MILNET Brief: USAF F-22 Raptor Air Superiority Fighter

A hard covered hardcopy of this briefing is available for purchase online, click here.

MILNET: F-22 Raptor Air SuperiorityGround Attack Fighter

Designer:     Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics
Power:        Two P&WA F119-PW-100 Turbofans, (approx 35,000 lb ea, tot=70,000 lbs), vectored thrust
Crew:         1, pilot on zero-zero ejection seat
Dimensions:   wingspan at 44 feet, 6 in., length 62ft, height 16 feet, 8in.
Weight:       empty 40,000 lb class, gross at approx 60,000 lbs.
Performance:  1140 mph (M1.72), ceiling above 50,000 ft, range 1850 mi (ferry, ext tanks)
Armament:     M61A2 20mm gatling gun, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAMs or eight sm. diam. bombs
Attack Role:  2 1,000 lb JDAMs to replace internally stored AMRAAMs
IOC Planned:  2005,  Total force at 91 as of October 2007
Unit Cost:    $160 million

Congressional Reporting Service: F-22 Raptor, 1/6/2005 | Air Force Fact Sheet | ASC Article on F-22

Firepower.com's Page (Video of Incredible Flight Demonstration)

The F-22, based upon the prototype YF-22 aircraft which won the fly-off with its sister aircraft the YF-23, is a low observable, high powered, highly manueverable fighter aircraft designed for the new millenium. Making use of vectored thrust and futuristic avionics and aerodynamics, the aircraft, known earlier as the Advanced Tactical Fighter or ATF, is capable of non-afterburner driven supersonic flight -- sometimees known as "super-cruise".

Designed with low observability in mind, the fighter is not totally radar invisible, and most likely will have a larger radar cross-section than the famous F-117A stealth fighter which has seen action in attacks in Panama and against key targets in Desert Storm over Baghdad.

<>The F-22 utilizes both design geometry and special paint to lower its radar cross section making it far more difficult to detect at night or in low visibility such as inclimate weather. F-22 fire control will allow it to simultaneously engage multiple targets with first look, first kill capability due to its long range sensor capability and low observability.

FY 1997 budget allocation of $2.0 billion to supply nine test and 438 production aircraft. By 2008 the number was down to 386+ aircraft and in danger of being reduced further as budget concerns continue to plague U.S. military procurements.

The all weather design includes internal storage for weapons as well as conventional hard points for externally carried stores.

There have been several interesting articles published by the Air Force News Service on the F-22:

Flying test bed aircraft
a nice writeup on the August, 2000 milestone reached on the F-22 as Edwards continued to beat on the airframe and avionics prior to releasing the F-22 to production.
a statement from CINC Air Combat Command which spells out the production plans for the F-22.
Unveiling in May of 1997 missions and capabilities
an F-22's new and more stealthy paintjob.

Below are several pictures mirrored from the USAF fact files pages :

Rollout of Tail No. 4004, for low observability testing
F-22 being refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker

F-22 rolling left

F-22 climbing for altitude

F-22 rolling right

Directory of F-22 Images

Rollout of Tail No. 4004, for low observability testing	F-22 being refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker
F-22 rolling left	F-22 climbing for altitude
F-22 rolling right