--- title: "F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska" description: "The F-117 Nighthawks — officially retired 15 years ago — [continue to expand their reach]() in the adversary support and test and evaluation role as participants in Northern Edge 2023 (NE23) up in Alaska. We first heard that F-117s were…" date: "2023-05-22" modified: "2023-05-22" authors: - name: "Tyler Rogoway" job_title: "Editor-in-Chief" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway" url: "https://www.twz.com/f-117-nighthawks-soar-over-alaska" categories: - "Air" - "Air Combat Exercises" - "Air Forces" - "Americas" - "Around The Globe" - "Attack" - "F-117" - "Flight Training" - "News & Features" - "Northern Edge" - "Stealth" - "U.S. Air Force" - "U.S. Homeland" --- # F-117 Nighthawks Soar Over Alaska ![F-117 Alaska]() *U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan* The F-117 Nighthawks — officially retired 15 years ago — [continue to expand their reach]() in the adversary support and test and evaluation role as participants in Northern Edge 2023 (NE23) up in Alaska. We first heard that F-117s were players in Northern Edge — the Pentagon's massive test and training exercise that occurs in Alaska — last week. A pair of them had been operating out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. https://twitter.com/Aviation\_Intel/status/1659748049571414016?s=20 Now the Air Force has officially publicized their involvement with a set of great images of the 'Black Jets' in action. ![]() *A U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawk lands during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 10, 2023. Northern Edge 23-1 provides an opportunity for joint, multinational and multi-domain operations designed to implement high-end, realistic war fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)* ![]() *Two U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawks escorted by a F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 42nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, New Mexico, prepare to land during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 10, 2023. Northern Edge 23-1 provides an opportunity for joint, multinational and multi-domain operations designed to implement high-end, realistic war fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Shelimar Rivera Rosado)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Shelimar Rivera Rosado)* ![]() *(U.S. Air Force photo by Sheila deVera)* ![]() *A U.S. Air Force F-117 Nighthawk lands at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska during Northern Edge 23-1, May 10, 2023. NE 23-1 provides an opportunity for joint, multinational and multi-domain operations designed to implement high-end, realistic war fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sheila deVera)* Northern Edge focuses on inter-operational capabilities, especially when it comes to [communications and data-sharing](), as [well as testing new technologies]() and [concepts of operation](). It also serves as an advanced large force employment (LFE) training event that includes international participants. It does all this in a realistic wartime-like training environment with an expansive set of assets at sea, on land, in the air, and in space. The training area alone sets NE apart from most other large-scale exercises. The Joint Pacific Range Complex (JPARC) [provides massive and complex range areas]() that [dwarf those in the lower 48 states](). ![]() *A U.S. Navy EA-18G “Growler” assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9) (front) and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning assigned Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), receives fuel from a Royal Air Force KC-30 Voyager during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 9, 2023. Northern Edge 23-1 will provide an opportunity for joint, multinational and multi-domain operations designed to implement high-end, realistic war fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Shelimar Rivera Rosado)* ![]() *A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, takes off from the flightline during Northern Edge 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 8, 2023. Northern Edge 23-1 provides an opportunity for joint, multinational and multi-domain operations designed to implement high-end, realistic war fighter training, develop and improve joint interoperability, and enhance the combat readiness of participating forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Shelimar Rivera Rosado)* The F-117s have been [expanding their coverage area](), and their public profile, in recent years. Starting in 2021, *The War Zone* [was the first to report]() that the original stealth jets can once again be refueled by any KC-135 tanker, making long-range transits more plausible. Still, beyond [unsupported rumors,]() this is the first time we know of them venturing outside the lower 48 states since retirement. As we have stated for a decade now, the F-117s work as [low-observable (stealthy) aggressors]() and for [research and development work](). Their unique signature, both RF and IR, is a very well-studied control variable to test against new coatings, sensors, and other technologies. The Nighthawks will continue fulfilling this niche mission set [for at least another decade](). Considering NE is a hybrid test and training event that is extremely complex and pulls together assets from across the globe, including testbed aircraft and those from the test and tactics development communities, the F-117 would seem to be a good participant for it. They would be especially useful to augment the [18th Aggressor Squadron that calls Eilson AFB]() in Alaska home, and prove to be uniquely challenging targets for new sensor and networking capabilities to be trialed against. In the limited number of images we have of the F-117s, they are wearing their radar reflectors (the diamond-like protrusions bolted onto their sides). It's likely they were removed for sorties where their unique low-observable radar signature was necessary. The reflectors are also standard for long transits so that the F-117s can be seen on air traffic control radars. ![]() *F-117's faceted radar reflectors. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sheila deVera)* Speaking of testbed jets, the top photo in this article shows Raytheon's 727 testbed aircraft in the background. It is a prized asset that is used for sensor and communications development, with its F-15 nose radome, large reconfigurable ventral gondola, and optional side 'cheek' fairings hosting various developmental technologies. You can read all about this fascinating jet in [our previous feature on it here](). It's truly remarkable to see these iconic aircraft operating in Alaska after all these years. *Contact the author: [tyler@thedrive.com]()* ## Author Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, as well as foreign policy, and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense and national security space. Tyler was the creator of the hugely popular defense site *Foxtrot Alpha* before developing *TWZ*, which he continues to lead as the Editor-In-Chief to this day. ### Author social links [Twitter]()