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MARCH 12, 2021
lockheed martin f-22 raptor USAF Jet
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor USAF jet is by far the most advance fighter in the world. Stealth capability is a must now for the fifth generation fighter.
This single-seat, twin engine, all weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft is only operated exclusively by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 2005. Lockheed Martin built most part of the plane while Boeing provided the rest including avionics and training systems. The jet not only has the air superiority capability but also ground attack as well.
Originally USAF planned to buy the jet as many as 750 units but in 2009 the program was reconsidered and in final decision they only purchased it for 187 units, mostly due to high production costs, economic recession in 2008 which resulted in budget cut from US Department of Defense and development of the new F-35 jet. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
F-22 Raptor is the first fully operational 5th generation fighter jet in the world with proven combat missions.
During 1980’s, USAF developed a program for Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. This program was meant to maintain air-superiority by emerging worldwide threats, such as those new Su-27 Flanker and MIG-29 Fulcrum jets from Soviet union.
In October 1986 Lockheed and Northtrop were selected for building the ATF fighters prototypes. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northtrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas. This resulted in two prototypes, YF-22 from Lockheed team and YF-23 Black Widow from Northrop team.
On April 23, 1991 Secretary of the USAF, Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team and Pratt & Whitney as the winners of the ATF program. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while YF-22 was more maneuverable and agile for air superiority. Some speculations said that DoD and Northtrop were having some legal issues at that time so they tend to pick the YF-22 for the winner, besides its proven technical ability. But this was never confirmed.
Some US allies already expressed their interest to buy this jet such as Israel, Japan and Australia. However, considering its confidential status, F-22 Raptor is prohibited for export to other countries because of its top secret technology inside.
The key feature of F-22 is of course the stealth ability. Stealth is a technology that prevents an aircraft from any radar detection. It is not invisible but the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of the plane is very small, makes it disappear on the radar monitor. The RCS of a Raptor is smaller than a bird thus makes it ‘invisible’ for the radar signal to detect. Furthermore, the aircraft surface is coated with special radar-absorbent materials and paint.
For the electronics F-22 is equipped with Cray supercomputer to assist the pilot to manage targets in combat situations. This makes the Raptor highly maneuverable at high angles of attack. Plus the use of thrust vectoring in the pitch axis, allowing the aircraft to combine engine power with excellent maneuver capability to gain advantage during dogfights.
During combat test flights in early 2000’s, F-22 destroyed almost 20 F-15 Eagles units in dogfight simulations while not one F-22 was shot down. The Eagles pilots said they did not detect any signal from their radars when the Raptor coming close behind them. This also happened in real world situation in 2015/2016 when two Syrian MIGs pilots caught by surprised when they saw two Raptors already flying behind them and tell the MiGs to stay away from the area.
The Raptor has three weapons bay that can accommodate AIM-9 M/X Sidewinder infrared missiles (air-air), AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided missiles (air-air) and JDAM bombs for ground attack to perform precision bombing on surface targets. And also a M61A2 six barreled, 20 mm Gatling minigun inside the body.
Technical Specifications of Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor USAF jet :
- Crew: 1
- Length: 62 ft 1 in (18.92 m)
- Height: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
- Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
- Wing area: 840 sq ft (78.04 m2)
- Airfoil: NACA 6 series airfoil
- Gross weight: 64,840 lb (29,410 kg)
- Empty weight: 43,340 lb (19,700 kg)
- Fuel : 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) internally, or 26,000 lb (12,000 kg) with two 2× 600 US gal tanks
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofans, 26,000 lbf (116 kN) thrust each dry, 35,000 lbf (156 kN) with afterburner[N 8]
Operational Statistics :
- Max speed: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,414 km/h) at altitude
- Range: 1,600 nmi (1,800 mi, 3,000 km) or more with 2 external fuel tanks
- Combat range: 460 nmi (530 mi, 850 km) clean with 100 nmi (115 mi, 185 km) in supercruise
- Ferry range: 1,740 nmi (2,000 mi, 3,220 km)
- Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (20,000 m)
- G Force limits: +9.0/−3.0
- Wing loading: 77.2 lb/sq ft (377 kg/m2)
- Thrust/weight: 1.08 (1.25 with loaded weight and 50% internal fuel)
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