This Super-Advanced Stealth Jet Was Flying Over Serbia When Suddenly A Missile Struck From Nowhere

It’s March 27, 1999, and Lieutenant Colonel Dale Zelko is in the air over Serbia. The pilot is manning the incredible F-117 – the United States Air Force’s so-called stealth fighter. Zelko and his undetectable craft are a crucial part of the NATO-led Operation Allied Force. This series of airstrikes is meant to end the conflict between Kosovo’s Serb and ethnic Albanian populations. But then the airman suddenly realizes that ground forces have a missile lock on his jet. That is not meant to happen; the stealth fighter is supposed to be invisible to radar. There’s no time to analyze this now, though: the American pilot is locked in a fight for his life – and the missile is coming his way.

This Wasn't Supposed to Happen...

The targeting of the F-117 likely caused some initial confusion. After all, everything from the United States Air Force (USAF) plane’s angular shape to its built-in features was deliberately designed to deflect radar detection. But, as it transpired, Zelko’s craft wouldn’t be able to zip across Serbian skies unseen that night.

Cracking the Code

That’s because Serbian commander Zoltan Dani had come up with an ingenious method to try and pinpoint the untraceable F-117. It was a tactic the Americans had long fought to ensure wouldn’t be possible – but it suddenly made the hitherto-untouchable target vulnerable. And thus began one of the most unbelievable stories of Operation Allied Force.

Origins of the Nighthawk

The F-117 itself is a marvel of creation. The craft – also known as the Nighthawk – started life as a commission from the USAF. The organization was looking to add a stealth aircraft to its hangar – but this was no easy task. So it contacted the Lockheed Corporation (now under the umbrella of the Lockheed Martin Corporation) to get the job done.

Flying Under the Radar

It’s important to understand that this was a revolutionary idea at the time. In fact, the F-117 commission was the first of its kind upon delivery in 1982. So what was the USAF looking for? Well, it specifically envisioned an aircraft with the ability to fly without detection on radar. So Lockheed began to design a prototype with this feature at its center.