The unique design of the single-seat F-117A provides exceptional combat capabilities. About the size of an F-15 Eagle, the twin-engine aircraft is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines and has quadruple redundant fly-by-wire flight controls.
The F-117A can employ a variety of weapons and is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems integrated into a digital avionics suite that increases mission effectiveness and reduces pilot workload.
The surfaces and edge profiles are optimised to reflect hostile radar into narrow beam signals, directed away from the enemy radar detector. All the doors and opening panels on the aircraft have saw-toothed forward and trailing edges to reflect radar. The aircraft is mainly constructed of aluminum, with titanium for areas of the engine and exhaust systems. The outer surface of the aircraft is coated with a radar-absorbent material (RAM). The radar cross-section of the F-117 has been estimated at between 10-100cm2.
The F-117A has four elevons on the inboard and outboard trailing edge of the wing. The V-shaped tail, which controls the yaw of the aircraft, acts as a flying tail, which means that the whole surface acts as a control surface. The elevons do not act as flaps to reduce the rate of descent for touchdown, so the landing speed of the F-117A is high, at about 180 or 190 miles per hour, and a drag parachute is used.
Primary Function: Attack
Contractor: Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Co.
Crew: One
Unit Cost:$122 million
Powerplant
Two General Electric F404-GE-F1D2 non-afterburning turbofan engines (10,800 lb (48.04 kN) each)
Dimensions
Length: 65 feet, 11 inches (20.3 meters)
Wingspan: 43 feet, 4 inches (13.3 meters)
Height: 12 feet, 5 inches (3.8 meters)
Weights
Empty: 30,000 lb (13,608 kg)
Maximum Takeoff: 52,500 pounds (23,625 kilograms)
Performance
Speed: High Subsonic
Ceiling: N/A
Range: Unlimited with air refueling
Armament
Internal weapons carriage
Two each of:
2 MK84 2000-pound
2 GBU-10 Paveway II
2 GBU-12 Paveway II
2 GBU-27 Paveway III
2 BLU 109
2 WCMD