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Show HILLTOP TIMES TIMES March 20, 2008 Pilots reflect on the contributions the F-117 made possible including software modifications in laser-guided weapons 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs and avionics-enabled employment from higher altitudes. The RIGHT-PATTERaircraft was certified to carry SON AIR FORCE satellite-guided and hard-target BASE, Ohio — Like penetrating bombs. Since its unmost Americans, Col. Tom veiling, the Nighthawk has flown Bell experienced the spectacin every U.S. armed conflict. ular display of American air-, Lessons learned while workpower during the opening of ing with the F-117's low-obOperation Desert Storm while servable materials have been watching CNN on television. incorporated in the development "We didn't want to acknowlBrig. Gen. GREG FEEST, who flew the lead Bell was then attending the of the stealthy B-2 Spirit, F-22 edge the existence of the stealth U.S. Army's Command and GenF-117 stealth fighter into Iraq in 1991 fighter to any of our adversaries, Raptor and F-35 Lightning. eral Staff College at Fort Leavso we kept it in the black world," Bell said he'll remember the . night. two-thousand pound laser-guided enworth, Kan. An Air Force piGen. Feest said. F-117 as the airplane that "tipped • "We didn't know if it was golot, he was immersed in learning bomb onto an Iraqi interceptor the scales" from the era that By the time Bell joined the ing to work," General Feest said operations center. The weapon about Army doctrine and misprogram in 1991 to fly the F-117, measured the number of aircraft, of the black jet's stealth. "The impacted on time, on target, sions from Army officers, and the cloak of secrecy was off. needed to destroy a particular engineers all assured us that it marking the opening of the air sharing his airman's perspective Families knew exactly where target to the number of targets would." campaign. on aerospace power with them. their military members were that could be taken out by one Coming off their targets to He then headed to strike his Saddam Hussein's August going and that it was to fly and aircraft. return to their operating base on 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the second target, a sector operamaintain the F-117. "Every fighter pilot looks the Arabian Peninsula, General tions center. With the target in U.S.-led coalition's response in "My family didn't have to go Feest listened in as the F-117 atforward to flying a single-seat his jet's crosshairs, he watched January 1991 had transformed to through that great unknown of tack fleet began checking in fighter, and the F-117 was my as it recorded a direct hit. academic discussions on strat1 ( Where are you? 'What are you opportunity to do that," Bell said. egy and tactics into lively criThe F-117, at the time already refuel with an airborne tanker. Carrying a list with call signs for doing?' and Why can't you tell "It was at the leading edge of tiques as the war unfolded live 10 years old, and its "game me what you're doing?'" Bell each pilot, he started checking technology when I flew it and it on television. changing" combination of stealth said. off names. "I have tremendous remet a great mission need. and precision was being tested He extolled to fellow classspect for the families that went 'The work that Lockheed and in what was then the world's "At the end I was amazed to mates how a single-seat fighter through that." the Skunk Works did in putmost densely concentrated netsee I had a checkmark next to airplane could be employed for work of air defenses. every call sign and every pilot's There were some advantages ting this airplane together will strategic effects, or a bomber name, knowing we were all comto the Tbnopah arrangement. be heralded for many years to employed tactically. Precision "It was like flying into the ing home." Airmen were home every weekcome," he added. F-117 Nighthawk attacks on a biggest fireworks demonstration end. They couldn't run into the Both pilots said the unsung key communications node to you have ever seen," Gen. Feest After landing, every jet was office or bring work home. So heroes of the F-117 program take down Iraqi command and said reflecting on that first night inspected by maintainers for weekend time was truly family control was a good example of were Air Force maintainers, who over Iraq. "Realize, we were in evidence of battle damage. No time. the former. the heart of it. Because of the spent countless hours ensuring F-117 had been hit. The amazing delivery system we had at the milestone was repeated again stealth systems and coatings Eventually the cost, the need Now as commander of the time, we had to be down low. We the next night. were kept pristine. to begin flying during daylight Air Force ROTC Northeast fly over the AAA (anticouldn't and the requirement to train and Gen. Feest, now deputy direc-' "After about the fourth night Region at Wright-Patterson Air fly aircraft artillery), we had to fully integrate the F-117 with the tor for force applications on the we realized this stealth technolForce Base, the former F-lll rest of the Air Force's combat Pentagon's Joint Staff, agreed ogy really worked and we were Aardvark, F-117 and B-l Lancer into the heart of it." pilots, demanded the program that the F-117 program was begging to get back up into the pilot can offer to future officers Before taking off that night, be publicly acknowledged. A fly as many missions as air and another example — using B-52 remarkable in essentially going nearly all of the F-117 pilots few years later, the F-117s left we could," Gen. Feest said. Stratofortresses or B-ls in a from plans to first flight in only were leery of how well its stealth close-air-support role to strike characteristics would protect After 1,270-plus Desert Storm Tonopah to join the 49th Fighter 31 months and that it was sucWing at Holloman Air Force insurgents fighting in close prox- them from radars that would cessfully kept in the black world sorties, not one F-117 ever reBase, N.M. imity to friendly ground forces. direct thousands of Iraqi guns for so long. ceived battle damage, he said. and surface-to-air missiles. Since "I think the taxpayer got their New capabilities Secret beginnings Into the storm the Nighthawk's targets, includmoney's worth oitf of the stealth fighter/' Feest said. "I'm sad to Officials at Aeronautical From its inception in the late Brig. Gen. Greg Feest, then a ing many in downtown Baghdad, see it retire. However* it's based Systems Center at Wright Pat1970s untiHt-was publicly acwere highly defended; wing-* Inajor, saw Desert Storm from a on older, 1970's technology, and knowledged in 1988, the very ex- terson AFB oversaw a number leaders had privately prepared slightly different perspective. we possess much better capabiliof changes to enhance F-117 istence of the F-117 was known themselves for F-117 losses as Flying the lead F-117 stealth ties today." capabilities throughout its life, high as 50 percent on the first only to those directly involved fighter, his mission was to drop a BY DEREK KAUFMAN W program. "It was like flying into the biggest fire- withThethefirst Nighthawk pilots were assigned to Nellis Air works demonstration you have ever seen. Force Base, Nev., and would Realize, we were in the heart of it. Because leave their families on Monday flying aboard contract airlift to of the delivery system we had at the time, Tbnopah Airfield, Nev. There we had to be down low. We couldn't fly they flew only at night in a secret world, returning to Las Veover the AAA (anti-aircraft artillery), we gas typically midday on Friday to spend the weekend with their had to fly into the heart of it." families. SOLATUBE Innovation in Dayiighting Solatube is the brightest tubular daylightingsystem... PERIOD. Maximum Transfer Credit for your military training and experience. www.HilltopTimes.com' What are you missing? Attftdatt of Arti Dtfiir. AuoditeofAppUtd Sdmte Criminal Joule* Admatfetnibn Oraijwtiontl Softly tnd Htifth Hwltti Urc AdmjnJuiaUon - Commentary '. •-.'iv;^S|J fcUittr't D«gre«: - MSA i*^ • Around the Hill1 : ;; •;:??.; of SdtiK* Bright Concepts LLC Huroin Mifktting Hosptubw & tourism VI 7127 S. 400 W. #2» Midvale 801-566-1264 Toll Free 877-873-7652 www.brighterrooms.com •News"" '' 'l "'l'*1 • LifeTimes • MS Occupation*! 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