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Introduction

 On 5 October 1989, the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW)
 relocated to Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, to take up the role
 as the Air Force's only Stealth Fighter unit. Since assum-
 ing the stealth mission, the 37th has twice taken part in
 combat operations. The wing's F-117As led the attack
 against Panama on 21 December 1989 during Operation JUST
 CAUSE. Pinpoint bombardment stunned and disrupted the
 Panamanian infantry at Rio Hato and paved the way for U.S
 paratroopers to land and crush Panama Defense Force resis-
 tance. It is important to note that Operation JUST CAUSE
 did not test the F-117A's stealth technology because Panama
 had no radar defense network. Rather, the F-117A was picked
 for this mission on the basis of its bombing accuracy.

 The proof of the pudding for stealth technology came
 during the F-117A's second combat ' employment. On 19 August
 1990, the 17 TFW deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation
 DESERT SHIELD. That deployment transformed into Operation
 DESERT STORM's combat operations against Iraq from 16 Jan-
 uary to 21 February 1991. '

 Operation DESERT STORM featured the F-117A in its first
 real-world test against a modern, integrated air defense.
 The "Nighthawks" of the 17 TFW repeatedly flea into and
 through intense anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air
 missile fire, accurately employing 2,000 tons of precision-
 guided munitions during 1,300 combat sorties. Wing pilots
 scored 1,600 direct hits against enemy targets in nearly 400
 locations. Without suffering a single loss, or experiencing
 any damage, they destroyed hardened command and control
 bunkers, aircraft shelters, production and storage facility
 ties-for nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, and
 other heavily defended targets of the highest military and
  political significance.

 Employing just 2.5 percent of the USAF assets in
 theater, the 37th not only led the U.N. coalition force
 against Iraq, but also hit nearly 40 percent of the Iraqi
 targets that came under fire in the first three days.
 Twenty-nine Stealth Fighters hit 26 high value targets on
 the first night alone. The F-117As were so effective that
 the Iraqi air defense system practically collapsed. Iraq's
 command, control, and communications network never re-
 covered.

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