The computer's were important not just for calculating the shape of the airframe, but how to fly the damn thing. You could in theory calculate the F-117 (but no

The computer's were important not just for calculating the shape of the airframe, but how to fly the damn thing. You could in theory calculate the F-117 (but not the B2's) frame by hand. But flying the F-117 -or any stealth airframe - requires computer guidance. In act, the prototype (Have Blue) just recycled some extra flight computers from the F-16 (which is unstable in one axis... the F-117 is unstable in all three).