Nighthawk by Thierry Thompson

High above Area 51, the Lockheed “Skunkworks” in California started development of this aircraft in 1978 with the first flight in 1981. Proof of the pudding for stealth technology came during the F-117A’s second combat deployment on 19 August 1990 when the 37 Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) Tonopah, Nevada deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield. The deployment transformed into Operation Desert Storm with combat operations against Iraq from 16 January to 28 February 1991.