under pressure from the high performance of Soviet anti-aircraft missiles in Vietnam and the Middle East. The U.S. Air Force and DARPA conducted classified research into stealth combat aircraft, with Lockheed being awarded a contract to develop the project. The first F-117A prototype made its maiden flight in 1981. Officially accepted into service in 1983, the aircraft remained classified for a long time. Between 1988 and 1995, the F-117A was upgraded under the OCIP II program, receiving an improved cockpit with digital displays and more sophisticated flight control systems.
Being the world’s first stealth aircraft, the F-117A Nighthawk took part in several operations, including the invasion of Panama, the Gulf War, as well as combat operations against Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Meet the F-117A Nighthawk
A quite unusual aircraft is coming to the game in the Firebirds major update, and that’s the F-117A Nighthawk! This is an American strike aircraft joining the game as a squadron vehicle and will also be the first aircraft in War Thunder to feature stealth technology. Let’s have a closer look!
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Visually stunning, the F-117A is a highly specialized aircraft that was supposed to perform a very limited number of combat missions, but perform them better than any other aircraft. When the enemy has modern anti-aircraft systems, radar stations and IR missiles, the best chance of mission success is when the aircraft being used remains undetected for as long as possible.
Did you know? During Operation Desert Storm, the F-117A flew over 1,200 sorties and suffered zero aircraft losses.
To reduce radar visibility, the Nighthawk is made with as few protruding elements as possible. The geometry of the fuselage and wing is formed by flat panels placed in a special way to help reflect electromagnetic waves away from the radiation source. In addition to this, the F-117A uses radar-absorbing materials and ferromagnetic paint, and the engine nozzles are hidden by complex shielding mechanisms!
So, will the F-117A’s real-life stealth aspects help in War Thunder? Yep! In-game, this aircraft will have a significantly smaller IR and radar signature compared to aircraft of the same size. In practice, this will mean anti-aircraft vehicles will detect the Nighthawk at a much shorter distance than conventional aircraft, plus anti-aircraft and air-to-air missiles will have a trickier time locking onto it. In Ground Battles, this means when you spawn in with the F-117A, you’ll have more opportunities to drop weapons closer to ground targets, hit them, and return to the airfield without even being noticed.
Important to note: Stealth does not prevent detection entirely, it only makes it harder for aircraft to be detected.
Being stealthy is cool n’ all, but what about weapons? The F-117A has no machine guns or cannons whatsoever. It also has no air-to-air missiles and no countermeasures, meaning it’s completely unsuitable in any sort of air combat engagement. Being a dedicated stealth attack aircraft, the F-117A can only use a variety of bombs which are located in an internal bay, however only two can be carried at once. To get into the specifics, the F-117A can launch high-precision weapons, including laser guided bombs such as the GBU-12, GBU-16, GBU-10, new GBU-27 and satellite bombs such as the GBU-31 and GBU-38. In addition to these laser-guided bombs, the F-117A can also carry conventional bombs with aiming assisted by a ballistic computer.
Interesting: Only one F-117A has ever been shot down, occurring in March 1999 during the Kosovo War. The man responsible, Zoltán Dani and the F-117A pilot who was shot down, Dale Zelko, met after the incident and are now friends. The wreckage of Zelko’s F-117A is now at the Belgrade Aviation Museum.
As for performance, the F-117A is quite difficult to control, is subsonic and in general does not boast any outstanding flight characteristics. Due to its very specific role and somewhat poor flight performance, the F-117A will be at rank VI with a fairly low Battle Rating when the Firebirds major update is released. Ultimately, this is a special aircraft with special capabilities, making it a suitable squadron vehicle. And just like other squadron vehicles in War Thunder, the F-117A can be yours by collecting enough squadron activity points or purchasing it outright with Golden Eagles if you’d prefer.
Intrigued? That’s it for today, but there’s still a lot more to come. Keep an eye on our website for more dev blogs coming soon to the Firebirds major update. See you around and have fun!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
