Nighthawks President, Stealth Fighter Association · newsletter hits the internet. Please remember,...

I have asked Mr. Kent Burns, a longtime F-117 Program member, to be our sponsorship chairman to solicit donations from our generous sponsors. Kent has graciously accepted my request and is diligently assembling a team to work this monumental task. Remember June 22 through June 24, 2007 are the dates selected for our 25th

anniversary reunion. Our location has yet to be selected but we should have a location by the time our December newsletter hits the internet. Please remember, with this newsletter you now have an email address for everyone to send their comments and thoughts to us for review. The Letters to the Editors is there for you to express your thoughts and ideas. One of the lessons learned at the last reunion was we had grossly underestimated the number of volunteers required to execute an event of this magnitude. We are looking for volunteers for every committee of this reunion. If you have questions about it either email or write us a letter. Make sure you include a return address if you are sending by mail. Regards, Dave Wells President, Stealth Fighter Association

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Volume 2 Issue 1

July, 2004

Article Page Article Page

President’s Corner 1 In Memoriam 7 SFA Board News 2 Holloman News 8-12 F-117 Program 3 Program Awards 13 Flight Test 4 Join The SFA 14 Blast From The Past 5-7 WEB Site Info 14

Inside This Issue

As I ponder the reunion events of 2002, I wonder where the past two years have gone and what the future will bring, and then anxiety sets in as I realize we only have three years before the 25 year anniversary reunion. The 20 year reunion was a first for a number of the reunion staff including myself. I now understand what they mean by ignorance is bliss. After the last reunion we received some feedback from our members the cost of the events were too high. Since that time we have had a chance to observe numerous other reunions, and we found that the cost of our 20th was a great deal less expensive than all of the others we have observed. One of the reunions had a registration fee of $25.00 per person, $65.00 for the cocktail party and $75.00 for the banquet; and I won’t even mention the golf prices. Another reunion had an $85.00 charge for the banquet. Rooms for their weekend were $169.00, and it was not at Caesars. So all in all I would say we faired quite well. Some personnel would rather see our festivities at a lesser facility thus allow-ing for a reduced rate for this reunion but I disagree. This program has always been a first class operation, and I will not settle for anything less on my watch.

President’s Corner

SFA Board Of Directors

Dave Wells President Art Weyermuller Vice President Sherrie Laveaux Secretary/Treasurer Mike Harris Board Member Doug Robinson Board Member

2002-2007

Nighthawk Newsletter Team

Editors Jay Tweed, SFA Director of Communications, Ginny Nightingale, Joe Homisak, Jan Gould Web Site Keith Pedersen, SFA Web Master Graphics Dave Walker

Contact us F-117 Stealth Fighter Association

43629 37th Street West Lancaster, CA 93536-6331

Email: [email protected] Web: www.f117.org

Air Shows The Current F-117 Air Show schedule can be found at http://www2.acc.af.mil/airdemo/

The annual Stealth Fighter Association Board meeting was held in Las Vegas, NV on 21 May 2004. In attendance were SFA Board Members Dave Wells - President, Art Weyermuller - Vice President, Sherrie Laveaux - Secretary / Treasurer, Doug Robinson - Board Member, Jay Tweed - SFA Communications Director and Dave Walker - SFA Graphic Arts Director. Board Member Mike Harris missed the meeting due to surgery on May 19th. Mike’s surgery went well with no complications; we wish him a speedy and complete recovery. Dave Wells presented the meeting agenda. Sherrie Laveaux presented the current financial status, and reviewed the Articles of Incorporation and

Bylaws of the Stealth Fighter Association, Inc. Jay Tweed presented current SFA membership statistics, and reviewed a draft of the July 2004 Nighthawk Newsletter. It was proposed to add a new section to the newsletter, “Letters to the Editor.” We look forward to your input. Please send your comments via email to: [email protected] or the Postal mail address below. Dave Walker presented logo and theme suggestions for the 2007 Reunion. Items pertaining to the 2007 Reunion discussed were possible sponsor opportunities and potential locations. June 22nd thru June 24th were selected as the best available dates for the 2007 reunion, so mark your calendars and join us for a great weekend.

SFA Board Meeting

The long awaited Video of the 2002 reunion is now available in limited quantities. Excerpts from the video are available online at the SFA Web Site: www.f117.org. The one hour long video contains footage of the 2002 Reunion Banquet opening by Master of Ceremonies Brigadier General (Ret.) Bill Lake, and with guest speaker Supreme Allied Commander NATO General Joseph W. Ralston’s outstanding presentation, SFA President Col. (Ret.) Michael W. Harris and many of the attendees. The opening sequence contains shots of never before released F-117 in-flight footage accompanied by the sound track of Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless The USA.” Limited quantities of the video are available in either VHS or DVD format. For more information, please contact us.

2002 Reunion Video

First Page Next Page Previous Page V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 1

Gus Villanueva is the F-117 program director for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company – Palmdale. The F-117 is the first operational aircraft to exploit low observable stealth technology. In this position, he leads the operations of the F-117

Program to ensure successful achievement of program contractual commitments and customer satisfaction. He enforces and executes program strategies and actions, and communicates and interfaces with LM Aero and F-117 customer senior management to ensure overall program performance. Mr. Villanueva was appointed to his current position in May 2002. Previously, he was the director for air vehicle modification and maintenance and aero structures integrator for the F-117 program. Prior to that he served as senior manager for F-117 supply support. Mr. Villanueva has worked for Lockheed Martin for over twenty years. After joining Lockheed Martin in

Burbank, California, in September 1980, he worked as a riveter on the F-117 program. Since then, he has held progressively more responsible management positions, primarily on the F-117 Program. These positions include: structures supervisor, assembly department manager, and manufacturing program manager. He obtained a bachelor of science degree in business management in 1998 from the University of Phoenix and a masters degree in business administration from Pepperdine University in 2001. In 2002, Mr. Villanueva received the Lockheed Martin Leadership Association Manager of the Year Award. In May 2003, the F-117 program was awarded the Shingo Prize for excellence in manufacturing under the direction of Mr. Villanueva. Gus was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Puerto Rico. He currently resides in Palmdale, California, with his wife Cecilia. They have two children, Alex and Julia, and two grandsons, Angel and Martin. He enjoys home improvement projects, travel, music, art and reading.

Program Leadership

F-117 Program F-117 Retirement Proposal Expected To Draw Hill Scrutiny (Posted: Aerospace Daily, Feb. 10, 2004) The U.S. Air Force’s plan to retire about a fifth of its Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighters is expected to draw scrutiny in Congress. The Air Force, which is proposing the reduction as part of its recently released fiscal 2005 budget request, estimates that retiring 10 of its 52 F-117s would save $73.6 million, which would be freed for other priorities. The service insisted, in a statement, that it would retain sufficient stealthy, precision strike capability with the remaining F-117s, as well as the B-2 bomber and the planned procurement of the F/A-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). But some lawmakers are questioning whether the Air Force can really afford to make such a cut in the F-117 fleet, which is based at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., and which has been used in several conflicts over the past decade and a half, including both wars with Iraq. “I really want to see the justifications for the reduction in F-117 stealth fighters at Holloman,” said

Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel. The F-117 proposal is one of several Air Force aircraft retirement plans that will likely receive close attention on Capitol Hill. The Air Force is seeking to shrink its KC-135E tanker fleet by 68 aircraft, including 41 in FY’05, but Congress has questioned whether such a reduction should be made before the Defense Department decides whether to acquire new tankers (DAILY, Jan. 20). The Air Force also wants to retire 18 B-52 bombers, but Congress has rejected similar proposals in the past. The Air Force’s FY’05 budget request also seeks to retire five EC-130E’s, sixty one T-37B’s, six C-141B’s, nine C-141C’s, six C-5A’s, four C-9’s and one T-43. Portion of F-117 Retirement Reflects The Platform’s Small Proportion In Strike Packages Defense Daily, Feb. 23, 2004 By Lorenzo Cortes ORLANDO, Fla.--The Air Force’s decision to retire a portion of its fleet of Lockheed Martin [LMT]

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Aviation Week & Space Technology Feb. 9, 2004 The F-117 is being upgraded to deliver inertial / GPS guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions, with testing of new Block 2 weapons system software, scheduled to begin in May. The first F-117/JDAM separation tests were flown on Jan. 21 by Lt. Col Jim Bierstine, 410th Flight Test Squadron Commander, who dropped two inert versions of the 2,000 lb weapon from a test bed

F-117 Nighthawk at Edwards AFB, Calif. The aircraft released both a GBU-31(v) 1/B, a JDAM guidance kit strapped to a Mk. 84 fragmentation bomb and a GBU-31(v) 3/B, which adds the JDAM kit to a BLU-109 hardened target penetrator. Three more single release separation flights are planned for each JDAM version. JDAM capable F-117s equipped with Block 2 software are scheduled to be fully operational in early 2006.

Flight Test

F-117 Program (Continued) (Continued from page 3)

F-117 Nighthawk stealth strike aircraft reflects the service’s minimal use of the inventory, according to Air Combat Command (ACC) chief Gen. Hal Hornburg. “It’s a very useful platform,” Hornburg said during the Air Force Association’s symposium here recently. “But I would ask you to go back to every scenario in any war since the first time we used those, and I believe we first used them in Panama, what numbers did we use? Even go back to Desert Storm, we didn’t use all the F-117s that we had.” The Air Force currently has 51 F-117s in its inventory. Hornburg said the number of F-117s typically deployed for missions range between six and eight, perhaps as many as a full squadron, but usually not more than that. “And the way that we use the F-117 now in concert with the B-2 and more survivable systems, lead us to believe that we don’t need the numbers of F-117s that we presently have,” Hornburg added. “And then if we balance that with the service life of the F-117, and that it takes more and more and more to keep the same number of airplanes, it looks like there’s a knee in the curve for a capability tradeoff.” Operational since 1983, the F-117s serve in the 49th Fighter Wing, based at Holloman AFB, N.M. Two squadrons within the 49th, the 8th Fighter Squadron and the 9th Fighter Squadron, comprise the Air Force’s sole F-117 units. The F-117 made its combat debut during Operation Just Cause in 1989 in Panama. Thirty-six F-117s were used against targets during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, accounting for 2.5 percent of the coalition force of nearly 2,000 aircraft. However, they flew 1,400 missions in that

operation without being illuminated by enemy radar. Between Desert Storm and Operation Allied Force in 1999, the F-117 was upgraded through the Offensive Combat Improvement Program (OCIP). OCIP involved the addition of improved avionics suites that upgrade displays and infrared for tracking and targeting and the automation of certain pilot responsibilities (Defense Daily, Sept. 16, 1996). On March 27, 1999, during Allied Force against Serb forces in Kosovo, a Serb-operated SA-3 surface-to-air missile (SAM) battery shot down an F-117, which had increased its visibility profile when its weapons bay doors were open as it passed in front of the SA-3’s low-frequency wave radar (Defense Daily, Apr 2, 1999). F-117s equipped with EGBU-27 Enhanced Paveway III (EP3) laser-guided/GPS/INS bombs produced by Raytheon [RTN] opened coalition strikes in Operation Iraqi Freedom last year, targeting Saddam Hussein (Defense Daily, Mar 21). Hornburg also acknowledged that as the F/A-22 fighter, produced by Lockheed Martin, becomes operational, it could become possible to deploy F-117s in daylight operations because the Air Force will have an effective means of protecting the aircraft. “Before we couldn’t protect them during the day,” he said. “Now we believe that we see a way with the F/A-22 to do so.” Savings for retiring the air-craft over the next five years could range to $25 million over five years based on some assessments. Hornburg could not verify that number, but did add that $25 million was not “chump change.” He also said the retired aircraft could remain at Holloman for use for either spare parts or for training, but no definitive solution has been decided.

V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 1

selection program, which in itself was somewhat different. We had special selection rights when it came to personnel manning. Records were pulled by the Military Personnel Center, reviewed by 4450th senior supervisors, and the people were then personally interviewed. As I recall, I was interviewed in the parking lot of the Will Rogers Airport at Oklahoma City. I was in a joint service position as the Director of Ammunition Operations at the McAlester

Army Ammunition Plant. I met LTC Robin Wohnsigl and MSgt Charlie Nance and went out to my car for the interview. My interview went much like the one that follows, which is a quote from SMsgt Dee Kennedy. “I was interviewed by Chief Roy Reece while I was stationed at McDill AFB. He could only tell me that there was a lot of travel and that they needed my type of skills to establish the initial cadre of people in a new unit.

No mention of what we were to do, or where we were to be assigned. I remember that it was shortly after the failed Iran hostage rescue attempt, and my thoughts ran along the lines of another rescue effort. Yes, scared and somewhat reluctant, I volunteered to take the assignment.” I believe the majority of the people assigned to the program in the first five years had a similar interview experience. There is nothing like the experience of jumping into dark deep waters without a clue. Once we were committed and briefed on the program, pure pride in what we were involved in would not let us fail or fall short of the objectives. I agree with Dee when he said, “Personal and family sacrifices were equally shared by every member and I would estimate that 99% handled it successfully.” The late Col. Jim Allen, 4450th/CC, was walking through the Component Repair Squadron shops around 0300 hours one morning and encountered SMS Ron Brabeck. Ron was known for the long hours he spent in the shops. Col Allen asked Ron, “What makes you so dedicated?” Ron answered, “Sir, you folks told me when I came on board that this program was as important to the 1990’s as the Manhattan Project was to the 1940’s, and Colonel, I don’t want to be

Continued on

The Wrench Bender’s Tales and History Written by Colonel. Doug Robinson (retired) the third 4450th TAC Gp DCM

INTRODUCTION I believe the date was September 14, 1982. That was the night of “A Significant Event,” the words inscribed on so many plaques for so long. That event was the arrival of the first F-117 at Tonopah Airfield. I had signed into the 4450th Tactical Group just nine days earlier as the Assistant Deputy Commander for Maintenance to the then DCM, LTC Robin Wohnsigl. Robin was the second DCM, and served until December 1984. The first was Maj. Phil Duell. Phil’s world involved getting the early phases of the A-7 program started and the F-117 maintenance concepts formulated. His early departure from the program thrust Major Jim Garlitz into the acting DCM role until Robin came on board. Many events occurred during my 5 1/2 years in the 4450th and I may write in generalities, as those events are some 20 years in the past. The night that first F-117 landed at Tonopah, code named PS-66, was a significant event as it signaled the end of the preparation of that airfield and the beginning of operations there. Several hundred people were already on board in the maintenance complex and were in training either at the factory or in class at PS-66. The A-7 operation was in full swing at Nellis AFB and was providing a visible reason for the 4450th to exist. Capt. Lou Gum and Msgt Terry Cobb were running the Maintenance Squadron, and were making their impact on Nellis, to say the least! Under the purpose of advanced avionics testing, the A-7s were establishing a foot print for the 4450th that marked us as somewhat of a “special” organization. The “Klingon Cloaking Device,” which I will discuss later, only expanded the mystery of the unit. To Nellis we seemed to have unlimited resources, as we also whipped every other unit on base in the intramural sports program. I realized soon after my arrival that the 4450th was full of special people. I might as well say it up front to set the stage for what follows. I have never seen an organization with so many dedicated people. I suppose that was the result of the personnel

Blast From the Past

Page 5 N IG H TH A W K S

did the Skunk Works King or Queen Air aircraft arrive where parts weren’t on board. I will leave the stories of how the supply system worked up to Col. Pete Stauder, Major Ed Robinson, or Chief John Malone in another newsletter. Our maintenance training organization was one any DCM would be proud to own. When that first F-117 landed on September 14th, it was immediately rolled into the training bay and did not get a chance to fly again until we got another one in January 1983. For four

months, everyone trained on that first jet. We had about eight military trainers and nine civilian instructors on contract from Lockheed. We had no support from the Air Training Command or Training Detachment due to program security. During the next five years we would pioneer training concepts that would evolve into com-puter based self-paced study on several systems. Keep in mind that our fastest PC ran at a “lightning” fast processor speed of 66 MHz and a 1.2 GHz processor was well beyond our dreams. I think the philosophy that

made our maintenance organization so superior was in part due to the three “T’s” and an “A” approach to management that I learned from Robin Wohnsigl. We felt that if maintenance training and all supervisors watched and addressed the three “T’s” and an “A” we would build an organization second to none. We felt that supervisors needed to ensure that everyone got the proper quantity and quality of “Training,” were provided the correct “Tools” needed to do the job, were given enough “Time” to do the job correctly, and were assisted in developing the proper “Attitude,” then we would succeed. I think the record speaks for itself.

FLYING BEGINS AT PS-66 Four months after it arrived at Tonopah airfield, the first-on-the ground F-117 was ready to fly again. We had a second aircraft to use as a maintenance trainer, and amid much fanfare and I must admit “speculation” we made a successful and on-time launch of the first F-117 sortie flown from PS-66 in January 1983. It was almost like walking on thin ice. Everything was checked and double-checked by the


(Continued from page 5)

guilty of screwing it up.” That attitude reflected the absolute dedication of our people. I do not remember having anyone in the F-117 maintenance complex below the grade of E-4 or less than a 5 level Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) skill. That contributed to an older, more experienced, and skilled workforce. I should point out that most new aircraft are introduced to the operational units after the units have had the preparatory support of the Major Command and Numbered Air Force staffs. Well, in our case it was the DCM and his staff that did all those functions, such as the preparation of maintenance policy, identifying peculiar require-ments, validating technical data, working with our supply folks to establish anticipated levels of parts, and the lead-the-fleet engine program. We had no higher headquarter oversight assistance other than a liaison officer and a senior level civilian on the TAC staff that were program briefed. For those of you that remember the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept, and the process improvement teams, we were working under those concepts nine years before TQM really hit the streets. Early hands-on, by those that had to do the job in the 4450th, let us team with our supporting depot, the Lockheed plant personnel, and be able to safely take the direct and aggressive approach to getting set up and getting the jobs done. The maintenance concepts were based on 2 1/2 levels of maintenance, and for the most part this probably holds true today. The levels were Organizational, Limited intermediate and Depot. This concept reduced the total number of spares required in the “pipeline.” Our limited “I” level of repair was also made possible by the closeness of our USAF depot in California, and the direct level of support from the factory in Burbank. We did not have an Equipment Maintenance Squadron (EMS). We split some of the functions normally in that squadron, into the Air Generation Squadron (AGS), commanded by Major Jim Garlitz, and Component Repair Squadron (CRS), commanded by Major Gary Kelly. With a limited number of “spares,” we looked forward to the arrival on Wednesday of the logistics supply truck. Seldom

Blast From the Past (Continued)


the next step in the checklist required them to be, and which fire extinguisher to go for if a fire broke out. When the pilot was in the cockpit and ready, we got permission from the command post to turn off the lights and open the doors. This permission was only granted after it was sufficiently dark outside and all security parameters had been met and confirmed. We were always conscious that with too much light, one with the right equipment could see into our hangars from miles away. In the next issue I will reminisce about how we did mil-power engine runs in the hangar, passed an ORI, practiced operational evaluations under simulated wartime conditions in M-3 butyl rubber chemical gear, deployed, and did other things that would have given the average DCM and Safety Officer gray hair or worse. To be continued...


maintenance training class that launched the sortie that night. With no aircraft prototype or test program to “proof” our technical data, we were also validating tech data tasks as we started operational flying. The security requirements of the program forced our flying operations into a nighttime-only mode, and this meant many of our pre-launch and launch tasks had to be done in darkness and under blackout conditions, after the hangar doors were opened. This came at a time when the rest of the CONUS tactical air force was installing giant ball field lights for ramp lighting, and we had to train people to work in the dark. Our launch crews were trained to the precision level of nuclear weapons load crews. In the dark, with only a small flashlight permitted, the launch crews had to know where each other were under the aircraft, where

Blast From the Past (Continued)

Jimmy Carter Died Dec. 25, 2003 in Hawaii, after fighting off cancer for the last ten years. James (“Jim”) Carter’s last Lockheed assignment was Deputy Program Manager for the U-2 Program at

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, CA. Jim joined the Skunk Works in 1980 as a manufacturing Supervisor and was assigned increasingly responsible positions on the F-117 program, moving from Manufacturing to Avionics Engineering, then to Project Management and, finally, to Logistics Support as Division Manager of Field Support. Jim lead the F-117 Total System Performance Responsibility (TSPR) initiative and was focal point for all F-117 TSPR implementation and transition activity. He joined the U-2 program as

Senior Project Manager at the U-2 depot in August 1998, heading Power/EMI development, modification as well as other projects. Jim had accumulated a total of forty-one years of aviation experience and was a College, Naval Electrical/Avionics A, B, AVB and P-3 Flight Engineer graduate. He retired from the U.S. Navy after a twenty-three year career. Job duties included Weapons System Integration Specialist and Flight Crew Member on P3A/B/C, NP3B, EC121K/J and P2V-5/7 series aircraft. From 1956 to retirement in 1980, Jim accumulated 15,000+ flight hours. Jim was married to the former Stella Mae Hing. They have one daughter, Terri, and three sons, James, Jeffrey and J. Scott. Jim retired from Lockheed in February 2003 and moved to Hawaii with Stella. He will be missed by all that knew him.

In Memoriam

Ben McAvoy Died May 14, 2004 in Phoenix, AZ. A s a L o c k h e e d Te c h n i c a l Representative for more than 30 years, he saw the F-104 aircraft through initial testing at Edwards AFB, spent

time at George AFB, including two deployments to South East Asia (SEA) (Danang in 1965 and Udornin in 1967), with the Puerto Rico ANG, West German Air Force and other NATO Air Forces in USAFE, the

F-104 training program at Luke AFB and even with civilian owners who are still flying the Starfighter. He joined the F-117 Stealth Fighter program in June 1983 as a Field Service Representative (FSR) and served in that capacity until his retirement from Lockheed on December 31, 1987. At Ben’s request, he was cremated and his ashes will be spread from an F-104. There were no services, but an old fashioned wake was to be held in his home in Phoenix, AZ.

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Holloman Sunburst, Jan. 23, 2004 CREW CHIEF’S ACTION SAVES JET ENGINE Lt. Col. Skip Hinman 49th Fighter Wing Safety Chief A Holloman crew chief’s initiative possibly saved a pilot and an F-117 Nighthawk. It began like any other aircraft launch. The crew chief visited with the pilot as he helped him strap into the cockpit. The pilot set switches in the cockpit and the crew chief prepared the jet for engine start. All indications were normal following engine start and the pilot readied the aircraft for taxi. Senior Airman John Sablotny, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, performed his final walk around prior to marshalling the aircraft. Although not a required or commonly practiced procedure for aircraft launch, Airman Sablotny made it a habit to check inside the engine access panel for potential engine abnormalities prior to taxi.

As Airman Sablotny opened the panel on this particular night, he found the nut on the oil tank support arm was loose. The unsecured support arm was repeatedly contacting the power takeoff shaft, a critical component of the rotating engine, causing substantial damage in just five minutes at idle power. He immediately communicated the malfunction to the pilot who shutdown the engine and aborted the aircraft. Technicians estimate the engine would have failed in 30 to 45 minutes. His discovery was approximately 25 minutes prior to takeoff. Airman Sablotny takes proactive initiatives that avert potentially serious mishaps before they occur. In this case, it’s very likely his efforts prevented a catastrophic engine failure that may have required a heroic save in the air. In fact, his positive action broke the chain of events that may have been leading to the loss of an aircraft and possibly an F-117 pilot.

Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. (AFPN) 12/9/2003 A NIGHTHAWK IN RAPTOR’S CLOTHING It took 10 gallons of dark gray paint, 5 1/2 gallons of light gray paint and 3 gallons of silicon paint to give one F-117 Nighthawk, below, an F/A-22 Raptor-style makeover. Lt. Col. Kevin Sullivan, the 53rd Test and

Evaluation Group’s Detachment 1 commander, asked the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron corrosion flight airmen to paint the detachment’s F-117 gray to evaluate whether it could have a substantial role in daytime combat operations. “The chief of staff wants to have a 24-hour stealth presence over future battlefields,” said Lt. Col. Buck Rogers, Det. 1 operations officer. “We know our current black paint scheme wouldn’t be a good color for daytime operations.” “With the project complete, the jet will participate in upcoming tests as part of a program

called Global Strike Task Force,” Rogers said. The jet will fly with the F/A-22 in several tests both locally and deployed. “We use the F-117 for everything from new tactics development to the evaluation of new software or hardware,” said Maj. Tre Urso, a Det. 1 pilot. “Det. 1 has been involved in all the F-117 mo d i f i c a t i o n s and upgrades over the years. Now we want to evaluate the fea-sibility of using the F-117 during daylight opera-tions.” “Air Force leaders will approve additional jets for the gray scheme only if the test results show the change is warranted,” Rogers said. “Whether or not the rest of the jets are painted, this project is worth the time and effort spent on completing it,” Urso said. “It provides a great opportunity for us to learn about our daytime capabilities and limitations,” he said. “It also helps us evaluate how the new paints will hold up over time and lets us measure the impact the color modification has on the maintenance troops who maintain the jet. Bottom line, we need to make sure we provide our leaders an accurate assessment of the costs and benefits involved with daytime ops and the gray paint scheme.” (Courtesy of ACC News Service)

Holloman News


AMU, agrees. “I feel great pride in seeing my aircraft taxi down to the runway as it prepares for takeoff,” he said. “When the wheels break ground, I have the satisfaction of knowing that everyone on the flight line knows that we did our job.” When something on the aircraft malfunctions, DCCs make it their personal mission to correct the problem. “When my aircraft has something wrong with it, I will go to many lengths to pinpoint the malfunction and fix it,” said Staff Sgt. Shannon Wood. 9th AMU DCC. “There is no better feeling than when my jet is fully mission capable and flying great.” “Getting the jet to mission capable status takes more than one person,” Heinze said. Both the DCC and the assistant DCCs names appear on the aircraft, which shows the teamwork involved in maintaining it. “No DCC can do it all on their own,” he said. “Without the help from their assistant DCC the job wouldn’t be complete.” Together, devoted DCCs and their assistants put the F-117 in the air every day. “The DCC program is a great program, but it’s only as great as what the DCCs are willing to put into it,” Long said. “A crew chief has to want to be a DCC and want to put in the extra time and the 110 percent effort required to maintain a multi-million dollar, high-tech machine.” The following airmen were named dedicated crew chiefs. SSgt. John Bolz, Fredrick Butts, Victor Gutierraz, Timothy Wade, Christopher Smith, Todd Scruton and Senior Airman Eric Stoodt.

Posted in the Dec. 12, 2003 Holloman Sunburst F-117 DEDICATED CREW CHIEFS DESIGNATED by Laura Pellegrino, Sunburst staff writer For the dedicated crew chiefs of the 8th and 9th Aircraft Maintenance Units, life isn’t about maintaining jets. It’s about maintaining their own, individual F-117 Nighthawk. Through the Dedicated Crew Chief (DCC) program, crew chiefs take personal responsibility for one F-117 to ensure every flight is a success. “The DCC program is a way to recognize the hard work the crew chiefs put into maintaining their assigned aircraft,” said Master Sgt, Charles Long. “49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 8th AMU Flight section chief. DCC’s are separated from the other crew chiefs because they are the first-line supervisors for their assistants,” Long said. They find themselves in a most trying position of a transition from friend and peer to supervisor and mentor. “To me, being chosen as a DCC means I was hand selected to assume the responsibility of maintaining one of this nation’s greatest assets,” said Senior Airman Westley Calloway, 9th AMU. “There’s also a pride in knowing that this aircraft be-longs to me.” According to Long, the crew chief’s pride results in a better performing aircraft. “When I first became a DCC, I considered it a type of compe-tition with the other DCCs on who had the better aircraft,” he said. “That meant whose aircraft was the cleanest, meanest, most accurate and most reliable machine on the flight line.” SSgt. Richard Heinze, 9th

Posted in the Mar. 23, 2003 Holloman Sunburst MAINTENANCE GROUP SENIOR NCO EARNS AIR FORCE LEVEL AWARD , By Airman 1st Class Stephen Collier, 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs A 49th Maintenance Group senior NCO won the Air Force Productivity Excellence Award for 2003. Master Sgt. Ted Larson, Weapons Standardization load crew chief, said he attained the award by identifying and fixing problems with the F-117 Nighthawk’s new guided bomb GBU-27 global positioning system during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After its first mission in Iraq, the F-117 returned with damage to 1,760 cables that attach the GPS-guided bombs to the aircraft. Sergeant Larson discovered that excessive slack in the cables caused them to snap during the deployment of weapons, thereby damaging other parts of the system and plane.

He used duct tape to secure the slack, helping the F-117 continue to employ the EGBU-27 over the skies of Iraq. The repair not only helped the jet drop 120 more bombs, but also earned Sergeant Larson $10,000 through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program. His fix ultimately saved the Air Force $1.25 million, qualifying him for the Air Force level award. “It doesn’t matter if you get the maximum or the minimum amount of reward money,” Sergeant Larson said. “The reward is making changes for the better.” Chief Master Sgt. Michael Tompkins, 49th Maintenance Group wing weapons manager said he wasn’t surprised that Sergeant Larson won the award. “Sergeant Larson has a wealth of weapons system knowledge,” he said. “Even though the method he devised for positive


Holloman (Continued)

N IG H TH A W K S

05/13/2004 HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE New commander takes the wing by Senior Airman Martha Whipple 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs The 49th Fighter Wing saluted a new commander during a change of command ceremony Thursday. Brig. General Kurt Cichowski assumed command from Brig. General Jim Hunt, who leaves to command the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. Lt. General Randall Schmidt, 12th Air Force commander and presiding official of the ceremony, said General Hunt was part of the family at Holloman, and will be missed. Holloman changes leadership from o n e ac co mp l i s h ed , s ea s on ed commander to another. “Taking command of the 49th Fighter Wing was one of the greatest days of my life,” General Hunt said. “Being commander of this wing is something I’ve always dreamed of, and I got to do it. For family, friends, my wife, the wing and community leaders, thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s been a great ride. If I had to pick my replacement it would be General Cichowski. The 49th Fighter Wing could not have a better team to take over.” The Cichowski family

members are no strangers to Holloman. The general served as the 49th O p e r a t i o n s G r o u p commander from 1995 to 1997 and returns to serve as the wing commander. “It’s great to be back,” the general said. “I look forward to building upon the rich legacy for the Fighting Forty-Niners. I know not what the future foretells, but I look forward to charting our place in it, together.” General Cichowski said his vision can be wrapped up in one word-forward. The U.S. Air F o r c e A c a d e m y graduate said his goals are to put people first, but mission always. He

puts more stock in deeds than words, and he believes that striving for excellence is an attitude; the wing must always exemplify that attitude at Holloman. “I look forward to building on the history of the wing as a premier unit in our Air Force, and make it an even better organization for the future. I look forward to creating a better tomorrow here together.”


weapon employment may sound simple, his fix ensured a 100-percent successful release of weapons being used for the first time in combat.” The annual award recognizes Air Force members and personnel who use their skills to make vast improvements in the way the Air Force runs. Improvements made were originally submitted through the IDEA program,

which averages a savings of $1 million over a period of 12 months. Members can submit ideas to:

https://ideas. Randolph.Af.mil/ipdswarn.html If the idea submitted can save the Air Force money, a reward is calculated based upon the projected savings. If the idea doesn’t directly save money but improves performance or helps the Air Force, the member is eligible for a $200 reward.


Two F-117 pilots reach 1,000 hours by Senior Airman Martha Whipple 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Two pilots reached 1,000 flying hours in the F-117 Nighthawk when they touched down on Holloman’s runway Monday. Lt. Colonel Frank Rogers,

Detachment 1, 53rd Test and Evaluations Group Operations director, and Major John Markle, 7th Combat Training Squadron Assistant Operations di-rector are the 14th and 15th F-117 pilots to reach this milestone. “I feel extremely fortunate to be in a group


Pilots Reach 1,000 Flight Hours

Brig. Gen. Kurt Cichowski (right) salutes Lt. Gen. Randall Schmidt, 12th Air Force commander, as he takes the helm of the 49th Fighter Wing



of highly distinguished fighter pilots,” said Colonel Rogers, who has been in the Air Force for twenty two years. “If you stay healthy and avoid staff jobs, the flying hours continue to build.” Major Markle said achieving this milestone at the same time with Colonel Rogers adds significance. C o l o n e l R o g e r s w a s t h e standardization and evaluation flight examiner during Major Markle’s first F-111E Aardvark instrument qualification check ride in 1990, while flying with the NATO tigers. The pair flew together during Operation Allied Force in 1999. Major Markle said during his first three-year tour, he flew 534 hours. Most pilots only fly about 300 to 450 hours, but because of deployments from 1997 to 1999, Major Markle was able to fly more hours. In a family of about 500 F-117 Nighthawk pilots, few accomplish this feat because these pilots normally serve only one three-year tour. Colonel Rogers has served at Holloman for almost

seven years and plans to be the F-117 weapons projects officer at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Major Markle served one tour, then a remote at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, and returned to Holloman for another tour. During the second tour, Major Markle flew 466 hours to reach the 1,000-hour milestone. Major Markle said reaching 1,000 flight hours is an honor, but one of his greatest moments was flying an F-117 at an air show in New Jersey. His dad cleared him over the radio into the air show airspace. After the performance, people were thanking him and children were asking how they could become a pilot. “This brought back the memories of my first air show,” he said. “My dad took me to

McGuire Air Force Base, NJ. F-105s, F-106s and F-4s were flying low and fast. That did it. My goal then was to become what I am today: a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Now it’s my turn to plant that goal for others.”

Lt. Colonel Frank Rogers (left) and Maj. John Markle reached 1,000 flying hours in the F-117 Nighthawk after touching down on Holloman’s runway Monday.

Bandit boss reaches 1,000 hour milestone by Lt. Colonel Phil Taber 417th Weapons Squadron Photos by Lt. Col. Phil Taber The 16th Nighthawk pilot in history reached 1,000 hours when he landed his F-117 on Holloman’s runway April 27. Lt. Colonel Thomas Shoaf, 417th Weapons Squadron commander, entered the Nighthawk history books when he crossed the 1,000 hour plateau. “I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to fly throughout my Air Force career and this accomplishment is very special,” Colonel Shoaf said. Colonel

Shoaf’s flying career has spanned o v e r e i g h t e e n y e a r s , accumulating over 3,700 hours in five different aircraft, including the A-10A Thunderbolt II, F-4G Wild Weasel, AT- 38B Talon, German air force Tornado and F-117 Nighthawk. Colonel Shoaf began his F-117 career in 1992, while the aircraft was still located at Tonopah Test Range and moved with the “Black Jet” to Holloman in 1992. Following tours in the F-4G and German air force Tornado, he returned to the F-117 Nighthawk in early 2000. In 2002, Colonel Shoaf was


Lt. Col. Thomas Shoaf poses in front of an F-117 Nighthawk after reaching 1,000 hours April 27.


N IG H TH A W K S


9th AMU, FS set new sortie record by Ms. Laura Pellegrino Sunburst staff writer Members of the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and the 9th Fighter Squadron set a new single-day F-117 sortie flying record May 11. “With the help of crew chiefs, weapons a v i o n i c s , e l e c t r o e n v i r o n m e n t a l specialists , engine specialists, de-brief and sortie support, 63 sorties were flown,” said Captain. Brian Moore, 9 t h A i r c r a f t Maintenance Unit OIC. The previous record, set by the 8th Fighter Squadron in 1994, was 57 sorties. “The 9th A M U t e a m o f professionals came through in typical fashion, with an exceptional performance generating sorties and keeping the jets flying in pursuit of the sortie goal, pilot training requirements, and flying h o u r p r o g r a m accomplishment,” said Lt. Colonel Ward Juedeman, 9th Fighter Squadron operations officer. “The strong sense of teamwork and cooperation fostered between the 9th maintenance and operations units paid huge dividends not only today, but also in the on-going daily successful execution of F-117 flying operations.” “Without the help of other members of the 49th Fighter Wing, the mission

couldn’t have been accomplished,” Captain Moore said. “The mission isn’t just getting a pilot into an aircraft and flying a sortie,” Captain Moore said. “The mission takes a lot of planning and teamwork from various organizations.”

“The 9th FS worked to ensure there were enough aircrews with the proper amount of rest,” he said. “The 49th Maintenance Squadron ensured the exterior of the aircraft and the various sub-systems were prepared for flight, whi le t he 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels, supply and transportation flight supplied parts and fuel to maintain the mission,” Captain Moore said. “Because the first sortie was scheduled to take off at 10 a.m., crew chiefs inspected and serviced the aircraft with the a s s i s t a n c e o f s p e c i a l i s t s a n d weapons, allowing all of the sorties to take off on schedule,” Captain Moore said. The 49th LRS Fuels

Flight refueled each of the aircraft four times until the last sortie was flown at 11:30 p.m. “With hard work, dedication to the mission and teamwork, this challenging goal was successfully accomplished by all that put forth effort within the 49th Fighter Wing,” Captain Moore said.

Airman 1st Class Carey Brasel, 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Flight, drags the gas hose during a fill up May 11. The 9th Fighter and Aircraft Maintenance squadron set a new sortie record with the help of fuels who filled up the last tank at 11:30 p.m.


selected as initial cadre and commander of the newly formed F-117 Division of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, the 417th WPS Bandits. Since its

maiden flight in 1980, less than 600 test and military pilots have flown the F-117, with only sixteen pilots surpassing the 1,000-hour mark; thus, the significance of this aviation milestone.


F-117 Program wins the 2003 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing In May, several members of the F-117 Nighthawk team accepted the 2003 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing at an awards banquet hosted by Utah State University in Detroit, MI. This event culminated an effort lasting over a year, involving development of a complex achievement report that detailed the F-117 Program’s Lean journey towards world class aircraft modification and sustainment operations, and an intense Palmdale site assessment by six Shingo examiners. The F-117 program is only the third entity within Lockheed Martin Corporation to achieve this distinguished honor, considered the “Nobel Prize of Manufacturing” by Business Week Magazine.

F-117 Total System Sustainment Partnership (TSSP) aka TSPR LM Aero-Palmdale is now six years into a landmark eight year, $1.8B sustainment contract with the Air Force, providing technical, logistics and management support to the F-117 weapon system. To date, LM Aero has sustained very high Award Fee and Incentive Fee performance, a significant enabler to the 49th Fighter Wing achieving some of the best readiness rates in Air Combat Command.

Award Stories

F-117 Program Awards

N IG H TH A W K S

Stealth Fighter Association Mission Statement The Stealth Fighter Association is an affiliation of individuals brought together by the common bond of association with the world’s first stealth fighter, the

Lockheed Martin F-117, produced by the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works for the United States Air Force. Our mission is to preserve the memory of our struggles to attain a stealth combat capability second to none, maintain the legacy of the F-117 “Nighthawk,” maintain the bonds of brother and sisterhood between those who contributed to make the awesome combat capability of stealth a reality, and act as a governing board to oversee the planning and execution of periodic reunions at either the five or ten year periods.

For those folks reading this Newsletter who are not current members of the SFA, membership is open to all personnel currently or previously associated with the F-117 Stealth Fighter Aircraft program. Additional info is available on the SFA web site and hard copy of this newsletter is available to be mailed to interested folks. Please ask a member or drop a line to:

F-117 Stealth Fighter Association 43629 37th Street West

Lancaster, CA 93536-6331 The F-117 Stealth Fighter Association was chartered as a non-profit corporation in the state of Nevada, to organize and coordinate periodic reunions celebrating key events in the history of the F-117 aircraft, by those individuals involved in the creation and operation of the F-117 Stealth Fighter aircraft.

Join The Stealth Fighter Association (SFA)

Web Site Info The Web Site has new graphics, updated info and lots of pictures from the 2002 reunion in Las Vegas. Be sure to check out all the info! SFA News tells you at a glance what changes have been made recently. You may also click on the SFA Update at the bottom of the page. New Member registration forms are located in the SFA Membership section and are available in Word and PDF formats. Please remember to email us with your current a d d r e s s i n f o i n t h e Membership Update section, so that we may keep in touch. Thanks to ALL that sent in photos. They have allowed us to share the Reunion experience with those unable to attend.

http://www.f117.org V O L U M E 2 I S S U E 1

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