On this day in 1999 – Kosovo War: An American Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk is shot down by a Yugoslav Army SAM, the first and only Nighthawk to be lost in combat.

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  1. On 27 March 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, a Yugoslav Army unit (the 3rd Battalion of the 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade, which was under the leadership of Colonel Zoltán Dani) shot down an F-117 Nighthawk stealth aircraft of the US Air Force by firing a S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air missile.

    The pilot ejected safely and was rescued by U.S. Air Force PJs conducting search and rescue.

    The F-117, which entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1983, was cutting-edge equipment, and the first operational aircraft to be designed using stealth technology. By comparison, the Yugoslav air defenses were considered relatively obsolete.

    An in-depth analysis can be read [here](https://theaviationgeekclub.com/an-in-depth-analysis-of-how-serbs-were-able-to-shoot-down-an-f-117-stealth-fighter-during-operation-allied-force/).

  3. We do a little movement when being bombed by superior military force, as a treat.

    By the way, I actually remember this day ahaa, well the reports at least. And my mother has saying the times are turning and Serbs have proven defense of this land. Oh she was funny, dear dear.

    But is sort of interest that it is the only one lost in combat?

  6. There is even one [movie](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6118328/) that tells story how American pilot of this F-117A and Serbian soldier who got this airplane down met years after the war.

    “Drugi Susret (2013)

    In March 1999, news spread the world -” invisible” aircraft F117A was shot down. US pilot Dale Zelko and Serbian missile officer Zoltan Dani were in war. They met first on the radar. 12 years later US pilot decided comeback to Serbia and meet the guy who shot him down. A human story of an unique encounter.”

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