The stealth fighter was such an open secret by the fall of 1988, that even the air force could joke about it. At that year's Edwards Air Force Base Air Show a large area was roped off. It contained a ladder, wheel chocks, and an official display sign labeled "F-19 'Flying Frisbee.'" Of course, this was an invisible airplane, so no one could actually see it.[475]
Bringing the F-117A out of the Black would have a number of advantages. The plane could be used in Red Flag exercises and could become part of standard war planning. There were benefits for the pilots too. With daylight flights possible, the fatigue from the late hours would be lessened.
Night flights could start earlier and not have to race with the dawn. This would make the pilots' home lives easier. The problem was, ironically, that 1988 was also a presidential election year.[476]
The air force had planned to announce the F-117A's existence in early October 1988. This ran into congressional problems. Senators Sam Nunn (D-Georgia) and John Warner (R-Virginia), the chairman and ranking minority member of the Armed Services Committee, warned that any release so close to the election could be seen as using classified information for political ends (harking back to the 1980 stealth announcement). They also complained that they had not been "adequately consulted." It was argued that if Congress had funded a Black program, then Congress should be consulted in any decision to declassify the program. A congressional staffer complained,
"They can't just unilaterally release information at their insistence," and referred to the air force's "irresponsible handling" of the matter.[477]
On November 10, 1988, the announcement was made. Pentagon spokesman Dan Howard admitted that the stealth fighter did exist and that its official designation was the F-117A. He stated: "It has been operational since October 1983 and is assigned to the 4450th Tactical Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The aircraft is based at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada." The press release contained the facts that the first flight had been made in June 1981, that three had crashed, and that fifty-two had been delivered out of a total of fifty-nine ordered from Lockheed. A single photo was also released. The angular shape came as a surprise, as did the out-of-sequence "century-series" designation. The photo showed the plane in a slight turn and gave no clue as to size. (In fact, the photo had been electronically altered.) No information was given out as to the F-117A's dimensions, cost, range, or speed.[478]
Where facts were lacking, the press was quick to speculate. Three-view drawings were published, showing a plane that was shorter, with much less wing sweep than the actual F-117A. Photocopies of the drawing were handed out to F-117 pilots. Some of the pilots, "laughed so hard that they started to cry."[479] It was suggested that the plane was supersonic, and that the air speed probes might be "gun barrels."[480] U.S. News and World Report claimed it had been flown near the Soviet border on reconnaissance missions.[481]
The F-117A now began daylight flights, and the sightings also began. On April 12, 1989, ten F-117As were seen flying near Mojave, California, at about 5:30 P.M. They were heading east, flying about eight minutes apart.
Between 10:30 and 11:30 P.M. that night, another group of at least six planes was spotted flying the same route. On April 18, two similar waves of F-117As were also seen. Other sightings were made at TTR, where camera-equipped observers photographed the planes as they made takeoffs and landings.
Despite the F-117As coming out of the Black, speculation about the aircraft continued. It was reported, for example, that the F-117A had "a distinctive, although faint engine whine" — a claim that amazed Tom Morgenfeld, a Lockheed test pilot who had flown the F-117A since the early 1980s. He had "never heard anything more than the standard GE F404 engine noise."[482] Two different "sizes" of F-117AS were also reported. People began watching the skies, looking and listening for "other" Black airplanes — the ones that were still being kept secret.[483]
With the disclosure of the F-117A, the 5540th Tactical Group underwent a name change. It became the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing. This was the former designation of the F-4G Wild Weasel unit. The 4450th, 4453d, and 4452d Squadrons became the 415th "Nightstalkers," the 416th "Ghost-riders," and 417th "Bandits" Tactical Fighter Squadrons (TFS). These had been the designations of the first U.S. night-fighter squadrons during World War II.[484]
Thirteen months after it came "out of the Black," the F-117A flew its first combat mission.
PANAMA
During this time, relations with Panama were deteriorating. In early 1988, Panama's military dictator, Gen. Manuel Noriega, had been indicted by two Florida grand juries on charges of laundering drug money. He laughed off the charges and dismissed Panama's president in February.
During the May 1989 presidential election campaign, Noriega's "Dignity Battalion" goon squad beat up opposition candidate Guillermo Endara.
Endara won the election, but on October 1, Noriega prevented him from taking office. Two days later, a coup attempt was made but collapsed when loyalist Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) rescued Noriega. The coup leaders were executed the following day. On December 15, Noriega declared a state of war between the United States and Panama. The following evening, PDF soldiers killed a marine lieutenant and arrested a navy lieutenant and his wife who had witnessed the shooting. The officer was beaten and his wife was threatened with sexual abuse.[485]
In response to these events, President George Bush issued orders to invade Panama. The attack was to strike PDF forces, capture Noriega, and rescue political prisoners. One of the targets was the Battalian 2000 barracks at Rio Hato. United States Army Rangers were to be dropped at the adjoining airfield. The PDF troops would have to be neutralized before the airdrop. Army Lt. Gen. Carl W. Stiner, the XVIII Airborne Corps commander, requested F-117As be used. They would not bomb the two barracks, but rather the 2,000-pound LBGs with time-delay fuzes would be directed to aim points near the buildings. They would act as "a giant stun grenade," to confuse the PDF troops without killing them. The use of F-117As was based on their night-bombing accuracy, rather than stealth, as the PDF lacked heavy air defenses.[486]
On the night of December 19, 1989, six F-117As from the 415th TFS took off from TTR. The flight would require five in-flight refuelings. Two of the planes were targeted on Rio Hato, two more were to provide support for an attempt to capture Noriega, and the final pair were in-flight spares should any of the others suffer malfunctions.
As the planes neared Panama, the attempt to capture Noriega was called off because he was not at any of the potential targets. Two of the F-117As continued on to Rio Hato. While they were in flight, the first problem occurred. Three hours before the invasion was to start, the PDF was tipped off to the coming U.S. attack (possibly due to American press reports). By H hour, 1:00 A.M. December 20, they had already occupied the airfield.[487]
As the two F-117As approached the release point, a moment of confusion occurred that would mar their debut. The original plan was for the lead plane to drop its bomb in a field near the barracks on the left, while his wingman would drop his bomb in a field near a barracks on the right. Just before the drop, the wind direction changed. The lead pilot, Maj. Gregory A. Feest, responded by telling his wingman to switch targets with him. At the drop point, however, the lead pilot bombed his original aim point. The wingman adjusted his aim point even farther to the left, following the changed plan.[488] One bomb, intended to land about 100 yards from the 7th Company barracks, actually landed 260 yards away. This was only 18 yards from the 6th Company barracks, which was too close. The other bomb impacted near a basketball court, about 40 yards farther from the barracks than intended.[489]
475
Edwards AFB Air Show, October 23, 1988. The invisible "F-19" was not the only stealth prank at the show. Around noon, the announcer came on the public address system and said that the B-2 had just taken off from Palmdale and would soon be arriving at Edwards. A few minutes later, it was announced that the B-2 would be making a flyby. One heard the engine noise, but, again, one did not actually "see" it. The punchline came at the 1993 Edwards Air Show—
477
John D. Morrocco, "USAF Unveils Stealth Fighter; Black Weapons Probe Likely,"
478
"Air Force lifts veil on Stealth fighter squadron,"
482
Giangreco,
483
Mary Enges-Maas, "Stalking the Stealth Fighter,"
486
David F. Bond, "Six F-117As Flown in Panama Invasion; Air Force Broadens Daytime Operations,"
488
"Stealth error kept under wraps,"
489
"General didn't report Stealth flaws in Panama,"