The 2008-retired F-117 is alive and well and....

Supposedly being used as a secret stealth aggressor type for Red Flag.

So secret that two dropped into Miramar in the middle of the day yesterday.....

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGnQiSpBjTn ... _copy_link

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... -san-diego

It makes perfect sense though..

The F-22 fleet is tiny, and the F-35 units are still getting up to speed. F-117 is probably there to simulate the J-20 and/or the latest generation of Russian stealthy cruise missiles. The SU-57... frankly, I don't think they're very concerned about simulating something with a RCS the size of a Super Hornet.

F-117 can't simulate J-20 nor Su-57. It is subsonic with awful agility.

Using F-22 with some reflectors to mimic estimated J-20/Su-57 RCS is lot more logical.

F-117 can't simulate J-20 nor Su-57. It is subsonic with awful agility.

Using F-22 with some reflectors to mimic estimated J-20/Su-57 RCS is lot more logical.

They aren't doing BFM, so the F-117s kinematics are irrelevant.

F-117 can't simulate J-20 nor Su-57. It is subsonic with awful agility.

Using F-22 with some reflectors to mimic estimated J-20/Su-57 RCS is lot more logical.

They aren't doing BFM, so the F-117s kinematics are irrelevant.

THIS...

Last I heard they were doing some offshore work in the Pacific, undoubtedly simulating attacks on our carrier battle groups. What they're doing inland though, is anyone's guess. BVR stuff, I'd imagine.

F-117 can't simulate J-20 nor Su-57. It is subsonic with awful agility.

Using F-22 with some reflectors to mimic estimated J-20/Su-57 RCS is lot more logical.

I wouldn't be surprised if the J-20 and F-117 have similar agility.

J-20 doesn't look too bad at an airshow whereas the F-117 airshow is in line with its flight manual - which means anything outside of roll rate comparison forget it!