The Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk, though long-since officially retired, still conjures the imagination, given its secretive nature and storied combat history as the world’s first true ‘stealth’ combat aircraft. While there are persistent rumors of a handful of the type still serving in secret as test airframes, most surviving examples are still mothballed in semi-dismantled storage, far from public view. Of the four Nighthawks currently on display, all are pre-preoduction YF-117s, which never saw combat. However, that is soon to change according to a press release from Lockheed Martin. F-117A 82-0803 will soon go on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. This airframe reportedly flew 78 combat missions, more than any other examples of the breed…
PRESS RELEASE – Lockheed Martin and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute are partnering on a permanent static display for the F-117 Nighthawk that bears the nickname Unexpected Guest. The display will be debuted at a ribbon cutting ceremony during the Reagan National Defense Forum on Dec. 7.
The joint project referred to as Operation Nighthawk Landing was made possible by a permanent loan to the Reagan Foundation from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. To support the Air Force in their loan, the Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works is restoring the aircraft in preparation for its permanent exhibition at the Reagan Library. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is the nonprofit organization created by President Reagan himself and specifically charged by him with continuing his legacy and sharing his principles – individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy and national pride. The Foundation is a non-partisan organization which sustains the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, CA, the Reagan Center for Public Affairs, the Presidential Learning Center, The Air Force One Pavilion and the award-winning Discovery Center, as well as the Reagan Institute, which carries out the Foundation’s work in Washington, D.C. The Reagan Library houses over 55 million pages of Gubernatorial, Presidential and personal papers and over 60,000 gifts and artifacts chronicling the lives of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It also serves as the final resting place of America’s 40th President and his First Lady. www.reaganfoundation.org
“The F-117 Nighthawk reminds us of our country’s ability to rapidly develop disruptive technology critical to national security,” said Michele Evans, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. “Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with the Air Force and the Reagan Foundation to install a permanent symbol of American innovation at the Reagan Library for all to see.”
F-117 #803’s nickname Unexpected Guest alludes to the extreme secrecy that surrounded the F-117 Nighthawk program as well as the stealth aircraft’s ability to go undetected by enemy radar. This fitting nickname was inspired by the 1982 heavy metal album “Unexpected Guest” by the band Demon.
Developed in complete secrecy by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the F-117 was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. Deemed impossible, it is a tangible reminder of what can be achieved through teamwork, passion and determination.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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