Contrary to the sleek aircraft designs preferred by Skunk Works founder Kelly Johnson, the F-117 Nighthawk used a unique design that enabled it to reflect radar waves. Its angular panels, bolstered by an external coating of radar-absorbent material, made the aircraft invisible to radar and completely undetectable by the enemy. Though retired by the U.S. Air Force in 2008, the F-117 paved the way for the future of stealth technology.
