"Raptor" F-22 (F-22 Raptor) - fifth-generation multirole fighter

The aircraft is designed to replace the interceptor, bomber, AWACS and reconnaissance aircraft. A machine that can radically change the course of a battle while remaining unnoticed. A fighter that has the inside of a spaceship, but performs earthly tasks. The F-22 Raptor is the world's first fifth-generation aircraft in service. The Raptor should become the mainstay and main defender of America's interests for decades to come.

The device has already undergone a baptism of fire, where it fully demonstrated its qualities and defended its right to exist.

Story

Both the American and Soviet military were aware of the need for a new generation fighter. Work began almost simultaneously, namely in 1981. The main indicators were to be: super-maneuverability, supersonic cruising speed and stealth.

For the Pentagon, the issue was more acute. The fact is that the Soviet Su-27 and MiG-29 came out later than the American F-15 and F-16, and, accordingly, were developed using more advanced technical solutions.

The main requirements for the ATF competition were published in March 1981.

The program was announced in May 1986. By the end of that year, two main competitors emerged - companies led by Lockheed on the one hand and Northrop on the other. Participants were supposed to show flying prototypes within 4 years.

By the beginning of 1990, the teams presented their models: YF-23 and YF-22. The devices came out much more expensive than the expected budget, for this reason it was decided to abandon some devices, namely the side-view radar and the optical-electronic guidance station. During testing, both prototypes showed their advantages and disadvantages.

The YF-23 model had less aerodynamic drag and better stealth characteristics, especially in the IR range. This was achieved thanks to specially shaped nozzles, which, however, worsen maneuvering characteristics. Such an aircraft is unable to perform a number of aerobatic maneuvers, such as the Cobra, for example.

Lockheed's YF-22 model, on the contrary, had good maneuvering qualities, thanks to its controlled thrust vector. Another important advantage of the YF-22 was its large payload. As a result, the prototype from the Lockheed YF-22 group was recognized as the best and won the competition.

The first pre-production prototype flew in September 1997.

Adjustments were made to the original airframe and more powerful engines with deflectable thrust vectoring in the vertical plane were installed.

Serial production of the aircraft began in 2001. The first vehicle was received at Nellis Air Force Base within 20 months. By 2004, the plant produced the 51st product.

The initial order of 750 vehicles was reduced. The government did not see the point in purchasing a large number of expensive cars, since the main geopolitical rival, the Soviet Union, had already collapsed by this time. Thus, the troops accepted the last 187th aircraft in 2012, completing the program.

Designation of priorities

In the end, it dawned on everyone that the F-22 Raptor would not go further than the drawing boards at all, and therefore something would have to be sacrificed. Scientists were tasked with maximizing the flight performance of the fighter. Then the engineers decided to use engines with variable thrust vectoring, and also significantly improved the contours of the airframe itself. For some reason, the Americans preferred to focus only on the vertical change in thrust (our Su-35, for example, can change it in the horizontal direction).

Invisibility on radar screens was placed in second place. Unlike the “Lame Goblin”, that is, the F-117, they were used in such a way as not to harm the classic contours of the airframe and not turn the aircraft into an iron from an aerodynamic point of view. Stepping back from the topic, let's say that in 1990, when the production of Nighthawk was hastily curtailed, all the money from this program was inherited by Raptor. Theoretically, the F-22 Raptor has a dispersion area of ​​0.3 m². For Goblin, this figure ranged from 0.01 to 0.0025 m². But they still decided to make the Raptor an airplane, and not a flying iron. Simply put, Lockheed Martin decided not to test the patience of Congress this time.

However, a normal compromise between stealth and bombing accuracy still did not work out. Even if a lot of money was spent on finding a solution. So, it was for the sake of “Raptor” that at one time they created “smart” bombs with GPS targeting. The fact is that the small bomb bays of the F-22 simply did not fit normal bombs with active targeting. If you use “simple” ammunition, aimed at the target object using a laser beam, then all the stealth of the aircraft goes down the drain. So the help of a satellite turned out to be almost the only possible solution to this problem.

In general, the bombs turned out to be impressive: they can fly up to 30 kilometers from the release point, the deviation from the target does not exceed 11 meters. Strictly speaking, this is a rocket rigidly tied to specific coordinates of the earth's surface. So if the target is maneuvering, a fifth-generation fighter is unlikely to be able to hit it. Which again puts an end to his assault abilities. But this is not the only disadvantage. To hit a stationary target with a “smart” bomb, the Raptor must fly literally under the nose of the enemy’s air defense forces. So, as an additional load, missiles are also loaded into the bomb bays of the vehicles, specifically designed specifically to counter air defense.

Design

“First look - first kill” (first noticed - won) - a concept developed by the military, which implies that the one who detects first will win the battle, that is, it was supposed to exchange missiles at long distances.

The emphasis was placed on stealth technology at the expense of super-maneuverability: the engine nozzles are made of a special shape, eliminating maneuvers in the horizontal plane.

The weapons were hidden in special compartments - the cone-shaped parts of the missiles perfectly reflect radio waves, but the traditional suspension points were left in place. Fuel tanks are installed on the wing suspensions during long hauls.

Glider

The main task when designing the F-22 airframe is to reduce the ESR, that is, to minimize the reflection of radio waves from the enemy radar. They tried to place the protruding parts of the aircraft, such as the nose and tail, on parallel lines - a diamond-shaped wing and a V-shaped tail. Even the air intakes and joints of the body sheets have a special geometric shape.

These measures were supposed to reflect the radar beams away from the antenna. On the other hand, developers have actively begun to use radio-absorbing materials (RAM). According to various sources, their share in the airframe reaches 40%, of which 30% are heat-resistant. The polymer base was bismaleimides. In addition to them, Avimid K-III thermoplastic carbon fiber plastics are presented, which retain their properties even with damage and heating.

Engines

The fighter is equipped with two Whitney F119-PW-100 engines. This is a turbojet engine designed specifically for the ATF program. The compressor blades are made using blisk technology, that is, as one piece with the disk. This design can withstand heavy loads, which allows the compressor to pump more air into the combustion chamber.

The engine control system is electronic: the controller regulates the fuel supply, depending on flight conditions.

Compared to its predecessors, the engine produces 22% more power at the same consumption and has 40% fewer parts and components.

Characteristics of F119-PW-100

• thrust: 11829 kgf;
• Afterburner thrust: 16785 kgf;
• length: 5.16 m;
• diameter: 1.168 m;
• weight: 1770 kg;
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 7.95.

The reason the F-22 prototype initially won the competition was due to its greater maneuverability, made possible by thrust vectoring. The nozzles can deviate in the vertical plane by 20 degrees and also have a flat shape.

A hot jet stream, with this shape, more efficiently transfers heat to the environment and cools. As a result, the visibility of the object in the IR range is reduced.

Electronic filling

The F-22 is the technologically advanced aircraft of the US Air Force. The aircraft is ready for any scenario and for this it is equipped with:

1. Radiation detector AN/ALR-94. Consists of 32 antennas distributed throughout the body. The complex registers enemy radar radiation, calculates its coordinates, the type of vessel and, if there are several of them, sets priorities depending on the threat posed. The pilot's screen displays information about the enemy in the form of a circle, indicating the range of his weapons. The data can be transmitted to radar or can be used to passively target weapons. In the first case, the radar, having received the coordinates, illuminates the target with a narrow beam, avoiding scanning the entire area.
2. Infrared and ultraviolet AN/AAR-56 missile launch sensors, also spaced 360 degrees. The jet of the fired rocket emits in the infrared range, which is detected by the device. Sensors determine the missile launch site and, based on this data, the computer displays the optimal escape maneuver in graphical form.
3. Radar AN/APG-77v1. Installation with an active phased array antenna (AFAR). Its fundamental difference from passive phased array is the absence of a single transmitter. The signal is formed by many active microtransmitters, which makes it possible to generate powerful radiation. But on the other hand, heat generation increases, which requires the installation of liquid cooling. In total, the mass of the AN/APG-77 complex was 553 kg, and the cooling pump capacity was 35 liters of liquid per minute.

As you can see, electronic systems are closely integrated in hardware and complement each other. Devices based on different operating principles identify any existing threats.

By mixing all the data, a single circular information system is created, which takes the burden off the pilot and ultimately increases his survivability.

Assault infirmity

It is noteworthy that the universal F-22 Raptor, the characteristics of which we are analyzing, does not have any special equipment for detecting and tracking ground targets, which again reduces its attack capabilities to a minimum. In general, the designers are not to blame for this: initially the aircraft had similar equipment, but it was removed from the design at the request of the Pentagon, when the cost of the program went completely off scale. To the credit of the engineers from Lockheed Martin, it must be said that they were able to retain at least the basic means for targeted bombing. Thus, the aircraft software contains all the necessary options that allow you to quickly and without any significant losses still connect the necessary on-board equipment, if the higher management gives the go-ahead.

However, so far the main means of hitting targets on the ground are the above-mentioned bombs with GPS, the effectiveness of which is great, but only when working on stationary objects. In general, this is precisely the reason why the Raptors did not take any part in US combat operations in Afghanistan. Who is there to catch using GPS? So, for this reason, the Americans still have old F-16s in service, for which there is no adequate replacement yet.

In general, taking into account the war in Iraq, where the US military met a more or less serious enemy who had aviation, one single conclusion suggests itself: using the F-22 for a war with Third World countries is utter stupidity. The flight hours of this aircraft are almost more expensive than a couple of old F-15s, which will successfully perform the same tasks.

Radar station

A completely new radar with electronic beam sweep was created for the fighter. The onboard radar is represented by the AN/APG-77 model. Its feature is a pseudo-random frequency change mode. It is based on the idea of ​​repeatedly changing the frequency randomly. It will be more difficult for enemy stations to detect such a signal.

The second feature is 2 thousand elements, each of which is a receiving and transmitting cell.

The resolution of such a station is qualitatively improved - the number of tracked targets has increased to 100, and it has also become possible to transmit commands to a fired missile using a beam.

Type target detection range

1. Fighter with ESR >3 m² up to 250-310 km (Su-27, Mig 29, Eurofighter Typhoon).
2. Cruise missiles (0.1-0.5 m²) - up to 150 km.
3. Tanks and boats - up to 70 km.

Other characteristics

• The viewing angle horizontally and vertically is 120 degrees.
• The number of targets fired at the same time is 20 units.
• The complete picture update time is 14 seconds.
• Maximum average power – 18500 Watts.

With such parameters, the F-22 “Raptor” is a full-fledged AWACS aircraft, being its compact version.

Multirole fighter F-22 "Raptor"

F-22 Raptor

is a fifth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Dynamics to replace the F-15 Eagle. The F-22 is currently the only fifth-generation fighter in service and the most expensive fighter in the world.

By September 2010, 166 F-22 aircraft had been produced.
Procurement for the US Air Force was completed in 2009. On April 6, 2009, as part of the publication of the Pentagon's draft budget for 2010, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced plans to end production of the F-22 fighter jets in 2011. In July of the same year, the US Congress refused to purchase this fighter starting in 2010. History of creation

Start of work on a fifth generation fighter

In 1981, the USAF created a requirement for a new air superiority fighter jet, the Advanced Frontal Fighter (ATF), to replace the F-15 Eagle. The new fighter had to incorporate all the latest developments, including advanced avionics, new digitally controlled engines, and also had to be stealthy to radar and multi-functional. In July 1986, the start of a competition for a fifth-generation fighter project was announced. In October of the same year, two teams were selected - Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics and Northrop/McDonnell Douglas, which were to create a new fighter within 50 months.

By 1990, each team had built two prototype aircraft - the YF-22 and YF-23

. By the end of the 80s, enormous amounts of money had been spent on the development of ATF aircraft, so companies had to abandon the side-view radar, optical location station and missile attack warning system (the AN/ALR-94 system is installed on F-22 aircraft). The aircraft's requirements were reduced to avoid increasing the cost of the development program and later production aircraft. On April 23, 1991, the US Air Force announced the Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics group of companies as the winner of the competition for the fifth generation fighter.

F-22 Raptor

The first pre-production vehicle took off on September 7, 1997. Compared to the prototype, the F-22 was equipped with more powerful engines (15876 kgf versus 13900 on the prototype) with a thrust vector controlled in the vertical plane, the airframe of the aircraft was partially changed: the shape of the wing, elevators, nose cone changed, the cockpit canopy was moved forward. Serial production of the aircraft began in 2001. On January 14, 2003, the first F-22 arrived at the Nellis military base, located in the Nevada desert. By 2004, a total of 51 aircraft had been built. In 2006, a combat unit, the 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron stationed at Langley Air Force Base, switched completely to new fighters for the first time.

In 2006, it was planned to purchase 384 aircraft to equip seven combat duty squadrons; in 2008, the purchase plan was reduced to 188 aircraft, 127 of which have already been built. The economic crisis and the enormous cost of the aircraft forced the US government to abandon the purchase of this aircraft and focus on the F-35 program. On January 21, 2009, a group of US congressmen sent a letter to President Barack Obama, in which they reported on the proliferation of the S-200/300 air defense system

around the world, as the main argument for the continued production of the F-22 Raptor fighter jets. In July 2009, the US Senate voted to cut the 2010 defense budget by $1.75 billion allocated for the production of the F-22 Raptor fifth-generation multi-role fighter.

Aircraft Features

The design of the aircraft is based on the principle of ensuring increased survivability through the implementation of the principle “First look - first kill” (first to find, first to hit). For this purpose, stealth reduction technologies are widely used. An important design solution characteristic of 5th generation fighters, which reduces the aircraft’s visibility, is the placement of standard weapons in the internal compartments. The F-22 also has external suspensions, but their use reduces stealth and is a compromise step in order to increase the versatility of the aircraft.

Glider

In the design of an aircraft airframe, the share of polymer composite materials (PCM) is at least 40 percent (according to other sources, 60 percent), of which at least 30 percent is thermoplastic carbon fiber, and RPM radio-absorbing materials are widely used. In particular, the RPM structurally shapes the edges of the aircraft wing. Most of the structure is made of PCM based on bismaleimides - a class of heat-resistant polymers that operate at temperatures up to 230 degrees. The second most important polymer composites are represented by thermoplastic carbon fiber reinforced plastics, in particular the Avimid K-III material, the advantages of which, in addition to strength, maintainability and heat resistance, include better damage tolerance characteristics. The contours of the gaps formed at the junction of the cockpit canopy with the fuselage, the doors of the landing gear and weapons compartments have a sawtooth shape, which also ensures effective dissipation of electromagnetic energy and prevents its direct reflection in the direction of the enemy radar transceiver antenna. The wing is diamond-shaped, with a V-shaped vertical stabilizer. The design of the aircraft was carried out taking into account the requirements of combat survivability. According to a number of data, the survivability of the airframe design is determined in relation to the high-explosive fragmentation incendiary (HEF) projectile, which forms the basis of the ammunition of Russian 30-mm aircraft guns.

Engines

The F-22 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 afterburner turbojet engines with a thrust of 15,876 kg/s and equipped with a thrust vector controlled in the vertical plane. These engines have a non-afterburning thrust of about 11,000 kg/s and allow the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds without the use of afterburner, which is an important tactical advantage. The engine nozzles have a flat shape, which reduces the aircraft's visibility in the infrared range. The design of the nozzle devices uses a radio-absorbing material based on ceramics, which reduces the radar signature of the aircraft.

On-board equipment

The F-22 is equipped with the AN/APG-77 active phased array radar. An antenna of this type consists of 1500 receiving and transmitting elements. The main advantage of such an antenna is the electronic control of the main lobe of the radiation pattern (analogous to beam scanning) - there is no need for mechanical scanning, which simplifies the design and increases operational reliability. The detection range of a large aerodynamic target such as a fighter (RCS >3 m²) is up to 270-300 km, a cruise missile (0.1-0.5 m²) - up to 150 km, ground targets - up to 70 km.

Exploitation

As of May 2010, the US Air Force has 139 F-22s in service.

In 2006, Exercise Norden Age was held, which involved training dogfights between 12 F-22 fighters and F-15s, F/A-18Cs and F/A-18Es. During the first week of the exercises, F-22 aircraft shot down 144 enemy aircraft without losses on their part.

Economic indicators

Airplane cost

Today, the F-22 aircraft is the most expensive fighter aircraft in service in the world. The cost of production of one aircraft is estimated at 146.2 million dollars (as of 2008), and the full price, taking into account all indirect costs and with the expected production volume, is 350 million.

The F-22 is sometimes said to be “worth its weight in gold,” which literally corresponded to the financial markets in February 2006 - the cost of 19.7 tons of pure gold (the weight of an empty F-22A) during this period was the same $350 million. At the same time, the F-22 is not the most expensive aircraft in the world - the most expensive is the stealth bomber B-2 Spirit, each of which cost the US Air Force $1.157 billion without R&D, and $2.1 billion including R&D. . According to the US General Accounting Office (GAO), at the end of 2010, the full price of one F-22 aircraft reached $411.7 million

Operating costs

The F-22 is also very expensive to operate, which is largely due to the vulnerability of the radio-absorbing coating, which can be damaged even by ordinary rain. The Washington Post, citing unnamed American military personnel, reports that the cost of an F-22 flight hour is $44,000. However, the maintenance complexity of the F-22 is not excessively high - 30 man-hours per 1 hour of flight. For comparison, for the third generation fighter F-4 Phantom II this figure was 35 man-hours, and for the F-104 Starfighter, which was considered difficult to maintain, it was 50 man-hours.

Performance characteristics

Specifications

Crew: 1 person Wing span: 13.56 m Aircraft length: 18.90 m Aircraft height: 5.09 m

Weight: - empty: 19700 kg - normal take-off: 30206 kg (100% fuel) - combat: 25776 kg (52% fuel) - maximum: 38000 kg

Flight characteristics

Speed: - maximum: 2160 km/h (2 M) - maximum non-afterburning speed: 1850 km/h (1.78 M)[40] - cruising speed: 950 km/h (0.9 M)

Range: - without PTB, combat: 1900 km - at speed 1.78 M: 1300 km

Combat radius: 760-1100 km Service ceiling: 22000 m Required runway length: 915 m]

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Avionics

The aircraft systems are controlled by dual computers with a high degree of reliability, based on RISC processors. Flight information is displayed on a head-up display and six multi-function color displays.

Entering the autopilot route and communication parameters is done through the ICP remote control located above the central display. The introduction of voice control, originally planned, was cancelled. Low reliability of recognition and long reaction times were the main reasons for abandoning this idea.

Avionics modernization is expensive.

This is due to the fact that the processing unit, indicators, input panel and many other controls are closely integrated and replacing one of the components is impossible without a complete upgrade of all electronics.

Data transfer

TRW was entrusted with developing critical components, namely communications and recognition. The complex consists of a friendly object identification system, IFDL buses and Link-16 JTIDS. Over the IDFL channel, transmission works in both directions, while Link16 JTIDS is configured only to receive data, since there is a high probability of its interception.

The Increment 3.2 program was tasked with upgrading the communications interface to the MADL level, which was already installed in the B-2 bomber and the F-35 Lightning 2 interceptor. However, it was decided to cancel the project due to the emerging financial crisis.

If there was a possibility

The military operation of the Western coalition in Libya began on March 19, 2011. The air forces and navies of Great Britain, France, the USA, Italy and Canada took part in it, with the main combat missions being carried out by the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, Dassault Rafale and Panavia Tornado GR4 fighters. Shortly before the start of the operation, called “Odyssey. Dawn,” some American and European analysts were anticipating the participation of the American F-22 Raptor fighter, the world’s only fifth-generation combat aircraft put into service.

However, the experts’ expectations were not met - the F-22 never appeared in the skies of Libya, and, according to a statement by the US Air Force, it will not appear in the future. Despite the fact that other participants in the Western coalition did not expect the F-22 to participate in the military operation, the United States suddenly decided to justify itself, citing a lot of reasons why the famous Raptors were not aimed at ensuring a no-fly zone over the territory of Libya.

F-22 Raptor. Photo from af.mil website

Lenta.ru

Lexington Institute analyst Lauren Thompson was the first to speak out on this issue on March 22, 2011. According to him, the most advanced American combat aircraft is simply not designed to perform military missions similar to those that were implemented in Libya at the very beginning of the Odyssey. Let us recall that the main goal of the first stage of the military operation was to ensure a no-fly zone over the territory of an African state, for which it was necessary to disable all air defense systems that were under the control of troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. At the same time, the confrontation with Libyan aviation was not taken into account (and indeed, since the beginning of the Odyssey, not a single Libyan aircraft has been seen in the air).

Thompson noted that the F-22 is not physically designed to attack ground targets. The aircraft can be armed with two 450-kilogram JDAM guided bombs, which are capable, however, of hitting stationary but not moving targets. In addition, as it turned out, the F-22 radar is not capable of mapping terrain, as synthetic aperture radars do, and therefore cannot independently select ground targets. This effectively means that if the F-22 in its current form were to be used to bomb any targets, information about the targets would be loaded into the aircraft's on-board computer before takeoff.

But the enumeration of the shortcomings of the fifth-generation American fighter did not end there. It turned out that the fighter had very limited communication capabilities. The aircraft is capable of exchanging information only with other F-22s in the flight. The Raptor is also equipped with a “stripped-down” Link 16 communications system, widely used by the US and NATO militaries, but it works exclusively to receive operational information from other aircraft and helicopters and cannot be used for data transmission. When creating the F-22, engineers deliberately limited the fighter's communications capabilities to ensure even greater stealth—it is assumed that in the event of combat use, the aircraft will always operate in radio silence mode.

One could turn a blind eye to Thompson’s conclusions - it happens that analysts tell things that are subsequently either refuted by the military, or never go beyond the scope of conjecture and conjecture, without finding factual confirmation. However, at the end of March 2011, US Air Force Commander Norton Schwartz personally decided to speak out on the issue of the F-22’s non-participation in the Libyan operation. According to him, the American fighter does not take part in the Libyan operation because it is geographically located far from the combat area.

“If the F-22s were stationed at one of the bases in Europe, they would undoubtedly take part in the Libyan operation,” Schwartz said. However, he added that “since the operation in Libya began relatively quickly, it was decided to use various resources located nearby.” Currently, American F-22s, according to the US Air Force, are based in Virginia, New Mexico, California, Florida, Alaska and Hawaii. At the end of his speech, Schwartz said that “the fact that the F-22 did not participate in this particular operation is not an indicator of its uselessness.”

On the same day, speaking at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Schwartz tried to explain why the Air Force decided in 2010 to abandon the upgrade of the F-22 fighter communications systems, which was planned to be carried out as part of the Increment 3.2 program. According to Schwartz, it was planned to install a MADL standard communications system on the F-22, which is currently being created for the promising F-35 Lightning II fighters. The new MADL system has not yet been tested for combat use, which means its use on the F-22, according to Schwartz, means unnecessary expenses and a certain risk that the Air Force cannot take. In this case, the remaining parameters of the Increment 3.2 program will be implemented.

Crew

: 1 person;
Length
: 18.9 meters;
Wingspan
: 13.56 meters;
Empty weight
: 19.7 tons;
Maximum take-off weight
: 38 tons;
Engines
: 2 P&W F-119-PW-100 with a thrust of 140 kilonewtons;
Thrust-to-weight ratio
: 1.08;
Maximum speed
: Mach 2.25;
Cruise supersonic
: Mach 1.5;
Combat radius
: 759 kilometers;
Ceiling
: 19.8 thousand meters;
Armament
: 20 mm cannon, up to six air-to-air missiles or two JDAM bombs, four hardpoints on the wings for weapons weighing up to 2.3 tons.

Former Air Force intelligence chief David Deptula, who attended the House hearing, harshly criticized the refusal to install MADL on F-22 fighters. According to him, it was pointless to create “the most advanced fighter in the world” and then not be able to exchange data with other aircraft. “There’s a penny’s worth of wisdom and a pound’s worth of stupidity,” with these words Deptula commented on the US Air Force’s decision to abandon the installation of MADL systems on F-22 fighters.

It is curious, however, that in order to allow the F-22 to exchange information with other aircraft, helicopters and ground units, the US Air Force created a special air combat communications center. It included six special versions of the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20 unmanned aerial vehicles, with which the fighters are capable of exchanging data. At the same time, drones are able to relay data from the F-22 to other aircraft and helicopters equipped with the Link 16 system. Such a connection was created in case of large-scale combat operations and has not yet been used in reality.

That is, the US Air Force has actually confirmed that F-22 pilots still need the ability to exchange data. But why it was necessary to create a separate communications center for the Raptor and refuse to modernize the fighter’s own communications systems is not entirely clear. Probably, the emphasis is still on stealth - by exchanging information with the communications center, the F-22 gains wider access to operational information without giving away its location.

Interestingly, the F-22 was adopted by the US Air Force in 2005. Since then, he has not taken part in any military campaign that the United States waged outside the country. On the one hand, the American fighter is too expensive to participate in military operations in Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan or Somalia. But on the other hand, how else can you test all the capabilities of an aircraft that has not yet proven its “power” in practice?

Armament

The main task assigned to the Raptor is to gain air supremacy. However, modern methods of warfare require the vehicle to also carry bombs. In total, the hull has three compartments: a central one for bombs and heavy ammunition and two small ones for anti-aircraft missiles. The sash opens and releases in less than a second - otherwise the EPR value will increase sharply.

The small arms and cannon armament is a 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan multi-barrel gun with 420 rounds of ammunition. The gun's rate of fire is 4,000 rounds per minute. The barrels are cooled by air, as a result of which the burst duration is limited to 1.4 seconds. During air combat, the fire control system calculates the optimal lead and projects the firing point onto the head-mounted indicator.

In addition, the range of weapons includes:

• AIM-9M "Sidewinder" air-to-air missile with a thermal homing head. The most common model, which has about 20 modifications, including anti-location and anti-tank versions. The maximum flight range is 18 km.
• AIM-120 AMRAAM is an air-to-air missile with a radar seeker. It has an on-board computer that selects the optimal flight path. The initial portion of the flight of the AIM-120 flies at the command of the carrier's radar. In the middle of the journey, its own radar turns on, and the rocket continues its flight independently. The flight range of the standard model is 60 km, and the modified one is 120 km:
• GBU-32 JDAM - Adjustable free-fall bomb. The shelling is carried out at previously known coordinates. The probable deviation is 11 meters. Unlike laser guidance systems, the GPS signal is not sensitive to adverse weather.
• GBU-39/B is a free-falling bomb with a developed tail. Developed using stealth technologies. Having an EPR of 0.015 m2, the bomb is designed to overcome dense air defense systems. The warhead is capable of penetrating 90 cm of reinforced concrete, which NATO troops actively used when destroying Iraqi airfield shelters. The GBU-39/B is capable of hitting a mobile target at a range of up to 110 km.

The product, depending on the modification, is equipped with a thermal or radar head.

The F-22's weapons have a slightly longer range due to its supersonic cruising speed. For example, during a test launch of a bomb from an altitude of 15,000 meters, the JDAM hit a mobile target 38 km away, while in a similar test on the F-15 it hit a mobile target 28 km away.

There are 4 suspension points on the wing. They are designed for discreetly mounting weapons or for hanging additional fuel tanks. One suspension point is designed for two anti-aircraft missiles or a 2300 liter tank.

Main technical characteristics

• The total length of the airframe is 18.9 m.
• The total maximum height of the hull is 5.09 m.
• The total wingspan is 13.56 m.
• The total surface area of ​​the wing is 78.04 m.
• The weight of the unloaded aircraft is 19,700 kg.
• The maximum take-off weight is 38,000 kg.
• Dispersion area – 0.3-0.4 sq. m.
• Forced engine thrust - 2 x 15,876 kgf.
• The maximum achievable speed is 2700 km/h.
• Speed ​​in normal mode, without afterburner – 2410 km/h.
• The maximum permissible ground speed is 1490 km/h.
• The radius of combat use is 760 km.
• The maximum achievable height is 20,000 m.
• Overload during acceleration – 9 g.
• The main armament of the F-22 Raptor is a 20mm automatic cannon, eight air-to-air missiles or six smart bombs, or a combination of both.

Commissioning took place in 2005. A total of 187 aircraft were produced. Five fighters lost.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that Raptor is an ideal example of negative PR, which is largely spread by the American military itself. Yes, the aircraft has many economic problems that the Pentagon may not pay attention to at all. But from a technical point of view, the car turned out to be very decent. The only real drawback is the lack of multitasking.

The F-22 Raptor fighter practically cannot work against ground targets; the effectiveness of three or four bombs is clearly insignificant. But in terms of fighting enemy fighters, the plane is probably good, even if this has not been confirmed in practice.

By the way, our T-50 also has only closed internal compartments for weapons, and there is no information about the presence of an external body kit... So our and the American fifth-generation fighters are clearly similar to each other. I would like to hope that their capabilities will not be tested in combat conditions. In addition, with all the technical limitations of the Raptor, one should not forget that in modern air combat the lion's share of success is the use of modern missiles. But with them, the Americans are completely fine.

Finally, a huge plus of the F-22 and F-35 programs (for the USA, of course) is the advancement of science and the testing of completely new technologies. The domestic Su-47 Berkut was created and tested for the same purposes.

Fuel reserve

The full volume of internal tanks holds only 8 tons of fuel. This is enough to fly 1400 kilometers. This is 30% smaller than the F-15 and reduces its patrol capabilities.

With the use of drop tanks, the range increases to 2,500 kilometers. However, PTB is resorted to only on long-distance flights.

It is not advisable to use tanks during combat missions - the device will already be illuminated by enemy radar at the initial stage and will lose its advantage.

It will be difficult to use the Raptor for long-term patrols. Fuel tankers are the only way out in this situation. However, here analogies arise from the Second World War, when German submarines were destroyed just during refueling.

The F-22 Raptor is known as the first 5th generation fighter to enter service with the US Air Force. It is exceptionally impressive with advanced avionics, stealth technology and efficient engines. This is a fighter that has no equal among other modern aircraft of its class. It is the first operational aircraft to combine super cruise, super maneuverability, stealth and sensor fusion on a single weapons platform.

It is the most important component of the Global Strike Task Force and was created to achieve the goals of projecting air superiority over long distances while simultaneously destroying any threats to the US Army, Navy, and Marine Corps with lightning speed.

The F-22 was developed because, after the end of the Cold War, the US Air Force needed a supersonic air superiority fighter that was available to purchase and operate. Both American aircraft manufacturers and their allies (such as Britain, Japan, Israel) felt the need to replace older supersonic aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle with modern aircraft to reduce avionics and engine development costs.

There are few fighters in the world that can match the F-22, giving the US a great weapon in the air. There's no doubt that the F-22 is something extremely special, and we can't wait to see everything it has in its arsenal.

Here are 16 facts about the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor that you may not know.

Has twice as much equipment

The F-35 can carry a total of about 2,600 kg of bombs and missiles. On the other hand, the F-22 is capable of carrying twice the weight. Hence, not only does the fighter have amazing combat performance, but it is also ideal for longer conflicts as it carries all possible weapons.

Thrust vectorization

The fact that the F-22 is capable of thrust vectoring is just one of the few things that makes it such an incredible asset for NATO. Thrust vectoring nozzles were added by Lockheed engineers to the F-22 to achieve increased levels of maneuverability.

The first 5th generation fighter in the USA

The F-22 was designed to be very difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce RCS include airframe modifications such as edge alignment, fixed geometry serpentine air intakes and curved blades that prevent direct visibility of engine and turbine surfaces from any exterior view, use of radio absorbent material (RAM).

The F-22 was also designed to reduce radio emissions, infrared signatures, and acoustic signatures, as well as reduce naked eye visibility. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions from the exhaust plume to reduce the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles.

There are rumors that the US is considering producing more F-22s over time as it is the best fighter jet they have today. After all, the F-22 is the first 5th generation fighter, although the US Air Force considers it a fourth generation stealth aircraft and to this day the only one in operation. For now, the US has nothing to worry about.

Service life 30 years

The F-22 was designed with a service life of 30 years and 8,000 flight hours, along with a $100 million "structural modernization program." Work is underway to find a way to further extend the life of the Raptor, and in the long term it will likely be replaced by the sixth-generation Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet.

In April 2009, production of the F-22 fighter jet was officially discontinued when Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that the Pentagon would end the Lockheed F-22 program and increase production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The last F-22 produced was delivered in 2012, and the U.S. Air Force currently has 183 F-22s in service.

The most expensive fighter

The F-22 is the most expensive fighter in NATO and one of the most expensive in the world. However, the $150 million price tag for the Raptor is not surprising given that the F-22 was revolutionary from the start and one of the greatest military achievements ever.

As production ceased in 2011, the total cost of the program was estimated at approximately $67.3 billion, of which $32.4 billion was spent on research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in the initial years.

Top speed: Mach 1.82

The maximum speed of the F-22 without external drives is estimated at Mach 1.82 during supercruise at an altitude of 15,000 m, and with an afterburner - over Mach 2. What makes it even better is that it is easy to maneuver at both sub-supersonic speeds and supersonic speeds.

The aircraft is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney F119 -PW-100 turbofan engines with a thrust of 11828.7 kgf (116 kN) each dry, 15876 kgf (156 kN) with afterburner.

Large volume of weapons

The F-22 has three internal weapons bays: a large main bay at the bottom of the fuselage and two smaller bays on the sides of the fuselage behind the engine intakes. The main bay can accommodate six LAU-142/A launchers for beyond visual range missiles, and each side bay has a LAU-141/A launcher for short-range missiles. The four launchers in the main compartment can be replaced by two bomb racks, each of which can carry one 450 kg or four 110 kg bombs.

While the F-22 typically carries weapons internally, the wings include four hardpoints, each rated at 2,300 kg. Each hardpoint can accommodate a pylon that can accommodate a detachable 2,270 liter external fuel tank, or a launcher that can accommodate two air-to-air missiles.

First combat mission in 2014

On September 23, 2014, the F-22 carried out its first combat mission, hitting ISIS ground targets in Syria. It was a mission that made a statement to the world, showing everyone what the F-22 could do. The United States is fortunate to have such powerful weapons at its disposal.

Operating cost per hour

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor costs $68,362 to operate (per hour). While that's a pretty daunting number, it's not shocking given the potential of this aircraft and the insane amount of fuel that would need to be required just to keep it running in the first place.

Not exportable

The F-22 cannot be exported from the US under US federal law in an attempt by the US to protect its stealth technology and classified features. Reports stated that Japan was trying to purchase the F-22 because it would need fewer fighter jets if it had the F-22.

Loss ratio 108:0

With a kill ratio of 108:0, the F-22 certainly lives up to its name. According to Exercise Northern Edge 2016 reports, the F-22 was expected to compete with the F-15 and came out on top with a kill ratio of 108:0. It maintained good relations even with some very advanced aircraft.

Looks like a bumblebee on radar

Because the F-22's main and rear wings match exactly, it appears as small as a bumblebee on radar. This makes him extremely stealthy and difficult to capture, however he is not invisible. China says it has created technology that makes it easy to track the F-22.

Universal fighter

The F-22 served as a replacement for the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle, so it is capable of both air-to-ground and air-to-air combat. However, some might argue that the F-22's best strength lies in its air superiority.

An outgrowth of the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence capabilities.

1.7 million lines of code

The F-22's software consists of approximately 1.7 million lines of code, much of it related to processing radar data.

Former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynn blamed the Defense Department's use of Ada (a programming language) for cost overruns and delays on many military projects, including the F-22.

Unique cabin

The most important fact for the pilot is that the F-22 has a unique cockpit, designed using the latest technology. It has an upgraded life support system and is the first cabin compatible with basic night vision goggles. Finally, the cockpit uses a helmet-mounted system to ensure the pilot remains focused at all times.

The pilot's clothing was developed by the Advanced Technology Anti-G Suit (ATAGS) project and protects against chemical/biological hazards, cold water immersion, G-force and low-pressure resistance at high altitudes, and provides thermal protection.

Operational problems

During the early years of service, F-22 pilots experienced symptoms such as blackouts, memory loss, emotional lability and neurological changes, as well as chronic respiratory problems and a chronic cough. A number of possible causes were investigated, including the presence of toxic chemicals in the breathing tubes, a suit malfunction, and a disruption in the oxygen supply. In 2012, the Department of Defense discovered that the BRAG valve used to inflate the pilot's vest during maneuvers was faulty, restricting the pilot's breathing.

It was ultimately determined that the pilot's breathing restriction was the primary cause. Cough symptoms were attributed to accelerated atelectasis due to exposure to high g-forces and OBOGS (On-Board Oxygen Generation System) providing excessive concentrations of oxygen at low altitudes. Modifications to the life support equipment and oxygen system allowed the flight range and altitude restrictions to be lifted on April 4, 2013.

Photo: lockheedmartin.com

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Exploitation

The US Air Force operates 180 F-22As. Until 2007, the aircraft was prohibited from being deployed outside the country due to secrecy, and the US Congress imposed a ban on exporting the aircraft abroad, including to NATO allies.

The car has been criticized by the public more than once for its exorbitant maintenance costs. According to the authoritative The Washington Post, the cost of an hour of F-22 flight costs the treasury $40,000, which is one of the highest figures. The main reason for the costs is the frequent replacement of radio-absorbing materials, the wear of which is sometimes caused even by heavy rainfall.

However, the newspaper also notes that the labor intensity of servicing the device is low and is equal to 30 man-hours per flight hour. For comparison, the F-15 has 35, and the Vietnam-era F-104 Starfighter has 50.

During exercises involving the Luftwaffe's Eurofighter Typhoon in Alaska, individual air combat was practiced.

According to Major Grün, who participated in the exercises, the F-22 had incomparable superiority at long distances due to its detection means, but at close ranges the fast “typhoon” more than once seized the initiative. Soon, Pentagon officials argued that close fights were unlikely in practice.

Russian Aviation

What happens to achievements, advanced thought and the latest technology if you rest on your laurels, declare your exclusivity and boast of your genius? After a while, you will be lagging behind, the vanguard will go far ahead, and you will have to spend incredible efforts to catch up with it and hope that you will catch up.

The F-22 Raptor has long been considered the most formidable air superiority fighter in the United States and its dependent countries. Until 2022, it was the only operating fifth-generation platform in the world. An analysis of the Raptor's capabilities in many aspects of rapid aging and the availability of next-generation heavy fighters from competing countries indicates that the US air superiority once guaranteed by the F-22 is no longer certain.

The F-22's ability to outperform the most advanced fighters built by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) or Chinese aerospace corporations was long taken for granted in the United States, but the Raptor's advantage is no longer as clear-cut and is trending smaller.

The F-22's avionics were considered obsolete long before it entered service in December 2005. In total, the fighter development program lasted 24 years and more than ten years from the start of design to production. Due to such a long period, when the fighter was delivered to the US Air Force, it had an on-board computer architecture dating back to the early 1990s with a central processor clock speed of only 25 MHz, which is very slow today. At the same time, at the end of November 2022, it became known that the on-board computer network of the Su-57 fighter uses fiber-optic communication channels to transmit information instead of the usual copper ones, which increases the performance of aircraft equipment on the Russian platform by orders of magnitude.

Su-57 - combat flying supercomputer

The use of specialized but somewhat obtuse software made the aircraft extremely difficult to update. This has presented particular challenges when attempting to equip a fighter with new generation munitions such as the AIM-120D long-range missile or the AIM-9X short-range missile. The US Air Force must continue to rely on older air-to-air missiles, which are also not comparable to the weapons deployed on modern Russian and Chinese fighters.

For example, the AIM-120C cannot compare to the latest Chinese PL-15, which has a range of 150 km, or the Russian K-77. Even more outdated munitions, like the R-27 missile, exceed the launch range of their American counterparts.

Su-57 - all-round vision and 10 tons of weapons

It is also important to take into account the outdated F-22 airframe, which no longer meets the requirements of a 21st century aircraft; it even preceded the Soviet prototype of the fifth generation MiG-1.44 fighter and was developed in the mid-80s. While the Raptor's avionics are gradually improving with great effort and expense, the fighter's low visibility and airframe, from the point of view of already developed next-generation technologies, leave much to be desired.

If the F-22 were still in production, there would be significantly more room for modernization of the platform and the potential to upgrade older variants of the fighter with newer technologies would remain. However, despite this, the US Air Force today is limited in its ability to improve the quality of the F-22 fighter fleet, and the US military can only regret that none of the above factors limiting the potential of the F-22 apply to the Chinese J -20, nor to the Russian Su-57.

Su-57 - born invisible

The J-20 entered service in 2022, and the Russian fighter, which has not even been put into service yet, was already tested in a combat situation in the Syrian theater of operations in February 2022. Both of these aircraft are not only equipped with the most advanced avionics hardware, computer systems, processors and missiles, but their production is designed for several decades into the future, as was the case with the Su-27, which significantly exceeds the four years of production of the F-22 in the United States. States. As new technologies develop, this gives both China and Russia significantly more opportunities to modernize their fighters, as well as to develop sixth-generation platform technologies. These two fighters are vastly superior to the F-22 in computing power, software and avionics, as well as more advanced and modern weapons, which together will be a decisive asset in any potential conflict.

Ultimately, due to inertia, the F-22 is still recognized as the most advanced fighter in the world, but this is in words, and the question is how long it will hold this title; it has practically no time left. The Raptor, as a platform that has a qualitative advantage for the United States in air superiority over Russia or China, cannot be relied upon, because both countries have new fifth-generation aircraft, while the Su-57, in particular, was developed from the very beginning with the intention of working on It contains sixth generation technology.

Formula for success: Su-57=f22+f35

The US F-22 fleet faces not only a qualitative disadvantage, but also a quantitative one, given that the fighter was produced to meet only 25% of Air Force requirements, and was not originally intended for use by the Navy, while the Su-57 and J-20 should be produced in much larger quantities. And even despite the fact that Russia has not yet accelerated mass production of the Su-57, since it has the most advanced fighters of the previous generation Su-35S and Su-30SM in the world today, the new Russian aircraft carrier "Storm" is designed specifically for the Su platform -57.

It should also be considered that the United States, with several hundred military bases around the world, faces the four "great powers" referred to in the 2018 National Defense Strategy - Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, all of which require a nearby presence F-22. This means that the elite fighters available for deployment at any given location represent only a fraction of the entire US fleet, which may have as few as six Raptors per squadron. At the same time, both Russia and China are planning a much more concentrated deployment of their advanced aircraft in Eastern Europe and East Asia and do not intend to disperse their equipment around the world on several fronts.

Su-57 - safe fuel system and all-seeing radar

In light of recent events, the United States is dedicating significant resources to developing a sixth-generation heavy air superiority fighter to replace the F-22 and produce the new platform in sufficient quantities for both ground forces and the navy. However, their rivals are not standing still, and while the United States has rested on its laurels for more than 20 years, Russia and China have made great strides in developing next-generation technologies.

Based on materials from Military Watch Magazine

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( 11 ratings, average: 3.36 out of 5)

F-22 RaptorJ-20Su-57

Combat use

The F-22 received its first baptism of fire in Syria in January 2014. Having carried out a couple of targeted strikes on Islamist bases in Raqqa, the plane returned safely to base. As of June 2015, the number of completed tasks exceeded 120.

During one of the 11 hour-long flights, the pilots carried out reconnaissance of the area, carried out a strike mission, carried out target designation, and escorted the bombers, demonstrating in practice the versatility of the aircraft.

Performance characteristics (TTX) in comparison with analogues

Thus, the main disadvantages of the F-22 Raptor over its rivals are its short range and the lack of an optical-electronic guidance station.

Technical problems and incidents

An oxygen production station has become a mandatory attribute of modern aircraft, replacing an oxygen cylinder. Such stations are also available on Raptors and are called OBOGS.

In 2012, the Pentagon imposed restrictions on the flights of vehicles with this system.

The order prohibited flying away from bases, in Alaska, and at altitudes above 7600 meters. According to experts, this is the maximum altitude from which one can return to the ground if the pilot experiences suffocation.

The situation was complicated by the fact that two pilots publicly refused to fly the F-22 due to air problems. The defect claimed lives. During the investigation of the crash of one of the devices in 2010, in Alaska, it turned out that the cause of the disaster was loss of consciousness from suffocation. It also became known that the pilots’ high-pressure suit swelled greatly during overloads, preventing the pilots from breathing normally.

The designers solved the problem by installing a valve that relieves excess pressure in the suit and removing the cleaning filter to increase the capacity of the air duct, while eliminating the possibility of clogging.

Other unusual incidents also include:

• April 10, 2006. False operation of the cabin lock. After many hours of attempts to open the canopy, with the participation of the manufacturer's employees, it was dismantled using a tool. The cost to replace the light was $200,000.
• February 11, 2007. Navigator software crashes when flying to Japan. Associated with the change of date and time in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The program did not provide a shift algorithm, so GPS receivers provided incorrect information. The entire squadron returned to base, after which Lockheed urgently updated the firmware.
• November 16, 2010. Excessive engine overheating and emergency shutdown of the air conditioning and OBOGS system. The pilot did not have time to react, suffocated and crashed. After this incident, emergency oxygen cylinders began to be installed in the cabin.

Pilot life support system

One might get the impression that the US Air Force received a vehicle that is a collection of technical absurdities. In principle, there are grounds for such an opinion, but in fact this technique contains many breakthrough technologies. But they are so “raw” that all the advantages they provide are nothing in the face of the problems that they create. New products are complex, expensive and difficult to debug. One of the most typical examples is a special pilot life support suit. In fact, this “suit” is almost more complex than a space suit.

The system is so sophisticated that it has to be managed using far from the weakest computer. If it fails, there is the option of manually switching to manual control (now the switching is automatic). But already during the first tests in combat units, the pilots’ superiors began to receive dozens of reports from pilots with requests to transfer them from the Lockheed Boeing F-22 Raptor to something more adequate. The fact is that when entering and exiting maneuvers with severe overload, all pilots experienced acute oxygen starvation, on the verge of fainting. Then the army bureaucrats did not attach any importance to the complaints. But in 2010, another pilot turned out to be “weak” and simply fainted while taking the Raptor out of a turn. As a result, the car crashed and the person died.

Subsequently, it turned out that the system for bleeding and pumping air into the pilot’s suit was poorly designed. More precisely, the valve was “chemically damaged”: due to its inadequate operation, the air did not have time to bleed out normally, as a result of which people were simply squeezed by excess pressure. Moreover, the overload was so strong that even the pulmonary alveoli were compressed. As a result, one and a half hundred vehicles, which were in service by that time, had to be urgently re-equipped. For more than a year, the Raptors were strictly prohibited from rising above five thousand meters (with a ceiling of 20 thousand).

In popular culture

Despite its young age, the F-22 has become popular. In particular, he appears in:

1. Hulk. (2003)
2. Transformers. (2007) One of the antagonists transforms into an F-22
3. Transformers 2. (2009)
4. Olympus Has Fallen. (2013) Airplanes attack an AC-130 strafing the White House
5. Command and Conquer Generals series of games. Is a multifunctional unit.
6. In the game Ace Combat: Assault Horizon and in many other flight simulators

The image of an airplane in films is associated with technological perfection, and in computer games you can fly it only after reaching a high rank.

Prospects

Experts have expressed different opinions about the future of the Raptor, but it is clear that the addition of the F-35 Lightning II is attracting more and more attention from the military.

The presence of an electro-optical station with a helmet-mounted target designator, a jamming station, a modern data exchange interface, and compatibility with a wide range of weapons, including tactical atomic bombs, turns the F-35 into an excellent troop support vehicle. In third world countries, drones have long taken on this task.

The F-22 has a different mission. The plane is destined to reign supreme in the sky. He must divert enemy interceptors away from the bombers, reconnoiter the area with a sharp, energetic flight and carry out target designation, carry out targeted strikes on fortifications, in general, everything to ensure the army a confident victory.

Russia will soon respond by launching the Su-57 into serial production, which means that their meeting in third countries is quite likely.

This will reveal their weaknesses and give a powerful impetus to the development of aviation. Both cars will be modified more than once to meet the increased requirements of the time. Therefore, the Raptor will guard the skies of its country for many more decades, until it is replaced by new, sixth-generation machines.

Army and weapons

A significant date in the history of world aviation was December 15, 2005. On this day, an official ceremony was held at Langley Air Force Base (Virginia) dedicated to the adoption of the Lockheed Martin F/A-22A Raptor

- the world's first fifth-generation fighter. The commander of the Air Combat Command, General Ronald Keys, said that as of that day the fighter had reached a state of initial operational readiness and was beginning to carry out combat missions. The first combat-ready fighters became part of the 27th Squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing, stationed at Langpi Air Base. By the beginning of December 2005, it had built 66 fighters, of which 53 were transferred to the Air Force.

The F/A 22A Raptor is the most modern and expensive fighter aircraft ever created: the price of one aircraft has currently reached $120 million (excluding the cost of the R&D program). It plays an important role for the US military-industrial complex, where it is believed that it has no worthy rival in the fifth-generation fighter market.

Although the Raptor is now classified as a multi-role fighter, it was originally envisioned as an advanced tactical air superiority ATF fighter. The ATF acronym first appeared in 1971, when the then-existing US Air Force Tactical Air Command (TAC) proposed the idea of ​​​​creating a new aircraft designed to replace the F 16 fighter and A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft. The appearance in the Soviet Union of the highly maneuverable new generation MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters shook the Americans’ faith that in the future the F-15 and F-16 aircraft would be able to ward off the threat of an air attack. But in the early 1980s, the United States began working on the first versions of the ATF fighter. At the same time, the possibilities of combining the requirements of air combat and striking ground targets in one aircraft were assessed, and they also tried to determine which of these combat missions should be considered a priority.

Leading US aviation firms were given preliminary requirements to which they should submit proposals. Responses were received from , General Dynamics, Grumman, Lockheed, McDonnell-Douglas, Northrop and Rockwell. and Vought refused. The presented projects were very different from each other in size and appearance: for example, Northrop proposed a project for the lightest fighter, and Lockheed presented a project for a “flying monster” with a take-off weight of almost 54.4 tons and a supersonic speed corresponding to Mach number = 2.8 .

By 1982, the US Air Force began to give preference to the aircraft for conducting maneuverable air combat. At this time, it was not yet thought that a replacement heavy fighter would be needed for the General Dynamics F-111 bomber, and the top-secret Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk stealth strike fighter had not yet entered service

The Air Force command decided to create a heavy fighter designed to replace the F-15 aircraft and capable of destroying the enemy wherever he is. As a result, the requirements for the flight characteristics, dimensions and weight parameters of the ATF fighter were revised. Some additional specific requirements were also developed, such as the use of Very High Speed ​​Integrated Information Links (VHSIC), an active spin control wing, a high pressure non-flammable hydraulic system, conformal antennas and sensors, and an integrated aircraft and propulsion control system. .

It was also proposed to use a speech control system for some on-board equipment and engines with a thrust vector control system to ensure a short takeoff run and improve maneuverability in flight. But all this was rejected.

In response to the new requirements, the firms listed above submitted their revised proposals, after which they were awarded contracts for preliminary studies. The preliminary design stage began, following which it was planned to select two companies to build prototypes and conduct comparative flight tests. Leading construction companies and Pratt-Whitney received funds for the competitive development of engines under the JAFE program. The result of their activities was the creation of the experimental YF120 and YF119 turbofan engines, respectively.

In 1986, a significant change occurred in ATF programs - the US Navy announced its desire to obtain a NATF carrier-based fighter to replace the Grumman F-14 aircraft. In accordance with the new plans, it was planned to build 750 ATF fighters for the Air Force, and 546 NATF aircraft for the Navy. After some time, the structure of the program changed. The participating firms, having assessed their financial capabilities, decided to form joint groups. At the same time, they agreed that the company whose project would be the winner would become the main contractor. One group included Lockheed, Boeing, and General Dynamics, and the second included McDonnell-Douglas and Northrop. and Rockwell continued the work independently.

On October 31, 1986, the projects and Northrop were recognized as the winner. Both companies received contracts to develop and build a pair of prototype aircraft, one with a Pratt-Whitney YF119 turbofan engine, and the other with General Electric YF120 engines.

The experimental fighters were not intended for operational testing; the most important technologies were to be tested on them. In order to ensure a long test duration, it was decided not to cover the entire airframe with RPM panels, but to place them only in some places. Otherwise, flights would have to be frequently interrupted to inspect the RPM skin.

The first to undergo flight testing was the experienced Northrop-McDonell-Douglas YF-23 fighter with YF119 engines, which took off on August 27, 1990. Experienced Lockheed YF-22

, equipped with YF120 engines, took off on September 29 of the same year.
YF-23 aircraft number 2 made its first flight on October 26, 1990, powered by a YF120 turbofan engine. YF-22
fighter with YF119 engines took off.
It is known that the YF-23 aircraft was unofficially called "Black Widow" in honor of the World War II Northrop P-62 fighter. The YF-22
fighter also had an unofficial name: in memory of another famous wartime fighter, the Lockheed P-38, it was given the name “Lightning.”

YF-22 (bottom) and YF-23 (top) fighters

Flight test program for experimental Y F-22

ended on December 28, 1990. They made 74 flights and flew 91.6 hours. During the tests, the maximum speed corresponding to the number M>2 was obtained. Long flights were carried out in supersonic mode without the use of afterburner, the maximum Mach number in these flights was 1.58. Launches of air-to-air missiles AIM-9 and AIM-120 (AMRAAM) located in internal compartments were carried out. Flights were carried out with angles of attack of 60 degrees.

Northrop YF-23 aircraft flew 65 hours. Missile launches and flights at high angles of attack were not carried out. However, in supersonic cruising flight the aircraft exceeded Mach number = 1.6. The sign of the maximum speed achieved is still classified. According to experts, the YF-23 fighter promised to surpass its competitor in speed; in addition, it had a lower ESR. Model tests in wind tunnels have shown that the YF-23 has no restrictions on angles of attack, while possessing extremely high maneuverability. conceived of creating a high-speed and stealthy fighter that should always be the first to destroy an enemy aircraft before it can reach the attack line, Lockheed, in turn, chose to give priority to high maneuverability at moderate angles of attack.

Aircraft No rtrop YF-23

In April 1991, Lockheed became the winner of the ATF program. This victory was greatly facilitated by her publicized intention to create a carrier-based NATF fighter with a two-seat flight deck and variable-sweep wing. Ironically, the NATF project was canceled a few months later. As a power plant, it was decided to use the Pratt Whitney YF119 turbofan engine, which was more conservative in design than its competitor YF120, which turned out to be more complicated, since it was an engine with a variable duty cycle, which increased the technical risk.

The Lockheed Martin F/A-22A serial fighter is noticeably different from the experimental YF-22

. First of all, it is somewhat larger in size. The cockpit is moved forward to improve forward visibility, and the engine air intakes are moved rearward, which improves the pilot's visibility to the side and down. The area of ​​the vertical fins has been reduced by almost 20-30%, and the wing sweep angle along the toe has become smaller by 6 degrees. The direction of the toes and trailing edges of the wing and horizontal tail surfaces is chosen in such a way as to ensure low ESR to the maximum extent possible. The F-22 has a reshaped radar radome for better station performance.

YF-22 (left) and F/A-22A (right)

The first experimental YF-22 with YF120 engines was subsequently used as a prototype for testing various new engineering solutions. The second aircraft continued flight testing until it crashed on April 25, 1992, as a result of severe buffeting of the horizontal tail. By this time, the aircraft had flown 113 times, its total flying time was 153.2 hours. After the accident, the airframe was restored, installing the wing and empennage of a serial fighter, and began to be used for ground testing of radars and determination of EPR.

Initially, under the contract for the development and flight testing of pre-production fighters (EMD stage), issued in August 1991, it was planned to build 11 aircraft: nine single-seat F-22A and two double-seat F-22B, as well as two airframes for static and fatigue tests. It was assumed that flight tests of the first pre-production fighter would begin in mid-1996, the first production one - no later than mid-1999. The first squadron was planned to be put on combat duty by 2003.

However, financial problems ruined all plans. Only on April 9, 1997, the official presentation of the first pre-production fighter F-22A (91-4001) took place, during which it received the name “Raptor” (“Predator”). The inscription “Spirit of America” was written on its board. The vehicle made its first flight on September 7, 1997 from Dobbins Air Force Base (Georgia). But between these two dates, an important event occurred: in July, the construction of the two-seat F-22B aircraft was canceled.

At the same time, flights of flying laboratories began, where various systems of the future fighter were tested. In particular, the control system software was tested on the F-16D VISTA flying laboratory, and a fully equipped cockpit mockup and avionics were tested on the Boeing 757-200FTB flying laboratory. At a test site near Fort Worth (Texas), a stand was built with a full-size nose section of the fuselage of an F-22A

and wing sections with conformal antennas for testing radio wave and navigation equipment, as well as an identification system.

After factory testing, pre-production F-22A

took turns arriving at Edwards Air Force Base (California), where the joint test group was located.
This group included the Air Force Flight Test Center, the Troops and Evaluation Test Center, Air Combat Command, the F-22
(F-22SPO), and the Air Tactical Systems Branch.
F-22A
aircraft (91-4001) was delivered to the air base on February 5, 1998, disassembled on board a Lockheed C-5B Galaxy heavy military transport aircraft, and the 91-4002 aircraft arrived here on August 26 of the same year.
The third pre-production F-22A
(91-4003) made its first flight on March 6, 200, and was greeted at Edwards Air Force Base on March 15.

Delays in the delivery of pre-production vehicles significantly slowed down the entire program. Of the 9 aircraft built as part of the EMD phase, only aircraft number 91-4002 flew exactly on schedule (June 29, 1997). The rest were a year or more late. Dissatisfaction with the progress of the program was growing in political circles, and in July 1999, the US House of Representatives unpleasantly surprised the Pentagon and developers with the decision not to allocate $1.8 billion for the serial production of F-22A fighters for the 2000 fiscal year. This dealt a painful blow to the program, since funding could not be restored in full later, although some funds were added to begin serial production under the LRIP program, which provided for the construction of fighters in small batches.

It is worth mentioning some more information about the modernization of the raptor. In May 1993, the Air Force command decided that the F-22A

must conduct not only air combat, but also destroy ground targets using high-precision weapons.
Therefore, appropriate modifications were made to the design of the internal weapons bays to accommodate the GBU-32 454 kg caliber, equipped with a JDAM guidance kit. Thus, the aircraft gradually turned into a multi-purpose aircraft, which was later reflected in its designation - in September 2002 it received the index F/A-22A
.

During flight tests of pre-production vehicles, the version of the “Block 3.0.” software was tested, AIM-9 Sideunder and AIM-120 (AMRAAM) missile launches were carried out, and the characteristics of the radar and the EPR value were determined. In general, the work was progressing satisfactorily, and the LRIP program was gaining momentum. However, the US Air Force decided to extend the flight testing period. The Initial Operational and Evaluation Test (DIOT&E) program has been finalized. At first they wanted to start it in August 2002, but due to delays in the delivery of production aircraft being built under the LRIP program, it began only at the end of September 2003.

During this time, 9 aircraft were built at the EMD stage with numbers 91-4001 to 91-4009. The last one flew on March 31, 2003. The fate of these aircraft turned out to be different. Aircraft 91-4001 ended its career in November 2000. It was transferred to Wright-Peterson Air Force Base (Ohio), where it was bombarded with cannons and missiles to evaluate its combat survivability. The 91-4002 fighter, originally intended to test the airframe design, carried out missile launches. It was also used for spin testing and was equipped with an anti-spin parachute. The same role is played by aircraft 91-4003. Fighter 91-4004 was the first to receive the AN/APG-77 radar; radar and thermal signature characteristics were also determined on it. Aircraft 91-4005 - 91-4009 were intended for testing avionics and its software.

F-22A (number 91-4004) Edwards Air Force Base, California. Located at the McKinley Climate Laboratory for testing. The F-22's endurance to precipitation and various weather conditions is considered.

F-22 (number 91-4006) in the anechoic chamber at the Benefield Antenna Range (Edwards AFB, California).

Using an anechoic chamber, parameters such as the effective reflective/absorbing surface and the exact characteristics of the antenna devices of objects are studied, and avionics are tested, including radios, weapon control systems and electronic countermeasures containers.

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source:

https://users.bart.nl/users/wbergmns/info/f22.htm

https://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/q0021a.shtml

Mel Williams “Super Fighters” ill.encyclopedia.