The Air Force’s first stealth fighter, the F-117 Nighthawk, has entered its twilight time for real—the last phase inspection has begun. Airmen at Holloman AFB, N.M. are conducting the last complete maintenance check before the aircraft retire later this year. An earlier report has the last F-117 leaving Holloman in April. The Air Force has targeted 42 F-117s for retirement this fiscal year and has tapped Holloman for the new F-22 stealth fighter. (Holloman report by A1C Rachel Kocin)
If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…


