The Republic of Lanos wrote:Would it be feasible to make an NS F-117 an actual stealth fighter comparable to the F-22 in its time?
Calling the F-117 a "fighter" is a misnomer, anyway. It was never designed for air-to-air combat, was never capable of supersonic flight, could only carry two weapons internally and lacks a cannon. It really has a pretty terrible aerodynamic coefficient, carries no onboard radar whatsoever, is limited to 5,000 lbs. of ordinance, cannot make use of an afterburner...
It is the product of the cutting edge of 1970's computer-aided design, but subsequent designs like the F-22 Raptor are far more advanced, carry much more ordinance, can actually carry a radar, can travel beyond the speed of sound...
F-117A is only useful as a tactical first-strike aircraft in areas where you have no expectation of modern fighter cover and where your element of surprise is total. They are a sneak-attack ground strike aircraft and painting them as a "fighter" is a terrible idea. Against a modern NS opponent, they would be swatted from the sky.