F-22 Raptor Thread

[Air Force Brat]

No 5 lost whose a protoype
Accidents here :

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So that number is likely 183 operational Raptors remaining, with likely around 120 actively combat coded??

 

[Jura The idiot]

... Raptor ... scared the socks off some Iranian phantom driver.

you're probably referring to what then Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said:

"He flew under their aircraft to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there, and then pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home.'"
according to Military.com | Sep 17, 2013 article
Welsh: F-22 Flew to Drone's Rescue off Iran Coast

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... if so, is this what you believe really happened?

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

given that the F4 was delivered to Iran in the 1970's I doubt that The radar even assuming a Indigenous attempt at update would have or could have seen a raptor until it was already in visual range and that the Phantom's cockpit would have prevented sighting from the 6 or underside. It might very well have. Of course a bit of hyperbole is always a possibility.

Still the main point is that it was flying Air intercepts. you don't do those with prototypes.

 

[Jura The idiot]

given that the F4 was delivered to Iran in the 1970's I doubt that The radar even assuming a Indigenous attempt at update would have or could have seen a raptor until it was already in visual range and that the Phantom's cockpit would have prevented sighting from the 6 or underside. It might very well have. Of course a bit of hyperbole is always a possibility.

assuming it happened as described right above (inside Today at 8:21 AM)

(and I think it's just a fairy-tale, told conveniently (quoting the above source again): "... after the Air Force was forced to repeatedly halt F-22 flights because F-22 pilots repeatedly reported blacking out from problems breathing.")

would it be a safe way of an interception?

Still the main point is that it was flying Air intercepts. you don't do those with prototypes.

I think I'm missing your main point, as "The F-22 achieved full operational capability in December 2007."
F-22A Raptor Advanced Tactical Fighter, United States of America

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so why they wouldn't intercept in 2013??

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

that is my main point, the first deployments are not to the combat front but the second or third are.

As for the intercept the coffing issue is more of a human endurance issue caused by a number of Faults in the on-board oxygen generating system, worn out filters, and high physical stress on the pilots during high G, High altitude. Restrictions were placed on the flight envelope and then changes made to the aircraft life support system. after April 2013 the restrictions were lifted. by September 2013 after 2013 there are no recorded incidence of "Raptor Cough" in the media. so by september 2013 there is no reason why an Iranian Phantom driver would not have had unexpected Sock ejection.

 

[Jura The idiot]

that is my main point, the first deployments are not to the combat front but the second or third are.

now I see your point (at first I didn't realize I had moved the discussion here from
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter News, Videos and pics Thread
so the context has been what you posted Yesterday at 11:46 PM)

As for the intercept the coffing issue is more of a human endurance issue caused by a number of Faults in the on-board oxygen generating system, worn out filters, and high physical stress on the pilots during high G, High altitude. Restrictions were placed on the flight envelope and then changes made to the aircraft life support system. after April 2013 the restrictions were lifted. by September 2013 after 2013 there are no recorded incidence of "Raptor Cough" in the media. so by september 2013 there is no reason why an Iranian Phantom driver would not have had unexpected Sock ejection.

here you avoided addressing what I asked
Today at 5:30 PM
which was:

assuming it happened as described right above (inside Today at 8:21 AM)

...

would it be a safe way of an interception?
...

yes or no would do it

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

I don't see why not.
Coming in from the 6 of the Iranian with the stealth of the Raptor a quick check of armament and then moving to the wing. I don't see any reason why this would have been unsafe.

 

[Jura The idiot]

I don't see why not.
Coming in from the 6 of the Iranian with the stealth of the Raptor a quick check of armament and then moving to the wing. I don't see any reason why this would have been unsafe.

well I've repeatedly seen reports of "unsafe encounters" (as in
U.S., Chinese military planes in ‘unsafe’ encounter over disputed South China Sea

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) so I'm wondering what's the standard procedure for example the distance or "an unsafe excessive rate of closure" as in
Two Chinese jets conduct ‘unsafe’ interception of US spy plane over East China Sea: Pentagon

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[FORBIN]

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

The Air Force F-22 Raptor Gets New Weapons and Stealth Upgrades - 2019
Kris Osborn
KRIS OSBORN
Yesterday at 10:05 PM
The F-22 upgrade allows full functionality for the AIM-120D and AIM-9X Air-to-Air missiles as well as enhanced Air-to-Surface target location capabilities.

The Air Force is performing key maintenance on the F-22 Raptor's stealth materials and upgrading the stealth fighter with new attack weapons to include improved air-to-air and air-to-surface strike technology, service officials said.
"In the Summer of 2019, the F-22 fleet will begin to receive upgrades to its available weapons with the Increment 3.2B upgrade. This upgrade allows full functionality for the AIM-120D and AIM-9X Air-to-Air missiles as well as enhanced Air-to-Surface target location capabilities," 1st Lt. Carrie J. Volpe, Action Officer, Air Combat Command Public Affaris, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., told Scout Warrior.
The F-22 currently carries the AIM-9X Block 1 and the current upgrade will enable carriage of AIM-9X Block 2, Volpe added.
Raytheon AIM-9X weapons developers explain that the Block 2 variant adds a redesigned fuze and a digital ignition safety device that enhances ground handling and in-flight safety. Block II also features updated electronics that enable significant enhancements, including lock-on-after-launch capability using a new weapon datalink to support beyond visual range engagements, a Raytheon statement said.
Another part of the weapons upgrade includes engineering the F-22 to fire the AIM-120D, a beyond visual range Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), designed for all weather day-and-night attacks; it is a "fire and forget" missile with active transmit radar guidance, Raytheon data states. The AIM-120D is built with upgrades to previous AMRAAM missiles by increasing attack range, GPS navigation, inertial measurment units and a two-way data link, Raytheon statements explain.

The AIM-120D also includes improved High-Angle Off-Boresight technology enabling the weapon to destroy targets at a wider range of angles.
Additional upgrades to the stealth fighter, slated for 2021, are designed to better enable digital communications via data links with 4th and 5th generation airplanes.
"The backbone of this upgrade also includes the installation of an open systems architecture that will allow for future upgrades to be done faster and at less expense than could be previously accomplished," Volpe said.
Stealth Coating Maintenance
The Air Force has contracted Lockheed Martin to perform essential maintenance to the F-22's low-observable stealth coating to ensure it is equipped to manage fast-emerging threats.
Lockheed Martin completed the first F-22 Raptor at the company’s Inlet Coating Repair (ICR) Speedline, a company statement said.
"Periodic maintenance is required to maintain the special exterior coatings that contribute to the 5th Generation Raptor’s Very Low Observable radar cross-section," Lockheed stated.
The increase in F-22 deployments, including ongoing operational combat missions, has increased the demand for ICR. Additionally, Lockheed Martin is providing modification support services, analytical condition inspections, radar cross section turntable support and antenna calibration.
F-22 Attack & Supercruise Technology
As a fifth-generation stealth fighter, the F-22 is specifically engineered for air supremacy and air dominance missions, meaning its radar-evading technology is designed to elude and destroy enemy air defenses. The aircraft is also configured to function as the world’s premier air-to-air fighter able to “dogfight” and readily destroy enemy aircraft.
“Air superiority, using stealth characteristics is our primary role. The air dominance mission is what we will always do first. Once we are comfortable operating in that battlespace, our airmen are going to find ways to contribute,” Col. Larry Broadwell, the Commander of the 1st Operations Group at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, told Scout Warrior in a special pilot interview last year.
The F-22’s command and control sensors and avionics help other coalition aircraft identify and destroy targets. While some of the aircraft’s technologies are not “publically discussable,” Broadwell did say that the F-22’s active and passive sensors allow it to function as an “aerial quarterback” allowing the mission to unfold.
For example, drawing upon information from a ground-based command and control center or nearby surveillance plane – such as a Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System – the F-22 can receive information or target coordinates from nearby drones, Broadwell explained.
At the moment, targeting information from drones is relayed from the ground station back up to an F-22. However, computer algorithms and technology is fast evolving such that aircraft like an F-22s will soon be able to quickly view drone video feeds in the cockpit without needing a ground station -- and eventually be able to control nearby drones from the air. These developments were highlighted in a special Scout Warrior interview with Air Force Chief Scientist Greg Zacharias.
U.S. Air Force
Zacharias explained that fifth generation fighters such as the F-35 and F-22 are quickly approaching an ability to command-and-control nearby drones from the air. This would allow unmanned systems to deliver payload, test enemy air defenses and potentially extend the reach of ISR misisons.
“Because of its sensors, the F-22 is uniquely able to improve the battlefield awareness - not just for airborne F-22s but the other platforms that are airborne as well,” he said. The Raptor has an F-22-specific data link to share information with other F-22s and also has the ability to use a known data link called LINK 16 which enables it to communicate with other aircraft in the coalition, Broadwell explained in an interview last year.
Newer F-22s have a technology called Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR, which uses electromagnetic signals or “pings” to deliver a picture or rendering of the terrain below, allow for better target identification.
The SAR technology sends a ping to the ground and then analyzes the return signal to calculate the contours, distance and characteristics of the ground below.
“The addition of SAR mapping has certainly enhanced our air-to-ground capability. Previously, we would have to take off with pre-determined target coordinates. Now, we have an ability to more dynamically use the SAR to pinpoint a target while airborne,” Broadwell added.
“The F-35 is needed because it is to global precision attack what the F-22 is to air superiority,” he added. “These two aircrafts were built to work together in concert. It is unfortunate that we have so few F-22s. We are going to ask the F-35 to contribute to the air superiority mission,” he said.
Overall, the Air Force operates somewhere between 80 and 100 F-22s. Dave Majumdar of The National Interest writes that many would like to see more F-22s added to the Air Force arsenal. (Story HERE). For instance, some members of Congress, such as former Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., have requested that more F-22s be built, given its technological superiority.
Citing budget concerns, Air Force officials have said it is unlikely the service will want to build new F-22s, however it is possible the Trump administration could want to change that.