The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine

Twinjet

A twinjet or twin jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. Such configuration of an aircraft is the most popular today for commercial airliners, for fighters, and many other kinds, because while offering safety from a single engine failure, it is also acceptably fuel-efficient.-Aircraft...

 fifth-generation

Fifth generation jet fighter

A fifth-generation jet fighter is a fighter aircraft classification used in the United States encompassing the most advanced generation of fighter aircraft...

 supermaneuverable

Supermaneuverability

Supermaneuverability is the quality of aircraft defined as a threshold of attitude control exceeding that which is possible by pure aerodynamic maneuverability; in other words, a controlled loss of control beyond normal abilities...

 fighter aircraft

Fighter aircraft

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

 that uses stealth technology

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter

Air superiority fighter

An air superiority fighter is a type of fighter aircraft intended to gain air superiority in a war, by entering and seizing control of enemy airspace. Air superiority fighters are designed to effectively engage enemy fighters, more than other types of aircraft...

, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack

Ground attack aircraft

Ground-attack aircraft are military aircraft with primary role of attacking targets on the ground with greater precision than bombers and prepared to face stronger low-level air defense...

, electronic warfare

Electronic warfare

Electronic warfare refers to any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults via the spectrum. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponent the advantage of, and ensure friendly...

, and signals intelligence roles. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company is a major unit of Lockheed Martin with headquarters at Fort Worth, Texas.Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is also based in Marietta, Georgia and Palmdale, California. Palmdale is home to the Advanced Development Programs , informally known as the "Skunk Works"...

 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 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

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 considers the F-22 a critical component 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

Angus Houston

Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...

, former Chief of the Australian Defence Force

Australian Defence Force

The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...

, 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 delays in the Russian and Chinese fifth-generation fighter programs, a US ban on Raptor exports, and the ongoing development of the planned 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 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 is a law in the United States signed by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009. As a bill it was H.R. 2647 in the 111th Congress...

 lacked funding for further F-22 production.

Origins

In 1981, the U.S. Air Force developed a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter

Advanced Tactical Fighter

The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...

 (ATF) as a new air superiority fighter to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. This was influenced by the emerging worldwide threats, including development and proliferation of Soviet Su-27 "Flanker"

Sukhoi Su-27

The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...

- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum

Mikoyan MiG-29

The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other...

-class fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon including composite material

Composite material

Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...

s, lightweight alloy

Alloy

An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...

s, advanced flight-control systems, more powerful propulsion systems and stealth technology

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

. A request for proposal

Request for Proposal

A request for proposal is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is presented for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision and is meant to...

s (RFP) was issued in July 1986, and two contractor teams, Lockheed/Boeing

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

/General Dynamics

General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...

 and Northrop

Northrop Corporation

Northrop Corporation was a leading United States aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman in 1994. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, although only a few of these have entered service.-History:Jack...

/McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...

 were selected on 31 October 1986 to undertake a 50-month demonstration phase, culminating in the flight test of two prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23.

Each design team produced two prototypes featuring one of two engine options, one featuring thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....

. The Pratt & Whitney F119

Pratt & Whitney F119

|-See also:-External links:* *...

 turbofan

Turbofan

The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...

 with vectored thrust permits a tighter turning radius, a valuable capability in dogfight

Dogfight

A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...

s. During the development process, the ATF's increasing weight and cost drove out some features. A dedicated infra-red search and track

Infra-red search and track

An infra-red search and track system is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infra-red radiation such as jet aircraft and helicopters. IRST is a generalized case of Forward Looking Infra-Red , i.e. from Forward-Looking to allround situational awareness...

 (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color then deleted, the side-looking radar

Radar

Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...

s were deleted and the ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...

 ACES II

ACES II

ACES II is an ejection seat system manufactured by the Goodrich Corporation. ACES is an acronym for Advanced Concept Ejection Seat. It is used in the A-10, F-15, F-16, F-117A, B-1B, and B-2 aircraft....

.

On 23 April 1991, the YF-22 was announced by Secretary of the Air Force

United States Secretary of the Air Force

The Secretary of the Air Force is the Head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate...

 Donald Rice

Donald Rice

Donald Blessing Rice is a California businessman and senior government official. He has been president and chief executive officer of several large companies including RAND Corporation, and has sat on numerous boards of directors, including Wells Fargo & Company...

 as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was more stealthy and faster, but the YF-22 was more agile. The aviation press speculated that the YF-22 was also more adaptable to the Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but the US Navy abandoned NATF by 1992. In 1991, the Air Force planned to buy 650 aircraft.

Production and procurement

The production F-22 model was unveiled on 9 April 1997 at Lockheed Georgia Co., Marietta

Marietta, Georgia

Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...

, Georgia. It first flew on 7 September 1997. The first production F-22 was delivered to Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

, on 7 January 2003. In 2006, the Raptor's development team, composed of Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....

 and over 1,000 other companies, plus the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

, won the Collier Trophy

Collier Trophy

The Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautics Association , presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space...

, American aviation's most prestigious award. In 2006, the USAF sought to acquire 381 F-22s, to be divided among seven active duty combat squadrons and three integrated Air Force Reserve Command

Air Force Reserve Command

The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

 and Air National Guard

Air National Guard

The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...

 squadrons.

Several design changes were made from the YF-22 for production. The swept-back angle on the wing's leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizer area was decreased by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (178 mm), and the engine intakes were moved rearward 14 inches (356 mm). The shape of the wing and stabilator

Stabilator

A stabilator is an aircraft control surface that combines the functions of an elevator and a horizontal stabilizer...

 trailing edges was refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Also, the vertical stabilizer was shifted rearward.

F-22 production was split up over many subcontractors across 46 states, in a strategy to increase Congressional support for the program. However the production split, along with the use of several new technologies were likely responsible for increased costs and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total project cost. Each aircraft required "1,000 subcontractors and suppliers and 95,000 workers" to build. The F-22 was in production for 15 years, at a rate of roughly two per month.

The United States Air Force originally planned to order 750 ATFs at a cost of $26.2 billion, with production beginning in 1994; however, the 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney

Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....

 altered the plan to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. The goal changed again in 1994, when it became 438 aircraft entering service in 2003 or 2004, but a 1997 Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 report put the purchase at 339. In 2003, the Air Force said that the existing congressional cost cap limited the purchase to 277. By 2006, the Pentagon said it will buy 183 aircraft, which would save $15 billion but raise the cost of each aircraft, this was implemented in the form of a multi-year procurement plan, which allowed for further orders later. The total cost of the program by 2006 was $62 billion.

In April 2006, the cost of the F-22 was assessed by the Government Accountability Office to be $361 million per aircraft. By April 2006, $28 billion had been invested in F-22 development and testing; while the Unit Procurement Cost was estimated at $177.6 million in 2006, based on a production run of 181 airframes. It was estimated by the end of production, $34 billion will have been spent on procurement, resulting in a total program cost of $62 billion, around $339 million per aircraft. The incremental cost

Marginal cost

In economics and finance, marginal cost is the change in total cost that arises when the quantity produced changes by one unit. That is, it is the cost of producing one more unit of a good...

 for an additional F-22 was estimated as about $138 million.

On 31 July 2007, Lockheed Martin received a multi-year contract for 60 F-22s worth a total of $7.3 billion. The contract brought the number of F-22s on order to 183 and extended production through 2011. To restart production would be very costly; the cost for another 75 aircraft was estimated in 2009 to be an extra $70 million per unit.

Ban on exports

No opportunity for export currently exists because the export sale of the F-22 is barred by American federal law. Current customers for U.S. fighters are either acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, or are waiting to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter), which contains technology from the F-22 but is designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. The F-35 will not be as agile as the F-22 or fly as high or as fast, but its radar and avionics will be more advanced. On 27 September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign sales of the F-22; and confirmed this in December 2006.

The Japanese government showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. However, a sale would need approval from the Pentagon, State Department and Congress. It was stated that the F-22 would decrease the number of fighters needed by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

The , or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems...

 (JASDF), reducing engineering and staffing costs. In August 2009, it was reported that the F-22 would require increases to the military budget beyond the historic 1 percent of GDP. In June 2009, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada

Yasukazu Hamada

is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Futtsu, Chiba and graduate of Senshu University he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993.In the Cabinet of Prime Minister Taro Aso, appointed...

 said that Japan still sought the F-22.

Some Australian politicians and defense commentators have proposed that Australia should purchase F-22s instead of the F-35. In 2006, the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

 supported this proposal on the grounds that the F-22 is a proven, highly capable aircraft, while the F-35 is still under development. However, Australia's Howard government

John Howard

John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....

 ruled out purchase of the F-22, as its release for export is unlikely, and lacks sufficient ground/maritime

Ocean

An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...

 strike capacity. The following year, the Australian government ordered a review of plans to procure the F-35 and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, including an evaluation of the F-22's suitability. The then Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Fitzgibbon

Joel Andrew Fitzgibbon is an Australian politician and Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Hunter in New South Wales. From December 2007 to June 2009 he was the Minister for Defence in the Rudd Ministry...

 stated: "I intend to pursue American politicians for access to the Raptor". In February 2008, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Robert Gates

Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....

 said he had no objection to F-22 sales to Australia.
Thomas Crimmins of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Washington Institute for Near East Policy

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy is a think tank based in Washington, D.C. focused on United States foreign policy in the Middle East. It was established by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in 1985...

 speculated in 2009 that the F-22 could be a strong diplomatic tool for Israel, strengthening the capability to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Crimmins also stated the F-22 may be the only aircraft able to evade Russian S-300 air defense systems, which Russia may sell to Iran. However, Lockheed Martin has stated that the F-35 can handle the S-300, additionally Russia has stated they support and voted for United Nations sanctions on Iran preventing sales of the S-300.

The 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions which required the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant and another report on the impact of F-22 export sales on the U.S. aerospace industry.

Production termination

In 2006, David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States

Comptroller General of the United States

The Comptroller General of the United States is the director of the Government Accountability Office , a legislative branch agency established by Congress in 1921 to ensure the fiscal and managerial accountability of the federal government...

 at the time, found that "the DOD has not demonstrated the need or value for making further investments in the F-22A program." During the two-month grounding of nearly 700 older F-15s in 2007, some US Senators demanded Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England release three government reports supporting additional F-22s beyond the planned 183 jets. In December 2007, the USAF requested continued production beyond the planned 183 F-22s.

In January 2008, the Pentagon announced that it would ask Congress to fund additional F-22s to replace other aircraft lost in combat, and proposed that $497 million that would have been used to shut down the F-22 line be instead used to buy four extra F-22s, leaving the production line open beyond 2011 and allowing the next administration an option to buy more F-22s. Funds earmarked for line shutdown were redirected to repairs upon the F-15 fleet; delaying the end of F-22 production.

On 24 September 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill funding continued production of the F-22. On 12 November 2008, the Pentagon released $50 million of the $140 million approved by Congress to buy parts for an additional four aircraft, thus leaving the Raptor program in the hands of the incoming Obama Administration. On 6 April 2009, Secretary of Defense Gates called for the phasing out of F-22 production in fiscal year 2011, leaving the USAF with 187 fighters. F-35 acquisition would be accelerated. On 17 June 2009 the House Armed Services Committee inserted $368.8 million in the budget towards a further 12 F-22s in FY 2011.

On 9 July 2009, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

, explained to the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services

United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...

 his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. He stated that fifth-generation fighters need to be proliferated to all three services by shifting resources to the multirole F-35. He noted that commanders had concerns regarding electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, and that keeping the F/A-18 production line "hot" offered a fallback option to the F-35 in the EA-18G Growler

EA-18G Growler

The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G will replace the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowlers in service with the United States Navy. The Growler's electronic warfare capability is...

.
On 21 July 2009, President Obama threatened to veto F-22 funding. On 21 July 2009, the Senate voted in favor of ending F-22 production. Secretary Gates said that the decision to end production was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities. On 29 July 2009, the Air National Guard

Air National Guard

The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...

's director asked for "60 to 70" F-22s for air sovereignty missions, noting that these could lack capabilities such as ground attack. On 30 July 2009, the House agreed to remove funds for an additional 12 aircraft and abide by the 187 cap. In mid-2010, Gates reduced the F-22 requirement from 243 to 187 aircraft, by lowering the preparations for two major regional conflicts to one. President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 is a law in the United States signed by President Barack Obama on October 28, 2009. As a bill it was H.R. 2647 in the 111th Congress...

 in October 2009, without F-22 funding.

RAND estimated the cost of restarting production to build an additional 75 Raptors to be $17 billion or $227 million per aircraft. The RAND paper was produced as part of an USAF study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). The tooling for F-22 production will be documented in illustrated electronic manuals stored at the Sierra Army Depot

Sierra Army Depot

Sierra Army Depot is a United States Army post located near the unincorporated city of Herlong, California northwest of Reno, NV and southeast of Susanville, CA. Sierra Army Depot is in the highest desert plain east of the Sierra Nevada mountains at an elevation of . The high desert plain is only...

.

Russian

Sukhoi PAK FA

The Sukhoi PAK FA is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi OKB for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA. The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs globally...

 and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern; General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, wrote in a 2009 letter to a senator, "In my opinion, a fleet of 187 F-22s puts execution of our current national military strategy at high risk in the near- to mid-term". But Gates replied "Nonsense". On 8 January 2011, Gates clarified that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted when the number of F-22s was set, and that the United States would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. On 11 January 2011, China's J-20

Chengdu J-20

The Chengdu J-20 is a purported fifth-generation, stealth, twin-engine fighter aircraft prototype developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . In late 2010, the J-20 underwent high speed taxiing tests. The J-20 made its first flight on 11...

 stealth aircraft made its first flight, leading to speculation on the reactivation of F-22 production; An August 2008 RAND

RAND

RAND Corporation is a nonprofit global policy think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces by Douglas Aircraft Company. It is currently financed by the U.S. government and private endowment, corporations including the healthcare industry, universities...

 study concluded the F-22 would only play a minor role in a conflict with China over Taiwan as nearby bases would be rapidly shutdown by Medium-range ballistic missile

Medium-range ballistic missile

A medium-range ballistic missile , is a type of ballistic missile with medium range, this last classification depending on the standards of certain organizations. Within the U.S. Department of Defense, a medium range missile is defined by having a maximum range of between 1,000 and 3,000 km1...

s (MRBMs); and distant bases would rely upon vulnerable aerial refueling

Aerial refueling

Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....

 tankers.

Upgrades

On 5 January 2001, Raptor 4005 flew with the Block 3.0 software, which was the first combat-capable avionics version. In June 2009, Increment 3.1 was tested at Edwards Air Force Base. This provided a basic ground-attack capability through Synthetic Aperture Radar

Synthetic aperture radar

Synthetic-aperture radar is a form of radar whose defining characteristic is its use of relative motion between an antenna and its target region to provide distinctive long-term coherent-signal variations that are exploited to obtain finer spatial resolution than is possible with conventional...

 mapping, Electronic attack and the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb

Small Diameter Bomb

The GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb is a 250 pound guided bomb that is intended to provide aircraft with the ability to carry a higher number of bombs...

. The Increment 3.1 Modification Team with the 412th Test Wing received the Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award for upgrading 149 Raptors. The fleet upgrade should start at the end of 2011.

Increment 3.2 was to add an improved SDB capability, an automatic ground collision avoidance system for low level operations and enable use of the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120D AMRAAM

AIM-120 AMRAAM

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...

 missiles. However, a helmet mounted cueing system

Helmet mounted display

A helmet mounted display is a device used in some modern aircraft, especially combat aircraft. HMDs project information similar to that of head-up displays on an aircrew’s visor or reticle, thereby allowing him to obtain situational awareness and/or cue weapons systems to the direction his head...

 has been deferred by technical issues. Increment 3.2 was expected to be fielded in FY15, possibly including the Multifunction Advanced Data Link

Multifunction Advanced Data Link

Multifunction Advanced Data Link is a future data waveform to provide secure data-linking technology between stealth aircraft. It began as a method to coordinate between F-35 aircraft , but HQ Air Combat Command wants to expand the capabiltiy to coordinate future USAF strike forces of all AF...

 (MADL). In July 2009 the USAF announced the modification of three business jets with the interim Battlefield Airborne Communications Node

Battlefield Airborne Communications Node

The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node is an airborne communications relay and gateway system hosted on a variety of aircraft that provides flexible radio connectivity across the battlespace for airborne and surface operators...

 (BACN) to allow communication between F-22s and other platforms until MADL is installed. In March 2010, the USAF accelerated software portions of the Increment 3.2 upgrades to be completed in FY 2013, other upgrades will be completed later. Upgrading the first 183 aircraft to the 3.2 upgrade is estimated to cost $8 billion. In May 2009, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley gave testimony to Congress that this would be paid for through the early retirement of legacy fighters. A total of 249 fourth-generation fighters were retired during Fiscal Year 2010. On 16 September 2009, Gates said "Our commitment to this aircraft is underscored by the 6 and-a half billion dollars... to upgrade the existing F-22 fleet to be fully mission-capable."

The USAF opened the Raptor enhancement, development and integration (FREDI) contract to other bidders in January 2011 with a total budget of $16 billion. On 18 November 2011, the upgrade contract with Lockheed Martin was increased to a maximum value of $7.4 billion. This increment opens the way for further upgrades in 2012.

Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrades to add capabilities from the newer F-35. Elements such as MADL are delayed until the F-35 program is completed to reduce risk. One upgrade from the F-35 is new high-durability stealth coatings to lower maintenance. The Ada software language was blamed for slow progress and increased costs on the program, leading to a reorganization in 2011. Increment 3.2A in 2014 focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification. Increment 3.2B in 2017 will support the AIM-9X and AIM-120D missiles. Increment 3.2C in 2019 may migrate some avionics to an open platform, allowing features to be added by various companies. Lockheed Martin is working on upgrading the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) to provide situational awareness and defensive Infrared Search and Track similar to the F-35's SAIRST.

The current upgrade schedule is:

• Increment 3.1 now entering service adds capabilities for SDB, SAR, and electronic attack.
• Update 4 in 2012 will add a rudimentary capability for the AIM-120D.
• Increment 3.2A will be fielded in 2014 with Link 16 and electronic warfare improvements.
• Update 5 in 2015 will add an initial capability for the AIM-9X.
• In 2016 the fleet will be upgraded to 36 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 operational aircraft.
• Increment 3.2B in 2017 will add full capability for the air to air missiles, and improved geolocation.
• Increment 3.2C is still being defined.

Characteristics

The F-22 Raptor is a fifth generation fighter

Fifth generation jet fighter

A fifth-generation jet fighter is a fighter aircraft classification used in the United States encompassing the most advanced generation of fighter aircraft...

 that is considered a fourth-generation stealth aircraft

Stealth aircraft

Stealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to avoid detection by employing a combination of features to interfere with radar as well as reduce visibility in the infrared, visual, audio, and radio frequency spectrum. Development of stealth technology likely began in Germany during...

 by the USAF. Its dual afterburning

AfterBurner

The AfterBurner is a lighting solution for the Game Boy Advance system that was created by Triton-Labs.Originally, portablemonopoly.net was a website created to petition Nintendo to put some kind of light in their Game Boy Advance system...

 Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100

Pratt & Whitney F119

|-See also:-External links:* *...

 turbofan

Turbofan

The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...

s incorporate pitch axis

Flight dynamics

Flight dynamics is the science of air vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. The three critical flight dynamics parameters are the angles of rotation in three dimensions about the vehicle's center of mass, known as pitch, roll and yaw .Aerospace engineers develop control systems for...

 thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....

, with a range of ±20 degrees. The maximum thrust is classified

Classified information in the United States

The United States government classification system is currently established under Executive Order 13526, the latest in a long series of executive orders on the topic. Issued by President Barack Obama in 2009, Executive Order 13526 replaced earlier executive orders on the topic and modified the...

, though most sources place it at about 35,000 lbf

Pound-force

The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...

 (156 kN) per engine. Maximum speed, without external weapons, is estimated to be Mach 1.82 in supercruise

Supercruise

Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of an aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently and without the use of afterburners ....

 mode, as demonstrated by General John P. Jumper

John P. Jumper

John P. Jumper is a retired United States Air Force general, who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as Chief of Staff by General T. Michael...

, former US Air Force Chief of Staff, when his Raptor exceeded Mach 1.7 without afterburners on 13 January 2005. With afterburners, it is "greater than Mach 2.0" (1,317 mph, 2,120 km/h). Former Lockheed F-22 chief test pilot Paul Metz stated that the Raptor has a fixed inlet; the absence of variable intake ramps typically limits speeds to approximately Mach 2.0. Metz has also stated that the F-22 has a greater climb rate than the F-15 Eagle due to advances in engine technology, despite the F-15's thrust-to-weight ratio

Thrust-to-weight ratio

Thrust-to-weight ratio is a ratio of thrust to weight of a rocket, jet engine, propeller engine, or a vehicle propelled by such an engine. It is a dimensionless quantity and is an indicator of the performance of the engine or vehicle....

 of about 1.2:1 (the F-22 has a ratio closer to 1:1). The US Air Force claims that the Raptor cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter types, and Lockheed Martin claims: "the F-22 is the only aircraft that blends supercruise speed, super-agility, stealth and sensor fusion into a single air dominance platform."
The ability of airframes to withstand both stress and heat is a major design factor, thus the F-22 makes use of many polymers; however, as some of the materials are a significant health risk to personnel, technicians require protective equipment such as eye protection, respirators and gloves to work upon the aircraft. The use of internal weapons bays allows the aircraft to maintain a comparatively higher performance while carrying a heavy payload over many other aircraft due to a lack of drag from external stores. It is one of only a few of aircraft that can supercruise

Supercruise

Supercruise is sustained supersonic flight of an aircraft with a useful cargo, passenger, or weapons load performed efficiently and without the use of afterburners ....

, sustained supersonic

Supersonic

Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...

 flight without the use of afterburners, lowering fuel usage. The F-22 can intercept time-critical or rapidly moving targets that a subsonic aircraft would not have the speed to follow and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack fuel to reach.

The F-22 is highly maneuverable, at both supersonic and subsonic

Speed of sound

The speed of sound is the distance travelled during a unit of time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. In dry air at , the speed of sound is . This is , or about one kilometer in three seconds or approximately one mile in five seconds....

 speeds. It is extremely departure-resistant

Departure resistance

Departure resistance is a quality of an aircraft which enables it to remain in controlled flight and resist entering dangerous uncontrolled maneuvers such as spin....

, enabling it to remain controllable at extreme pilot inputs. The Raptor's thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....

 nozzles allow the aircraft to turn tightly, and perform extremely high alpha (angle of attack

Angle of attack

Angle of attack is a term used in fluid dynamics to describe the angle between a reference line on a lifting body and the vector representing the relative motion between the lifting body and the fluid through which it is moving...

) maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver

Herbst maneuver

The Herbst maneuver is an air combat maneuver which uses post-stall technology such as thrust vectoring and advanced flight controls to achieve high angles of attack. The Herbst maneuver allows an aircraft to quickly reverse direction using a combination of high angle-of-attack and rolling...

 (or J-turn), Pugachev's Cobra

Pugachev's Cobra

In aerobatics, Pugachev's Cobra is a dramatic and demanding manoeuvre in which a plane flying at a moderate speed suddenly raises the nose momentarily to the vertical position and slightly beyond, before dropping it back to normal flight. It uses a potent engine thrust to maintain approximately...

, and the Kulbit

Kulbit

The "Kulbit" is an aerial maneuver developed by Russian pilots, in which the aircraft performs an extremely tight loop, often not much wider than the length of the aircraft itself. It is an example of post-stall maneuvering, a type of supermaneuverability...

. The F-22 is also capable of maintaining a constant angle of attack of over 60°, yet still having some control of roll. During June 2006 exercises in Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

, F-22 pilots demonstrated that cruise altitude has a significant effect on combat performance, and routinely attributed their altitude advantage as a major factor in achieving an unblemished kill ratio against other US fighters and 4th/4.5th generation fighters.

Avionics

The F-22's avionics include BAE Systems E&IS

BAE Systems Electronics, Intelligence & Support

BAE Systems Electronics, Intelligence & Support is one of two operating groups of BAE Systems Inc., the North American subsidiary of UK-based BAE Systems.-History:...

 radar warning receiver

Radar warning receiver

Radar warning receiver systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected. The warning can then be used, manually or automatically, to evade the detected threat...

 (RWR) AN/ALR-94, AN/AAR 56 Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System) and the Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...

 AN/APG-77

AN/APG-77

The AN/APG-77 is a multifunction radar installed on the F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft. The radar is built by Northrop Grumman.It is a solid-state, active electronically scanned array radar...

 Active Electronically Scanned Array

Active Electronically Scanned Array

An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...

 (AESA) radar. The AN/ALR-94 is a passive receiver system to detect radar signals; composed of more than 30 antennas blended into the wings and fuselage that provide all around coverage. It was described by Tom Burbage, former F-22 program head at Lockheed Martin, as "the most technically complex piece of equipment on the aircraft." It has a greater range (250+ nmi

Nautical mile

The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...

) than the radar, allowing the F-22 to limit its own radar emissions to maximise stealth. As a target approaches, the receiver can cue the AN/APG-77 radar to track the target with a narrow beam, which can be as focused down to 2° by 2° in azimuth and elevation.

The AN/APG-77 radar, designed for air superiority and strike operations, features a low-observable, active-aperture, electronically-scanned array that can track multiple targets in any weather. The AN/APG-77 changes frequencies more than 1,000 times per second to lower interception probability. Additionally, radar emissions can be focused in an electronic-attack capability to overload enemy sensors.

The radar's information is processed by two Raytheon

Raytheon

Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...

 Common Integrated Processor (CIP)s. Each CIP can process 10.5 billion instructions per second

Instructions per second

Instructions per second is a measure of a computer's processor speed. Many reported IPS values have represented "peak" execution rates on artificial instruction sequences with few branches, whereas realistic workloads typically lead to significantly lower IPS values...

 and has 300 megabyte

Megabyte

The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...

s of memory. Information can be gathered from the radar and other onboard and offboard systems, filtered by the CIP, and offered in easy-to-digest ways on several cockpit displays, enabling the pilot to remain on top of complicated situations. The F-22s avionics software has some 1.7 million lines of code

Source lines of code

Source lines of code is a software metric used to measure the size of a software program by counting the number of lines in the text of the program's source code...

, the majority involving processing data from the radar. The radar has an estimated range of 125–150 miles, though planned upgrades will allow a range of 250 miles (402.3 km) or more in narrow beams. In 2007, tests by Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and L-3 Communications

L-3 Communications

L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. is a company that supplies command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training devices and services, instrumentation, space, and navigation products. Its customers include...

 enabled the AESA

Active Electronically Scanned Array

An Active Electronically Scanned Array , also known as active phased array radar is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small solid-state transmit/receive modules . AESAs aim their "beam" by broadcasting radio energy that interfere...

 system of a Raptor to act like a WiFi

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...

 access point, able to transmit data at 548 megabits per second and receive at gigabit speed; this is far faster than the Link 16

Link 16

Link 16 is a military tactical data exchange network created and used by the United States and adopted by some of its Allies and by NATO. Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links....

 system used by US and allied aircraft, which transfers data at just over 1 Mbit/s.

The F-22 has a threat detection and identification capability comparative with the RC-135 Rivet Joint. The F-22's stealth allows it to safely operate far closer to the battlefield, compensating for the reduced capability. The F-22 is capable of functioning as a "mini-AWACS", however the radar is less powerful than dedicated platforms such as the E-3 Sentry

E-3 Sentry

The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system developed by Boeing as the prime contractor. Derived from the Boeing 707, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, and is used by the United States Air Force , NATO, Royal Air Force , French Air Force...

. The F-22 allows its pilot to designate targets for cooperating F-15s and F-16s, and determine whether two friendly aircraft are targeting the same aircraft. This radar system can sometimes identify targets "many times quicker than the AWACS". The radar is capable of high-bandwidth data transmission; conventional radio "chatter" can be reduced via these alternative means. The IEEE-1394B data bus developed for the F-22 was derived from the commercial IEEE-1394 "FireWire" bus system. Sensor fusion combines data from all onboard and offboard sensors into a common view to prevent the pilot from being overwhelmed.

In a critical article former Navy Secretary John Lehman wrote "[a]t least [the F-22s] are safe from cyberattack. No one in China knows how to program the '83 vintage IBM software that runs them." Former Secretary of the USAF Michael Wynne

Michael Wynne

Michael W. Wynne is an American business executive and was the 21st United States Secretary of the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked for and received his resignation Michael W. Wynne (born September 4, 1944) is an American business executive and was the 21st United States...

 blamed the use of the DoD's Ada

Ada (programming language)

Ada is a structured, statically typed, imperative, wide-spectrum, and object-oriented high-level computer programming language, extended from Pascal and other languages...

 as a reason for cost overruns and schedule slippages on many major military projects, including the F-22 Raptor. The F-22 uses the INTEGRITY-178B operating system from Green Hills Software

Green Hills Software

Green Hills Software is a privately owned company that builds operating systems and development tools for embedded systems. The company was founded in 1982 by Dan O'Dowd and Carl Rosenberg...

, which is also used on the F-35, several commercial airliners and the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.

Cockpit

The F-22 uses a glass cockpit

Glass cockpit

A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, as opposed to the traditional style of analog dials and gauges...

 with no analog flight instruments. A side-stick

Side-stick

A side-stick or sidestick controller is an aircraft control column that is located on the side console of the pilot, usually on the righthand side, or outboard on a two-seat flightdeck...

 controller and two throttles are the main flight controls. The stick is force sensitive and has limited movement. The cockpit interior lighting is fully night-vision goggle compatible. The monochrome head-up display

Head-Up Display

A head-up display or heads-up display is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints...

 by GEC (which has since become BAE Systems

BAE Systems

BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...

) offers a wide field of view and serves as a primary flight instrument for the pilot; information is also displayed upon six color liquid crystal display

Liquid crystal display

A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....

 (LCD) panels.

The integrated control panel (ICP) is a keypad system for entering communications, navigation, and autopilot data. Two 3 by 4 in (7.6 by 10.2 cm) up-front displays located around the ICP are used to display integrated caution advisory/warning data, and also serve as the stand-by flight instrumentation group and fuel quantity indicator. The stand-by flight group displays an artificial horizon, for basic instrument meteorological conditions

Instrument meteorological conditions

Instrument meteorological conditions is an aviation flight category that describes weather conditions that require pilots to fly primarily by reference to instruments, and therefore under Instrument Flight Rules , rather than by outside visual references under Visual Flight Rules . Typically, this...

. The 8 by 8 in (20.3 by 20.3 cm) primary multi-function display

Multi-function display

A Multi-function display is a small screen in an aircraft surrounded by multiple buttons that can be used to display information to the pilot in numerous configurable ways. Often an MFD will be used in concert with a Primary Flight Display. MFDs are part of the digital era of modern planes or...

 is located under the ICP, and is used for navigation and situation assessment. Three 6.25 by 6.25 in (15.9 by 15.9 cm) secondary multi-function displays are located around the PMFD for tactical information and stores management.

The canopy is approximately 140 inches long, 45 inches wide, and 27 inches tall; it lacks a canopy bow for improved vision. An iridium-tin oxide coating gives the canopy a gold color and reflects radar waves. The ejection seat is a version of the ACES II

ACES II

ACES II is an ejection seat system manufactured by the Goodrich Corporation. ACES is an acronym for Advanced Concept Ejection Seat. It is used in the A-10, F-15, F-16, F-117A, B-1B, and B-2 aircraft....

 (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) commonly used in USAF aircraft, with a center-mounted ejection control. Improvements over the previous models include an active arm restraint system to reduce injury.

The life support system integrates critical components to sustain the pilot, such as the on-board oxygen generation system (OBOGS), and a breathing regulator/anti-g valve that controls flow and pressure to the mask and garments. The pilot's protective garments are designed for chemical/biological/cold-water immersion protection, to counter g-forces and high altitudes, provide thermal relief. The helmet incorporates active noise reduction

Active noise control

Active noise control is a method for reducing unwanted sound.- Explanation :...

 for hearing protection. Suspicions regarding the performance of the OBOGS and life support equipment have been raised by several crashes.

Armament

The Raptor has three internal weapons bays on the bottom and sides of the fuselage. It can carry six compressed carriage medium range missiles in the center bay and one short range missile in each of the two side bays. Four of the medium range missiles can be replaced with two bomb racks that can each carry one medium-size bomb or four small diameter bombs. Carrying missiles and bombs internally maintains its stealth

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

 capability and maintains lower drag resulting in higher top speeds and longer combat ranges. Launching missiles requires opening the weapons bay doors for less than a second, while the missiles are pushed clear of the airframe by hydraulic arms. This reduces the Raptor's chance of detection by enemy radar systems due to launched ordnance and also allows the F-22 to launch long range missiles while maintaining supercruise. The F-22 can also carry air-to-surface weapons such as bombs with Joint Direct Attack Munition

Joint Direct Attack Munition

The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...

 (JDAM) guidance and the Small-Diameter Bomb, but cannot self-designate for laser-guided weapons. Air-to-surface ordnance is limited to 2,000 lb (compared to 17,000 lb of F/A-18). The Raptor has an M61A2 Vulcan

M61 Vulcan

The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically or pneumatically driven, six-barreled, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm rounds at an extremely high rate. The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft...

 20 mm cannon

Gatling gun

The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...

 in the right wing root. The M61A2 carries 480 rounds; enough ammunition for approximately five seconds of sustained fire. The opening for the cannon's firing barrel is covered by a door when not in use to maximise stealth. The F-22 has been able to close to gun range in training dogfights while avoiding detection.

The Raptor's very high sustained cruise speed and operational altitude add significantly to the effective range of both air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions. This gives it a 40% greater employment range for air to air missiles than the F-35. The USAF plans to procure the AIM-120D AMRAAM

AIM-120 AMRAAM

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...

, reported to have a 50% increase in range compared to the AIM-120C. While specific figures remain classified, it is expected that JDAMs employed by F-22s will have twice or more the effective range of munitions dropped by legacy platforms. In testing, a Raptor dropped a 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM from 50,000 feet (15,000 m), while cruising at Mach 1.5, striking a moving target 24 miles (38.6 km) away.

While the F-22 typically carries its weapons internally, the wings include four hardpoint

Hardpoint

A hardpoint, or weapon station, is any part of an airframe designed to carry an external load. This includes a point on the wing or fuselage of military aircraft where external ordnance, countermeasures, gun pods, targeting pods or drop tanks can be mounted.-Rail launchers:Large missiles and...

s, each rated to handle 5000 lb (2,268 kg). Each hardpoint has a pylon that can carry a detachable 600 gallon fuel tank or a launcher holding two air-air missiles. However, the use of external stores has a detrimental effect on the F-22's stealth, maneuverability and speed. The two inner hardpoints are "plumbed" for external fuel tanks; the hardpoints can be jettisoned in flight so the fighter can maximise its stealth after exhausting external stores. A stealth ordnance pod and pylon is being developed to carry additional weapons internally.

Stealth

The stealth

Stealth technology

Stealth technology also termed LO technology is a sub-discipline of military tactics and passive electronic countermeasures, which cover a range of techniques used with personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, and missiles, to make them less visible to radar, infrared, sonar and other detection...

 of the F-22 is due to a combination of factors, including the overall shape of the aircraft, the use of radar absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. However, reduced radar cross section is one of five facets of presence reduction addressed in the designing of the F-22. The F-22 was designed to disguise its infrared emissions, reducing the threat of infrared homing

Infrared homing

Infrared homing refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track and follow it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared is just below the...

 ("heat seeking") surface-to-air

Surface-to-air missile

A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...

 or air-to-air missiles, including its flat thrust vectoring nozzles. The aircraft was designed to be less visible to the naked eye; radio, heat and noise emissions are equally controlled.
The F-22 apparently relies less on maintenance-intensive radar absorbent material and coatings than previous stealth designs like the F-117

F-117 Nighthawk

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground-attack aircraft formerly operated by the United States Air Force . The F-117A's first flight was in 1981, and it achieved initial operating capability status in October 1983...

. These materials caused deployment problems due to their susceptibility to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. Furthermore, the F-22 has a "Signature Assessment System", which presents warning indicators when normal wear-and-tear degrades the aircraft's radar signature to the point of requiring substantial repair work. The exact radar cross section

Radar cross section

Radar cross section is a measure of how detectable an object is with a radar. A larger RCS indicates that an object is more easily detected.An object reflects a limited amount of radar energy...

 (RCS) remains classified; however, in early 2009 Lockheed Martin released information on the F-22, indicating it to have a RCS (from certain angles) of −40 dBsm – the equivalent radar reflection of a "steel marble". Maintenance of the F-22's stealth features decreases the mission capable rate

Availability

In telecommunications and reliability theory, the term availability has the following meanings:* The degree to which a system, subsystem, or equipment is in a specified operable and committable state at the start of a mission, when the mission is called for at an unknown, i.e., a random, time...

 to approximately 62–70%.

The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. As soon as the F-22 maneuvers, it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, increasing visibility. Furthermore, the use of stealth contouring and radar absorbent material are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. Low-frequency radar

Low-frequency radar

Low-frequency radar uses frequencies lower than 1 GHz, as opposed to the usual radar bands, which range from 2 Ghz and up,and the maximum is 40 Ghz.The radar cross section of any target depends on the radar transmitted frequency...

s, employed by weather radars and ground warning stations, are alleged to be less affected by stealth characteristics and are more capable of detecting aircraft. The result of these faint and fleeting radar contacts is that while defenders could become aware of the presence of a stealth aircraft, means of interception cannot be reliably vectored in to shoot down the aircraft.

Designation and testing

The YF-22 was originally given the unofficial name "Lightning II", after the World War II fighter P-38, by Lockheed, which persisted until the mid-1990s when the USAF officially named the aircraft "Raptor". The aircraft was also briefly dubbed "SuperStar" and "Rapier". The F-35 later received the Lightning II name on 7 July 2006. In September 2002, Air Force leaders changed the Raptor's designation to F/A-22. The new designation, mimicking the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet

F/A-18 Hornet

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...

, was intended to highlight plans for a ground-attack capability amid intense debate over the relevance of expensive air-superiority jets. The F-22 designation was reinstated on 12 December 2005, when the aircraft entered service.

Flight testing of the F-22 began in 1997. Raptor 4001 was retired and sent to Wright-Patterson AFB

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties in the state of Ohio. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is located approximately...

 to be fired at for testing the fighter's survivability. Usable parts of 4001 would be used to make a new F-22. Another engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) F-22 was also retired and likely to be sent to be rebuilt. A testing aircraft was converted to a maintenance trainer at Tyndall AFB

Tyndall Air Force Base

Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...

.

In May 2006, a released report documented a problem with a forward titanium boom on the aircraft. The problem was caused by a manufacturing defect in the heat-treating, making the boom less ductile than specified and potentially shortening the lives of roughly the first 80 F-22s. Modifications were implemented to restore full life expectancy.

Service history

On 15 December 2005 the USAF announced that the Raptor had reached its Initial Operational Capability (IOC). During Exercise Northern Edge

Northern Edge

Northern Edge is Alaska's premier military joint training exercise.Alaskan Command uses expansive Alaskan training ranges to conduct these joint training operations.Northern Edge 2008 was a joint training exercise running May 5–16, 2008...

 in Alaska in June 2006, 12 F-22s of the 94th FS downed 108 adversaries with no losses in simulated combat exercises. In two weeks of exercises, the Raptor-led Blue Force amassed 241 kills against two losses in air-to-air combat; neither Blue Force loss was an F-22. Shortly after was Red Flag 07-1 in February 2007. Fourteen F-22s of the 94th FS supported Blue Force strikes and undertook close air support sorties themselves. Against superior numbers of Red Force Aggressor

Aggressor squadron

An aggressor squadron or adversary squadron is a squadron that is trained to act as an opposing force in military wargames. Aggressor squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give a realistic simulation of air combat...

 F-15s and F-16s, 6-8 F-22s maintained air dominance throughout. No sorties were missed because of maintenance or other failures, and only one Raptor was judged lost against the opposing force's defeat. F-22s also provided airborne electronic surveillance.

While attempting its first overseas deployment to the Kadena Air Base

Kadena Air Base

, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...

 in Okinawa, Japan, on 11 February 2007, six F-22s flying from Hickam AFB, Hawaii experienced multiple computer failures while crossing the 180th meridian

180th meridian

The 180th meridian or antimeridian is the meridian which is 180° east or west of the Prime Meridian passing through the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. It is common to both east longitude and west longitude. It is used as the basis for the International Date Line because it for the most part passes...

 of longitude

Longitude

Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....

 (the International Date Line

International Date Line

The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...

). The failures included navigation and communication. The fighters were able to return to Hawaii by following tanker aircraft

Aerial refueling

Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....

. Within 48 hours, the error was resolved and the journey resumed. 90th Fighter Squadron performed the first F-22 NORAD interception of two Russian Tu-95MS 'Bear-H'

Tupolev Tu-95

The Tupolev Tu-95 is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the former Soviet Union in 1956 and is expected to serve the Russian Air Force until at least 2040...

 bombers over Alaska, on 22 November 2007. Since then, F-22s have also escorted probing Tu-160 "Blackjack"

Tupolev Tu-160

The Tupolev Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing heavy strategic bomber designed by the Tupolev Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Although several civil and military transport aircraft are larger in overall dimensions, the Tu-160 is currently the world's largest combat aircraft, largest...

 strategic bombers.

On 12 December 2007, General John D.W. Corley

John D.W. Corley

John Donald Wesley Corley is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force. He previously served as the commander of Air Combat Command from October 2007 to September 10, 2009 and as the 32nd Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from September 2005 to September 2007...

, USAF, Commander of Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....

, officially declared the F-22s of the integrated active duty 1st Fighter Wing

1st Fighter Wing

The 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...

 and Virginia Air National Guard

Virginia Air National Guard

The Virginia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Virginia. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard...

 192d Fighter Wing

192d Fighter Wing

The United States Air Force's 192d Fighter Wing is a fighter organization of the Virginia Air National Guard located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.-Mission:...

 fully operational, three years after the first Raptor arrived at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. This was followed from 13 to 19 April 2008 by an Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) of the integrated wing in which it received an "excellent" rating in all categories while scoring a simulated kill-ratio of 221–0. The first pair of Raptors assigned to the 49th Fighter Wing

49th Fighter Wing

The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....

 became operational at Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...

, New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

, on 2 June 2008.

In December 2007, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne

Michael Wynne

Michael W. Wynne is an American business executive and was the 21st United States Secretary of the Air Force. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asked for and received his resignation Michael W. Wynne (born September 4, 1944) is an American business executive and was the 21st United States...

 requested that the F-22 be deployed to the Middle East; Secretary of Defense Gates rejected this option. Time suggested part of the reason for it not being used in the 2011 military intervention in Libya

2011 military intervention in Libya

On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...

 may have been its high unit cost.

On 28 August 2008, an unmodified F-22 from the 411th Flight Test Squadron performed in the first ever air-to-air refueling of an aircraft using synthetic jet fuel. The test was a part of a wider USAF effort to qualify aircraft to use the fuel, a 50/50 mix of JP-8

JP-8

JP-8, or JP8 is a jet fuel, specified and used widely by the US military. It is specified by MIL-DTL-83133 and British Defence Standard 91-87, and similar to commercial aviation's Jet-A....

 and a Fischer-Tropsch process

Fischer-Tropsch process

The Fischer–Tropsch process is a set of chemical reactions that convert a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The process, a key component of gas to liquids technology, produces a petroleum substitute, typically from coal, natural gas, or biomass for use as synthetic...

-produced, natural gas-based fuel.

During 2010–2011 periodic operational hazards surfaced regarding F-22 operations. In February 2010 the entire fleet was grounded due to rusting ejection seat rods. In May 2011 the entire fleet was grounded; following the November 2010 crash near Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska the F-22 had been restricted to flying below 25,000 feet while the Honeywell

Honeywell

Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....

 oxygen generating system was inspected. After five incidents of pilots suffering from hypoxia and decompression, General William M. Fraser III

William M. Fraser III

General William M. Fraser III, USAF is the 10th and current Commander, U.S. Transportation Command. He previously served as Commander, Air Combat Command from September 10, 2009 to September 30, 2011...

 of Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....

 grounded the F-22 fleet indefinitely on 3 May 2011. In June 2011, the investigation broadened across the life support systems, and aircraft deliveries were stopped. In July 2011 the investigation suspected a scenario in which the pilots were poisoned by carbon monoxide from the engines while warming up the plane inside the hangars. Tests on pilots have found other chemicals have been inhaled from the on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS), including oil fumes and propane. On 21 September 2011, the F-22 returned to flight with added pilot safety equipment and careful monitoring of crew and aircraft, while the investigation continues.

On 21 October, Langley's F-22s were grounded after a suspected oxygen system problem; Elmendorf-Richardson grounded their aircraft as well. All aircraft were cleared to fly again on October 25. Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $24M contract to find the cause of the oxygen system difficulty, as well as providing other sustainment functions.

In its 2012 budget request the USAF cut F-22 flight training hours by one-third to reduce the operating costs of flying the aircraft.

Maintenance

In 2009, a spokesperson for Lockheed-Martin stated the mission ready rate had improved from 62% in 2004 to 68% in 2009, and was predicted to reach 85% as the fleet reached 100,000 flight hours. The Washington Post stated that between October 2008 and May 2009, 55 percent of the deployed F-22 fleet has been available. Air Force Magazine responded to the Washington Post article, stating it was incorrect and that mission capable rates were climbing; by June 2009 they stood at 62.9%, compared to approximately 70% for the F-15 and F-16 aircraft. In 2010, the Air Force Association

Air Force Association

The Air Force Association is an independent, 501 non-profit, civilian education organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia...

 stated the mission capable rate for the F-22 fleet was 70%.

In July 2009, the Air Force reported that the F-22 requires more than 30 hours of maintenance for every flight hour, with the total cost per flight hour of $44,000. The Office of the Secretary of Defense puts that figure at 34 hours of maintenance per flight hour at a cost of $49,808. A Lockheed spokesman said, however, that the variable cost per flight hour is $19,000, with a direct maintenance man hours per flight hour of 18.10 in 2008 and 20.48 in 2009. The Pentagon requirement is for 12 hours of maintenance per flight hour. The F-22 also reportedly encountered a critical failure every 1.7 hours. The F-22 had required maintenance every 0.97 flight hours in 2004. This improved to 3.22 flight hours per maintenance event in production Lot 6 aircraft.

Each Raptor requires a month-long packaged maintenance plan (PMP) after every 300 flight hours. The aircraft's radar-absorbing metallic skin is a principal cause of maintenance – skin repairs account for more than half of all maintenance. Another source of maintenance problems is that many components require custom hand-fitting and are not interchangeable. The canopy visibility degrades more rapidly than expected, and, instead of the required 800 hours, refurbishments are at 331 flight hours on average. Pentagon officials have responded that measuring flying costs for aircraft fleets that have not reached 100,000 flying hours is premature. Officials also stated that improvements have been made since 2008; and that the F-22 is on track to meet key performance measures by 2010.

In January 2007, it was reported that the F-22 maintained a 97% sortie rate (flying 102 out of 105 tasked sorties) while amassing a 144-to-zero kill ratio during "Northern Edge" air-to-air exercises held in Alaska, the first large-scale exercise in which the Raptor participated. Lt. Col. Wade Tolliver, the squadron commander of the 27th FS commented: "the stealth coatings are not as fragile as they were in earlier stealth aircraft. It isn't damaged by a rain storm and it can stand the wear and tear of combat without degradation." However, rain has caused "shorts and failures in sophisticated electrical components" when the Raptors were briefly posted to Guam.

Variants

• YF-22A – pre-production version used for ATF
  Advanced Tactical Fighter
  The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...
  
   testing and evaluation. Two were built.
• F-22A – single-seat production version. Was designated "F/A-22A" in early 2000s.
• F-22B – planned two-seat variant, but was dropped in 1996 to save development costs.
• Naval F-22 variant – a carrier-borne variant of the F-22 with swing-wings for the U.S. Navy
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
  's Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter
  Advanced Tactical Fighter
  The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...
  
   (NATF) program to replace the F-14 Tomcat. Program was canceled in 1993.

Derivatives

The FB-22 was a proposed medium-range bomber for the USAF. The FB-22 was projected to carry up to 30 Small Diameter Bombs to about twice the range of the F-22A, while maintaining the F-22's stealth and supersonic speed. However, the FB-22 in its planned form appears to have been canceled with the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review

Quadrennial Defense Review

The Quadrennial Defense Review is a study by the United States Department of Defense that analyzes strategic objectives and potential military threats. The Quadrennial Defense Review Report is the main public document describing the United States's military doctrine.As stipulated in the 1997...

 and subsequent developments, in lieu of a larger subsonic bomber with a much greater range.

The X-44 MANTA, or multi-axis, no-tail aircraft, was a planned experimental aircraft based on the F-22 with enhanced thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring

Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....

 controls and no aerodynamic backup. The aircraft was to be solely controlled by thrust vectoring, without featuring any rudders, ailerons, or elevators. Funding for this program was halted in 2000.

Operators

The United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 is the only operator of the F-22, with 168 aircraft in inventory as of May 2010. These are operated by the following commands:

• Air Education and Training Command
  Air Education and Training Command
  Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
  
  
  • 325th Fighter Wing
    325th Fighter Wing
    The 325th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 325th Fighter Wing’s primary mission is to provide air dominance training for F-22 Raptor pilots and maintenance personnel and air battle managers to support the combat Air...
    
    , Tyndall AFB
    Tyndall Air Force Base
    Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
    
    , Florida
    Florida
    Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
    
    
    • 43d Fighter Squadron
      43d Fighter Squadron
      The 43d Fighter Squadron is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts advanced fighter training for F-22 Raptor pilots.-Mission:...
      
      – The first squadron to operate the F-22 and continues to serve as the Formal Training Unit. Known as the "Hornets", the 43d was re-activated at Tyndall in 2002.

• Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
  
  
  • 1st Fighter Wing
    1st Fighter Wing
    The 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
    
    , Langley AFB, Virginia
    Virginia
    The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
    
    
    • 27th Fighter Squadron
      27th Fighter Squadron
      The 27th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
      
      – The first combat F-22 squadron. Began conversion in December 2005 after and flew the first operational mission (January 2006 in support of Operation Noble Eagle
      Operation Noble Eagle
      Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
      
      ).
    • 94th Fighter Squadron
      94th Fighter Squadron
      The 94th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
      
      
  • 49th Fighter Wing
    49th Fighter Wing
    The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
    
    , Holloman AFB
    Holloman Air Force Base
    Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
    
    , New Mexico
    New Mexico
    New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
    
    
    • 7th Fighter Squadron
      7th Fighter Squadron
      The 7th Fighter Squadron is part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.-Mission:The 7th Fighter Squadron as a part of the 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the F-22A Raptor aircraft.The 7 FS...
      
      
    • 8th Fighter Squadron
      8th Fighter Squadron
      The 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
      
      
  • 53d Wing
    53d Wing
    The 53d Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices...
    
    , Eglin AFB
    Eglin Air Force Base
    Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
    
    , Florida
    • 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron
      422d Test and Evaluation Squadron
      The 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53d Test and Evaluation Group, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada....
      
      – The "Green Bats" are responsible for operational testing, tactics development and evaluation for the F-22 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
  • 57th Wing
    57th Wing
    The 57th Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Warfare Center, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.The 57 WG's mission is to provide well trained and well equipped combat forces ready to deploy into a combat arena to conduct integrated combat operations.-Mission:The 57...
    
    , Nellis AFB
    Nellis Air Force Base
    Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
    
    , Nevada
    Nevada
    Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
    
    
    • 433rd Weapons Squadron

• Air Force Materiel Command
  Air Force Materiel Command
  Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....
  
  
  • 412th Test Wing
    412th Test Wing
    The 412th Test Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California.-Overview:...
    
    , Edwards AFB
    Edwards Air Force Base
    Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
    
    , California
    California
    California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
    
    
    • 411th Flight Test Squadron
      411th Flight Test Squadron
      The 411th Flight Test Squadron is part of the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It performed competition testing for the YF-22 and YF-23 aircraft.-History:...
      
       – Conducted competition between YF-22 and YF-23 from 1989–1991. Continues to conduct flight test on F-22 armaments and upgrades.

• Pacific Air Forces
  • 3d Wing
    3d Wing
    The 3d Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska....
    
    , Elmendorf AFB
    Elmendorf Air Force Base
    Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
    
    , Alaska
    Alaska
    Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
    
    
    • 90th Fighter Squadron
      90th Fighter Squadron
      The 90th Fighter Squadron is part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
      
      – Converted from F-15Es; first F-22A arrived 8 August 2007.
    • 525th Fighter Squadron
      525th Fighter Squadron
      The 525th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 3d Operations Group and stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.-Overview:...
      
      
  • 15th Wing, Hickam AFB
    Hickam Air Force Base
    Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...
    
    , Hawaii
    Hawaii
    Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
    
    
    • 19th Fighter Squadron
      19th Fighter Squadron
      The 19th Fighter Squadron is part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.-Mission:The 19th FS operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting strategic attack, interdiction, offensive counterair , suppression of enemy air defenses, as well as offensive and defensive counterair ...
      
      - Associate PACAF squadron to the 199th Fighter Squadron (Air National Guard).

• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  
  • 192d Fighter Wing
    192d Fighter Wing
    The United States Air Force's 192d Fighter Wing is a fighter organization of the Virginia Air National Guard located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.-Mission:...
    
    , Langley AFB, Virginia.
    • 149th Fighter Squadron
      149th Fighter Squadron
      The 149th Fighter Squadron Based at Langley Air Force Base flies the F-22 Raptor. It is unit of the Virginia Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 192nd Fighter Wing...
      
      , Virginia Air National Guard
      Virginia Air National Guard
      The Virginia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Virginia. It is, along with the Virginia Army National Guard, an element of the Virginia National Guard...
      
       – Associate ANG squadron to the 1st Fighter Wing (Air Combat Command).
  • 154th Wing
    154th Wing
    The United States Air Force 154th Wing is the operational component of the Hawaii Air National Guard. It is stationed at Hickam Field, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.-Overview:...
    
    , Hickam AFB
    Hickam Air Force Base
    Hickam Field, re-named Hickam Air Force Base in 1948, was a United States Air Force facility now part of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam.- History :...
    
    , Hawaii
    • 199th Fighter Squadron
      199th Fighter Squadron
      The 199th Fighter Squadron is an aviation unit of the Hawaii Air National Guard of the United States Air Force. Its parent unit is the 154th Wing and it currently operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-History:...
      
      , Hawaii Air National Guard
      Hawaii Air National Guard
      The Hawaii Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is, along with the Hawaii Army National Guard, an element of the Hawaii National Guard...
      
      

• Air Force Reserve Command
  Air Force Reserve Command
  The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
  
  
  • 44th Fighter Group, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
    • 301st Fighter Squadron
      301st Fighter Squadron
      The 301st Fighter Squadron is part of the 44th Fighter Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates the F-22A Raptor conducting advanced fighter training as a reserve corollary unit to the 49th Fighter Wing.-World War II:...
      
      - Associate AFRC squadron to the 49th Fighter Wing (Air Combat Command).
  • 477th Fighter Group
    477th Fighter Group
    The 477th Fighter Group is the Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22A Raptor unit. The unit is assigned to Tenth Air Force and is based at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.-Overview:...
    
    , Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
    • 302d Fighter Squadron
      302d Fighter Squadron
      The 302nd Fighter Squadron is part of the 477th Fighter Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor conducting an air superiority mission.-Mission:...
      
      - Associate AFRC squadron to the 3d Wing (Pacific Air Forces).

Notable accidents

Because of the platform's relative immaturity due to its early operational status and low number of flight hours compared to other platforms, the F-22 has the highest accident rate of any USAF fighter aircraft in service. This rate is expected to go down as the Air Force gains more experience in operating the aircraft.

In April 1992, the first YF-22 crashed while landing at Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...

, California. The test pilot Tom Morgenfeld escaped without injury. The cause of the crash was found to be a flight control software error that failed to prevent a pilot-induced oscillation

Pilot-induced oscillation

Pilot-induced oscillations, as defined by MIL-HDBK-1797A, are sustained or uncontrollable oscillations resulting from efforts of the pilot to control the aircraft and occurs when the pilot of an aircraft inadvertently commands an often increasing series of corrections in opposite directions, each...

.

The first crash of a production F-22 occurred during takeoff

Takeoff

Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...

 at Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...

 on 20 December 2004, in which the pilot ejected safely before impact. The crash investigation revealed that a brief interruption in power during an engine shutdown prior to flight caused a malfunction in the flight-control system; consequently the aircraft design was corrected to avoid the problem. All F-22s were grounded after the crash; operations resumed following a review.

On 25 March 2009, an F-22 crashed 35 miles (56.3 km) northeast of Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...

 during a test flight, resulting in the death of Lockheed test pilot David P. Cooley

David P. Cooley

David Paul Cooley was a Lockheed test pilot and retired United States Air Force officer, responsible for developmental flight testing of the F-117 Nighthawk...

. An Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command

Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....

 investigation found that Cooley momentarily lost consciousness during a high-G maneuver, then ejected when he found himself too low to recover. Cooley was killed during ejection by blunt-force trauma

Blunt trauma

In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma...

 from the aircraft's speed and the windblast

Windblast

Windblast is a term commonly used in mining to describe a sudden rush of air or gas due to the collapse of a void.-Causes:Windblast is common in longwall coal mines, especially those whose roof strata are competent, and do not cave immediately behind the roof supports as the face advances...

. The investigation found no issues with the F-22's design.

On 16 November 2010, an F-22, based at Elmendorf, Alaska, lost contact with Air Traffic Control. The aircraft was discovered to have crashed; the pilot, Captain Jeffrey Haney, did not survive. The F-22 fleet was restricted to flying below 25,000 feet, before being grounded completely, while the accident was investigated. During the summer of 2011, more wreckage from the crash site was recovered; the accident has been attributed to a malfunction in the bleed air system that shut down the aircraft's Environmental Control System (ECS) and On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS).

Aircraft on display

The National Museum of the United States Air Force

National Museum of the United States Air Force

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...

, on 30 April 2007, announced that EMD Raptor 91-4003 would be put on display later in 2007 in the space being occupied by the YF-22. The Museum publicly unveiled its Raptor 91-4003 display on 18 January 2008.

Specifications

Notable appearances in media

See also

External links

• F-22 official team web site
• F-22 page on NASA Langley site
• F-22 page on GlobalSecurity.org
• F-22 Raptor site – f22fighter.com
• F-22 Raptor site – f-22raptor.com
• F-22 Raptor page with YF-22/F-22 comparison on fighter-planes.com
• F-22A Raptor page on airforce-technology.com
• Interview – F-22 Chief Test Pilot, Paul Metz, 1998
• F-22 Raptor wows Farnborough air show. BBC, 17 July 2008
• Unique Flight Demonstration video – 2007 Capital Airshow in Sacramento – with narrative by F-22 pilot Paul "Max" Moga
• "Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Air Dominance Fighters Begin Operations In New Mexico". Lockheed Martin, 6 June 2008