F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence roles. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is the prime contractor and is responsible for the majority of the airframe, weapon systems and final assembly of the F-22. Program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provides the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and all of the pilot and maintenance training systems.

The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 during the years prior to formally entering USAF service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite a protracted and costly development period, the United States Air Force considers the F-22 a critical component for the future of US tactical air power, and claims that the aircraft is unmatched by any known or projected fighter, while Lockheed Martin claims that the Raptor's combination of stealth, speed, agility, precision and situational awareness, combined with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities, makes it the best overall fighter in the world today. Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Chief of the Australian Defence Force, said in 2004 that the "F-22 will be the most outstanding fighter plane ever built."

The high cost of the aircraft, a lack of clear air-to-air combat missions because of the lengthy delays in the Russian and Chinese fifth generation fighter programs, a US ban on Raptor exports, and the development of the cheaper and more versatile F-35 resulted in calls to end F-22 production. In April 2009 the US Department of Defense proposed to cease placing new orders, subject to Congressional approval, for a final procurement tally of 187 Raptors. The US Senate and House each passed 2010 budget bill versions without F-22 production funding in July 2009. Congress worked to combine these versions into one bill, and President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 in October 2009, without funding for F-22 production.

Gallery

Specifications

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 62 ft 1 in (18.90 m)

Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)

Height: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)

Wing area: 840 ft² (78.04 m²)

Airfoil: NACA 64A?05.92 root, NACA 64A?04.29 tip

Empty weight: 43,430 lb (19,700 kg)

Loaded weight: 64,460 lb (29,300 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 83,500 lb (38,000 kg)

Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 Pitch Thrust vectoring turbofans

Dry thrust: 23,500 lb[186] (104 kN) each

Thrust with afterburner: 35,000+ lb (156+ kN) each

Fuel capacity: 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) internally, or 26,000 lb (11,900 kg) with two external fuel tanks

Performance

Maximum speed:

At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h)

Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)

Range: 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks

Combat radius: 410 nmi (471 mi, 759 km)

Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)

Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,812 m)

Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)

Thrust/weight: 1.08 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)

Maximum g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g

Armament

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan gatling gun in starboard wing root, 480 rounds

Air to air loadout:

6× AIM-120 AMRAAM

2× AIM-9 Sidewinder

Air to ground loadout:

2× AIM-120 AMRAAM and

2× AIM-9 Sidewinder for self-protection, and one of the following:

2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM or

2× Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMDs) or

8× 250 lb (110 kg) GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

Hardpoints: 4× under-wing pylon stations can be fitted to carry 600 US gallon drop tanks or weapons, each with a capacity of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg).

Avionics

RWR (Radar warning receiver): 250 nmi (463 km) or more

Radar: 125-150 miles (200-240 km) against 1 m2 (11 sq ft) targets (estimated range)

Chemring MJU-39/40 flares for protection against IR missiles.