Historic F-117A Nighthawk Takes To The Skies For One Last Time

While it's common for the United States to fly stealth aircraft in the 21st century, the technology dates back to the first stealth-capable plane: the F-117A Nighthawk. Often called a stealth fighter, the F-117A was an attack aircraft that took years to produce, as its design dates back to the 1970s. It entered the U.S. Air Force (USAF) inventory in 1983 and was used in various combat operations, including the U.S. invasion of Panama, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Noble Anvil, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The USAF retired the F-117A in 2008, replacing it with the F-22 Raptor, but not all were mothballed. Despite the platform's retirement, several F-117As remained in operational status for research, training, and testing, and one was spotted flying over Rainbow Canyon, California, in 2019. Now, nearly two decades after the USAF officially retired the F-117A, one stealth attack aircraft took to the skies for its final flight aboard the cargo hold of a C-5M Super Galaxy. It's being flown to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Once it arrives, the F-117A will join the museum's permanent collection, allowing visitors from around the world to marvel at its unusual angular shape. The USAF has disposed of around four F-117As since the aircraft was grounded, and as of January 2021, the service retained around 48 in its inventory. The process of dematerializing the aircraft is complex, so not many have been converted for museum displays. This latest aircraft is one of a handful on display to the public at museums around the country.

On September 14, 2026, the Smithsonian took possession of the aircraft, which has been dubbed "The Overachiever" for its combat record. It earned that title for being the only F-117A to fly in every major military operation that the stealth attack aircraft participated in: Operations Just Cause, Desert Storm, Allied Force, and Iraqi Freedom. It flew 1,271 sorties during Operation Desert Storm, where it achieved an 80% mission success rate. It received no damage during its combat operations, and the USAF retired it in 2007.

Now that the aircraft is in the hands of the Smithsonian, it will be prepared for display, which is scheduled for late October 2026. Typically, it takes a great deal of restoration to make an aircraft like the F-117A ready for viewing, but that work, if it was needed, was taken care of prior to its loading onto a C-5 Galaxy. Of the aircraft, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum, Chris Browne, said, "The revolutionary F-117 gave military commanders options they never had before."

He added, "The Nighthawk could be the tip of the spear, taking out enemy defenses before they knew what hit them, or it could destroy selective strategic targets, helping achieve objectives with unmatched precision. Adding this breakthrough aircraft to the national collection will ensure generations to come know its amazing story." At its new home, The Overachiever is expected to be seen by more than a million annual visitors at the Smithsonian's facility in Chantilly, Virginia, which is a separate location from the main National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Washington, D.C.