F/A-22 Raptor
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- For information about the video-game see F-22 Raptor (game)
| F/A-22 Raptor | ||
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| F/A-22 Raptors over California
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| Description | ||
| Role | Single-seat air superiority fighter | |
| Crew | 1 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Wingspan | 44 ft. 6 in. | 13.56 m |
| Length | 62 ft. 1 in. | 18.90 m |
| Height | 16 ft. 5 in. | 5.08 m |
| Wing area | 840 sq. ft. | 78.04 sq. m |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 31,670 lb | 14,365 kg |
| Loaded | ||
| Max take-off | 60,000 lb | 27,216 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | 2 Pratt and Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofans | |
| Thrust | 35,000 lb. | 155.69 kN |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | approx. Mach 2.0 | approx. 2120 km/h |
| Combat range | ||
| Ferry range | ||
| Service ceiling | >50,000 ft. | >15,240 m |
| Rate of climb | ||
| Armament | ||
| Guns | One M61A2 20mm Gatling gun | |
| Long-Range Missiles | Six AIM-120C AMRAAM | |
| Short-Range Missiles | Two AIM-9X Sidewinders | |
The F/A-22 Raptor is a highly stealthy combat jet aircraft built by Lockheed Martin and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, intended to be the leading United States advanced tactical fighter (ATF) in the early part of the 21st century. The prototype Raptor, designated YF-22, beat the YF-23 for the contract. The first test flight of the Raptor occurred on September 7, 1997. The first production F/A-22 was delivered to the Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on January 14, 2003. Fifty-one F/A-22s are in service, with 22 more paid for under Fiscal Year 2004. The aircraft was first introduced into operations on October 27, 2004.
| Contents |
General information
Weapons systems
The Raptor is designed to carry its air-to-air missiles in internal bays to avoid disrupting its stealthiness. The missiles are launched by hydraulic arms that hurl them away from the jet so quickly that the weapons-bay doors pop open for less than one second. It can also carry bombs such as the large JDAM and the new SDB (Small Diameter Bomb) GPS-guided bombs to attack enemy air defense radars and systems.
Procurement
The United States Air Force originally planned an order of 750 ATFs, with production from 1994. Following the 1990 Major Aircraft Review, production was to begin in 1996 for a total of 648 aircraft. By 1994 the figure stood at 442 planes for service entry in 2003/2004. A DoD report in 1997 stated that 339 was the final number. Currently there is significant debate over the exact number of units affordable, though in 2003 the USAF said that it could buy 277 given a $43 billion cost limit.
Variants
Based on the F/A-22, the swing-wing NATF was proposed for the U.S. Navy to replace the F-14 Tomcat, though the program was subsequently cancelled in 1993.
Specifications
- Role: single-seat air superiority fighter
- Engines
- Two Pratt and Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofans each rated at 155.69 kN (35,000 lbf) static thrust class with afterburning, capable of supercruise and thrust vectoring. The exact maximum thrust is classified, though most sources place it at about 39,000lb. Thrust vectoring is in the pitch axis only, with a range of +/- 20 degrees.
- Performance
- Speed
- Maximum level speed "clean" at optimum altitude - Mach 1.58 in supercruise mode; maximum speed with afterburners is mentioned at "approx M2.0" (2,120 km/h). Due to the absence of variable intake ramps, M2.0+ speed may be unreachable. In addition it has been speculated that the computerized flight control system (FLCS) limits the top speed to prevent the skin of the aircraft from deforming at such high temperatures.
- Service Ceiling
- over 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
- Speed
- Avionics
- Radar: Raytheon and Northrop Grumman AN/APG-77 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
- Weights
- Empty: 31,670 lb (14,365 kg); Gross: 60,000 lb (27,216 kg)
- Armament (internal)
- Six AIM-120C AMRAAM (Advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles) or
- Two AIM-120C AMRAAMs, two AIM-9 Sidewinders and two 1,000-lb. (450 kg) Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM)
- One M61A2 20mm Gatling gun with 480 rounds
- Armament (external)
- Four external hardpoints can be fitted to carry weapons or fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 5,000 lb (2,270 kg)
- Cost: $152M✝ (based on September 2003 estimate of build 276 aircraft at USD 42 bn [1])
- Final Assembly: Lockheed-Georgia Co., Marietta, Georgia
✝ This figure includes R&D cost which perhaps should be shared with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
See also
External links
| Related content | |
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| Related Development | |
| Similar Aircraft | |
| Designation Series | |
| Related Lists | List of military aircraft of the United States - List of fighter aircraft |
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List of Aircraft | Aircraft Manufacturers | Aircraft Engines | Aircraft Engine Manufacturers Airlines | Air Forces | Aircraft Weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation |
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