F-117 Nighthawks Now Appear To Be Flying As Adversaries In Red Flag Aerial War Games

Updated Nov 27, 2020 6:35 PM EST

The F-117 Nighthawk’s story just gets richer with age . Over the last half-decade, we have seen a consistent expansion of flying operations by the supposedly retired stealth attack jets. Although I have long posited that the F-117s that are still flying would be involved in aggressor operations, the Air Force’s demand for low-observable adversary capabilities has since become clear . Alongside this development, it has become outrightly apparent that these aircraft are in fact providing ‘red air’ support for select exercises and developmental events. Now it appears that their role as aggressors has been expanded in the form of participation in Red Flag, the Air Force’s largest international air warfare exercise held multiple times a year across the sprawling Nevada Test and Training Range , or NTTR, with the central hub of the exercise being Nellis Air Force Base in North Las Vegas.

What we know is that a handful of the roughly four dozen F-117s still stored at Tonopah Test Range Airport (TTR) have continued to take part in research and development efforts, largely in relation to low-observable testing, which includes trialing new radar-absorbent coatings and off-board sensors . They are a central player in what is emerging to be a low-observable integrated testing task force that largely emanates from TTR and includes access to a number of exotic testbed aircraft , sensors, and threat representative systems. But another part of the F-117’s duties has blossomed into a more traditional role.

We were first to report on hard validation of the F-117’s aggressor support mission last December when evidence emerged of F-117s, flying under their now well-known “KNIGHT” callsign and working with 64th Agressor Squadron F-16s , participated in a complex air combat exercise likely related to the prestigious USAF Weapons School. Now, barring some strange coincidence of factors, it seems clear that this mission has migrated to the much larger Red Flag exercise.

Then, in May of 2020, the F-117s did something unprecedented, they flew a number of red air missions out over Pacific against a Navy Carrier Strike Group that was undergoing its most deeply integrated and complex training just prior to deployment. Since then, they have been spotted often over the vast expanses of the Mojave Desert and the NTTR. They even landed at Edwards Air Force Base recently, another first since their retirement a dozen years ago, at least as far as we know. All of this has perpetuated a sense that the F-117s are creeping steadily out of the shadows once again.

F-117 formation seen during the type’s retirement in 2008., USAF

As Red Flag 20-3, which you can read all about here , hit its crescendo last week before wrapping-up on Friday, August 14th, a division (four aircraft) of F-117s were spotted intermingled with the 64th Aggressor Squadron’s F-16s, getting fuel from the ‘red air’ tanker and participating in actions downrange. Multiple similar missions are said to have occurred throughout that final week of Red Flag and satellite imagery largely confirms this.

Between Aug. 10 and 14, no less than what appears to be six F-117s appear to have been parked in the open on TTR’s northern ramp. This was a first as far as we know. Usually, no more than two F-117s go about their shy business from the base. These aircraft typically spend a brief time on the ramp and park in their own hangars after their missions are completed. Having six nighthawks consistently on the ramp during the last week of Red Flag seems very similar to the strip alert-like tactics that aggressors of the past have used at the secretive base. Tonopah Test Range Airport was turned into the sprawling installation it is today thanks in part to its use as a clandestine location to fly captured Soviet fighters out of during the twilight of the Cold War. You can learn more about the Red Eagles program and how TTR came to be in this past post of ours . It’s also worth noting that Red Flag increases in complexity to challenge its participants as it wears on, with the most capable threats often saved for the last week or last days of the exercise.

Every day throughout the week ending in August 14th, six F-117s were present on the northern ramp at TTR. , PHOTO © 2020 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION.

Regardless, the F-117s appear to have staged in force for what would have been an unprecedented tempo of operations, at least since their retirement, in order to support Red Flag evolutions throughout the week. Red Flag includes two sorties per day, one during mid-day and one during the night. It’s also worth noting that by most estimations only four to six F-117s were still in the flying pool. This points to the real possibility that the six jet fleet is a minimum number and more airframes may have been regenerated as the F-117’s flying duties grew.

These latest developments underscore that the secretive F-117 force, which has a direct association with the “Dark Knights” moniker, is very much involved in adversary air support, beyond discreet test and developmental duties. It would make some sense that they are providing a dissimilar, low-observable threat representation for frontline aircrews to contend with, at least until the 65th Aggressor Squadron, which will be outfitted with F-35As, comes online and can assume a similar, albeit more robust role.

Considering that the U.S. no longer has a monopoly on stealth technology, with foreign cruise missiles , fighter aircraft , and even drones being produced with low observable qualities. As a result, new sensors will be hitting the U.S. fighter force very soon that will help detect, track, and engage what radar has trouble seeing. Ever-increasing network connectivity and data fusion will also help in countering stealth threats, but you have to train against them in order to best employ these technologies operationally.

Although the F-117 doesn’t represent the cutting-edge of stealth technology, it does represent a complex foe to contend with, to say the least, and one unlike any fighter pilot or airborne early warning and control radar operator has ever seen before. Considering the edge the U.S. still holds in terms of low-observable technologies, the F-117 is at least a decent stepping stone and stop-gap measure before employing true 5th generation aggressor aircraft.

Paired with electronic warfare and creative tactics, one can imagine just how wily the F-117s could be as part of the greater aggressor force. Far lesser aircraf t are used daily in the adversary role in the hands of contractors. How higher-end and lower-end assets are mixed into a potent adversary air plan is what really matters when it comes to stress-testing U.S. and allied fighter aircrews.

Ground crews work on an F-117 during its operational career, which spanned 25 years. , USAF

All these factors, as well as the need for F-117s to continue to act as a control variable in developmental testing, have led to what appears to be a bizarre renaissance for the once written-off F-117 Nighthawk, even if its shallow resurgence will only be for a limited period of time. Still, an F-117 aggressor gives the Pentagon’s growing adversary air community a highly unique asset to employ against pilots that could very well end up facing off against an enemy stealth asset in actual combat. With their inclusion in this iteration of Red Flag, we may very well be seeing much more of the “Black Jet” in the not so distant future, at least before they finally vanish for good.

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com

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更新于美国东部时间2020年11月27日下午6:35

F-117“夜鹰”战机的故事随着时间的推移愈发精彩。过去五年间，我们目睹了这些本应退役的隐形攻击机飞行任务的持续扩展。尽管我一直认为仍在服役的F-117将参与假想敌作战，但空军对低可探测性假想敌能力的需求如今已变得十分明确。与此同时，这些战机实际上正在为特定演习和发展活动提供“红方”空中支援，这一点也已昭然若揭。现在看来，它们作为假想敌的角色似乎进一步扩大，参与了“红旗”军演——美国空军规模最大的国际空中作战演习，每年在内华达州试验训练靶场（NTTR）举行多次，演习中心位于北拉斯维加斯的内利斯空军基地。

我们所知的是，目前仍封存在托诺帕试验场机场（TTR）的约48架F-117战斗机中，有少数几架仍在继续参与研发工作，主要涉及低可探测性测试，包括试验新型雷达吸波涂层和机外传感器。它们是正在兴起的低可探测性综合测试工作组的核心成员，该工作组主要由TTR发起，并拥有多种先进的测试平台飞机、传感器和威胁模拟系统。但F-117的另一项任务已经发展成为更为传统的用途。

去年12月，我们率先报道了F-117假想敌支援任务的实战验证。当时有证据表明，F-117战机使用其如今广为人知的“骑士”（KNIGHT）呼号，与第64假想敌中队的F-16战机协同作战，参与了一项复杂的空战演习，该演习很可能与著名的美国空军武器学校有关。如今，除非存在某种巧合，否则这项任务显然已经转移到了规模更大的“红旗”军演中。

随后，在2020年5月，F-117战机完成了一项前所未有的壮举：它们在太平洋上空执行了一系列模拟空战任务，目标是当时正在进行部署前最深入、最复杂的联合训练的海军航母打击群。自那以后，人们经常在广袤的莫哈韦沙漠和北领地训练区（NTTR）上空发现它们的身影。它们甚至最近还在爱德华兹空军基地降落，这至少在我们所知的范围内，是自12年前退役以来的又一次首次。所有这些都让人感觉，F-117战机正在悄然重返战场。

2008年F-117退役期间拍摄的F-117编队照片，美国空军

上周，在“红旗20-3”军演（详情请点击此处阅读）达到高潮，并于8月14日星期五落下帷幕。期间，一个由四架F-117战斗机组成的编队被发现与第64假想敌中队的F-16战斗机混编飞行，从“红方”加油机处获取燃料，并参与了远距离作战演练。据称，在“红旗”军演的最后一周，还发生了多次类似的任务，卫星图像也基本证实了这一点。

8月10日至14日期间，至少有六架F-117战斗机似乎停放在托诺帕试验靶场（TTR）北侧停机坪上。据我们所知，这尚属首次。通常情况下，该基地只有两架F-117战斗机执行任务。这些飞机一般会在停机坪上停留很短时间，任务完成后便会停放在各自的机库中。在“红旗”军演的最后一周，六架“夜鹰”战斗机持续停放在停机坪上，这与过去侵略者在该秘密基地使用的类似“跑道警戒”的战术非常相似。托诺帕试验靶场之所以发展成如今的庞大基地，部分原因在于它在冷战末期曾被用作秘密转移缴获的苏联战斗机的场所。您可以在我们之前的这篇文章中了解更多关于“红鹰”计划以及托诺帕试验靶场的由来。值得注意的是，“红旗”军演的复杂性会随着演习的进行而增加，以挑战参与者，最强大的威胁往往会被安排在演习的最后一周或最后几天。

在截至8月14日的一周内，每天都有六架F-117战斗机停放在TTR机场北侧停机坪上。照片© 2020 PLANET LABS INC. 保留所有权利。经许可转载。

无论如何，F-117战机似乎已集结完毕，准备执行至少自其退役以来前所未有的作战节奏，以支援为期一周的“红旗”军演。“红旗”军演每天包括两次飞行任务，一次在中午，一次在夜间。值得注意的是，据大多数估计，当时只有四到六架F-117战机仍在服役。这表明，六架战机很可能只是最低数量，随着F-117飞行任务的增加，可能还有更多战机被重新投入使用。

这些最新进展凸显出，这支与“黑暗骑士”绰号直接相关的神秘F-117部队，除了执行低调的测试和研发任务外，还深度参与了假想敌空中支援行动。至少在装备F-35A的第65假想敌中队投入使用并承担类似但更为强大的任务之前，他们为一线飞行员提供了一种截然不同的、低可探测性的威胁模拟。

鉴于美国不再垄断隐形技术，外国的巡航导弹、战斗机甚至无人机都具备低可探测性，美国战斗机部队很快将配备新型传感器，以帮助探测、跟踪和打击雷达难以发现的目标。日益增强的网络连接和数据融合也将有助于应对隐形威胁，但必须进行相应的训练才能在实战中更好地运用这些技术。

尽管F-117并非隐身技术的尖端代表，但毫不夸张地说，它确实是一个难以对付的复杂对手，是任何战斗机飞行员或空中预警与控制雷达操作员前所未见的。考虑到美国在低可探测性技术方面仍然保持优势，F-117至少可以作为部署真正的第五代假想敌战机之前的过渡方案和权宜之计。

结合电子战和创新战术，人们可以想象F-117战机作为假想敌部队的一部分，其作战能力将有多么强大。而远逊于F-117的战机，则经常被承包商用于假想敌作战。如何将高端和低端战机巧妙地融合到强大的假想敌空中作战计划中，才是真正考验美国及其盟军战斗机飞行员能力的关键所在。

地勤人员在F-117战斗机长达25年的服役生涯中对其进行维护保养。（美国空军）

所有这些因素，以及F-117战机在研发测试中继续作为对照变量的必要性，导致了曾经被认为已经过时的F-117“夜鹰”战机出现了一种奇特的复兴，即便这种短暂的复兴可能只是昙花一现。然而，F-117假想敌战机为五角大楼日益壮大的假想敌空中力量提供了一种极其独特的资产，可以用来对抗那些很可能在实战中遭遇敌方隐形战机的飞行员。随着F-117战机被纳入本届“红旗”军演，我们很可能在不久的将来看到更多“黑战机”的身影，至少在它们彻底消失之前是如此。

联系作者：Tyler@thedrive.com

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