‘Black Jets’ and ‘Bandits’ as you’ve never seen them before! This publication brings together a collection of world-class, unseen images from the final operations of the legendary F-117A Nighthawk - the original secret ‘stealth fighter’.

Photographer Rich Cooper was afforded operational access to the ‘Black Jets’ of the 49th Fighter Wing during the final years of F-117 operations. Taken in the lead-up to the type’s official retirement over a decade go, this rare, unparalleled collection is now available in one publication for the first time – along with the stories behind the images.

Through extraordinary photographs and recollections, readers are presented with material that forms a visual showcase of the last operational chapter of this still-classified platform. Step inside the ‘canyons’ at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, to join the ‘Bandits’ on the flight line; witness the spectacle of the ‘Silver Stealth’ celebrations with the launch and recovery of over 30 F-117s; relive the last European deployment where crowds were wowed for a final time; join the final Red Flag exercise as night falls on the bristling Nellis flight line; climb inside a tanker for daylight and sunset refuelling missions; and go air-to-air over the White Sands desert in the definitive photo sortie.

The F-117A Nighthawk was like nothing ever flown before and we may never see such a revolutionary design again – the ‘Black Jet’ genuinely broke the mould of air combat. This unique collection of images celebrates the final milestones of its distinguished service
The title also includes an assessment of how the political climate influenced the design and development of the country’s major military aircraft including the fighters, attack aircraft and bombers created by the Chinese aviation industry after World War II. This also includes a number of design proposals which, for various reasons, were rejected or abandoned.