Nick Cook: Bright Lights, Black projects. E1: Into the Black.
Analysis Summary
Summary
The person in this account is Nick Cook, an aviation journalist who worked as the aviation editor for Jane's Defence Weekly. He began his career in journalism in the 1980s and became interested in classified aviation programs. In the early 1990s, he discovered an unusual detail about an RAF officer flying an F-117 during the Gulf War. After contacting RAF Public Relations, he learned that the officer was part of an exchange program, which led him to investigate further. Cook found that the UK had stealth technology knowledge dating back to World War II. This encounter sparked his interest in stealth technology and classified programs, influencing his work and perspective on aviation technology.
Program Intelligence Analysis
Nick Cook discusses his journey in aviation journalism and his insights into classified programs and stealth technology. He highlights the UK's historical knowledge of stealth and the peculiarities of the F-117 exchange program. The conversation also touches on the F-117's capabilities and the rumors surrounding its operational support.
The UK had developed knowledge about stealth technology from the Germans at the end of World War II, which was not communicated to the Americans until the 1960s.
Nick Cook
“I started to get into the whole sort of black world classified programs secrecy trail thing.”
Managed by: Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works
Stealth attack aircraft
Managed by: unknown
Tactical reconnaissance and designator platform
The UK had developed knowledge about stealth technology from the Germans at the end of World War II, which was not communicated to the Americans until the 1960s.
The RAF had an officer on the F-117 exchange program, which was unusual since the UK did not have stealth capabilities at that time.
The F-117 had its own laser designation capability, which was the official story during the Gulf War.
There were rumors of an accompanying aircraft to the F-117 that served as a tactical reconnaissance and designator platform, referred to as the TR-3A.