Pentagon confirms downing of the F-117 jet

New York, March 28 (Tanjug - abridged)- The U.S. Pentagon confirmed late Saturday the reports of the downing of a stealth fighter F-117, Nighthawk, over Srem in northern Serbia.

Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said at the news conference the U.S. defense Department was analyzing the reports about the downing of the U.S. aircraft, and added that the reports must unquestionably be taken seriously, but rejected to say openly that the plane was downed.

Since it is one of the most modern, high-tech American aircraft journalists asked the Pentagon representative is it dangerous that this technology and a military secret is in the hands of an enemy now. Bacon tried to nullify that question answering that the chances are small because the pictures show that there is a little left out of plane.

On the briefing Saturday night Bacon tried to prove the security of the plane saying that he showed well in many actions. So-called ''invisible'' fight jet showed well in the actions performed in the Gulf war in 1991, Bacon said and mentioned that hundreds of operations in the very bad conditions were conducted over Iraq when that plane showed its extraordinary qualities.