The F-117 Nighthawk

I was watching an episode of JAG, the american legal show focusing on US Navy operations with a particular emphasis on the F-14 Tomcat. The episode in question had the F-117 Nighthawk as the aircraft undergoing tests and it got me thinking, wasn't this a US Air Force jet fighter and not a navy jet? I couldn't see the navy landing one of these on an aircraft carrier - not that I would know.

I started to do some checks and found the aircraft became operational in 1983, much earlier than I thought and retired in 2008 - I was under the impression this aircraft was still operational. The F-117 was only became known to the general public in 1998; so I guess this aircraft flew secret night missions keeping the aircraft secret. Research indicated the aircraft was supposed to be retired in 2011; but was retired earlier than planned to free up funding for the F-22 Raptor. 

The  F-117 was given the F for fighter designation even though the aircraft undertook the primary role of attack (or A designation) although the aircraft wasn't an air-to-air superiority fighter instead utilised for laser guided bombing runs and not ground attack duties that is undertaken by the A-10. But then, the B-2 bomber pretty much does the same role as the F-117 and is a much bigger platform with the ability to carry a greater payload.