The U.S. Air Pressure deliberate in 2024 to certify the F-117A Nighthawk to have the ability to refuel from the KC-46A Pegasus, the service’s latest tanker.
Two F-117 Nighthawks have been noticed whereas refueling from a KC-46 Pegasus tanker on Sept. 30, 2025. The tanker, callsign “Medusa 80 Heavy,” and the 2 stealth fighters, callsign “Knight 01,” have been flying southbound over the Los Angeles space, headed in the direction of the ranges off the coast of California.
The photographs have been shared on X by freelance information photojournalist Matt Hartman, who kindly allowed us to incorporate them on this article. These are probably the primary photographs of the KC-46 refueling the F-117 because the announcement of the certification effort.
The truth is, as we reported in September 2024 right here at The Aviationist, the U. S. Air Pressure was planning to certify the F-117A Nighthawk to have the ability to refuel from the KC-46A Pegasus. Though the F-117 was formally retired in 2008, the stealth jet continued to fly unofficially from Tonopah Check Vary (TTR) airfield in Nevada, and the service’s present plan is to maintain the plane flying not less than till 2034.
c/s KNIGHT01 FLT of two !!!!
— Matt Hartman (@ShorealoneFilms) October 1, 2025
The KC-46, departed from McConnell Air Pressure Base, Kansas, was tracked on ADS-B, which confirmed the route of the flight. After arriving in California, the tanker orbited north of Edwards AFB, the place it carried out a rendez-vous with the F-117s.
MDUSA80 (KC-46) wkg JOSHUA CONTROL to select up NIGHT01 flt (F-117) out of Groom Lake/Space 51? since Tonopah Check Vary continues to be closed per NOTAM.
Audio through @liveatc and monitoring through @ADSBex pic.twitter.com/2GEcd0iNRZ
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) October 1, 2025
It’s unclear from the place the Nighthawks departed, as clearly their flight couldn’t be tracked. Nevertheless, we beforehand reported that quite a few F-117s is perhaps working out of Groom Lake whereas the TTR airfield is closed for works.
The F-117s have been probably headed in the direction of the Level Mugu Sea Vary. The tanker was, in reality, tracked whereas orbiting south of San Clemente Island, which is simply out of the southeastern nook of the vary.
KC-46 Certification with the F-117
In September 2024, the U. S. Air Pressure introduced it was planning to certify the F-117A Nighthawk to have the ability to refuel from the KC-46A Pegasus, the service’s latest tanker. This improvement adopted the Request For Info (RFI) for a 10-year contract to maintain the plane flying not less than till 2034.
The elevated exercise can be according to the general public acknowledgment of the F-117’s operation following the retirement, with the primary official photographs because the retirement launched in 2021. The flexibility of the F-117 to be refueled by the KC-46 actually displays it will to maintain the Nighthawk flying for ten extra years.
It’s unclear when the certification of the KC-46 with the F-117 came about. Nevertheless, we will say the take a look at marketing campaign was probably performed over the Nevada Check and Coaching Vary (NTTR), the place the F-117s primarily function, and the place the probabilities of being noticed throughout the checks are decrease.
The F-117A after 2008
Years after being formally retired, F-117s are nonetheless flying not just for coaching functions as adversary plane and cruise missile surrogate, but in addition for analysis, improvement, take a look at and analysis, probably associated to subsequent technology packages. The situations of the Nighthawks being noticed turned rather more frequent, with quite a few photographs additionally formally launched by the Air Pressure.
In accordance with of the Nation Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2007, 52 F-117 plane have been retired and relocated to the Tonopah Check Vary (TTR). Every plane was preserved in Kind-1000 (T-1000) storage, which maintains the plane in a situation that permits recall for future service. In 2016 it was determined to start out divesting a number of the plane.
As of January 2023, of the 59 F-117s constructed, roughly 45 F-117s have been within the stock, with greater than 10 already authorised for switch to museums. The present disposal charge is barely between two and three jets per 12 months, as an alternative of 4 per 12 months introduced in 2017.
The plane continued to be noticed, much more than it had occurred till then, with the Nighthawks additionally deploying to a number of U.S. bases. The long-lasting stealth jet, after the veil of secrecy was, not less than partially, lifted, and the sightings have elevated, nonetheless continues to catch the curiosity of many aviation fanatics, and it’ll proceed to take action for the foreseeable future.
