Air Superiority for the next 25 years: Confirmed

[blingbling]

http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb2007/0207raptor.asp

Originally Posted by WoT

In little more than a year, the Air Force has transformed its newly operational F-22 into something remarkable—a weapon of true intimidation. The Raptor has proved itself time and time again in USAF’s toughest wargames. In live exercises, it has trounced the best “opponents” USAF can muster. It hits them at unprecedented speeds and altitudes—and with impunity.

The F-22 does this while in the hands of operators—not test pilots, but rank and file fighter pilots. They consider it to be nearly as reliable as mature F-15 and F-16 fighters. Moreover, the Raptor has shown capabilities that may vastly amplify the power of the rest of the force.

In short, the F-22 is delivering on even the most ambitious claims made for it.
...
A dozen F-22s, flown by a cadre of handpicked pilots and kept in shape by the 27th’s best maintainers, went to Northern Edge, a two-week joint-force wargame in Alaska. Participants included 5,000 troops in Army ground units, Marine Corps ground units, Navy Aegis cruisers and aircraft, and Air Force aircraft ranging from fighters and search and rescue helicopters to E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

Col. Thomas Bergeson, the 1st Operations Group commander, said it was the largest exercise for him in 20 or so years. In one Northern Edge engagement, USAF and its sister services put more than 40 fighters in the air at once, as well as E-2C Hawkeye and E-3 AWACS aircraft.

To confront the F-22-led “Blue Air” collection, the joint force mustered its best “Red Air” threat—front-line F-15s, F-16s, and Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets. The F-22’s team blitzed the opposition with a favorable 241-to-two kill ratio. What’s more, the two lost aircraft were F-15Cs, not F-22s. The Raptors came through the engagements untouched.

In Red Flags, Bergeson said, “you have a great day if you lose only 10 percent of your forces.” The massively lopsided victory for the stealthy F-22-led force was unprecedented.

“They [the Red Air adversaries] couldn’t see us,” Tolliver said. This was true even when the opponents were assisted by AWACS. “And that’s what makes the F-22 special,” Tolliver went on. “I’m out there and I have weapons like an F-15C or an F-16, but ... I’m basically invisible to the other guy’s radar.”

The 241-to-two record was amassed over two weeks of air engagements. Tolliver noted that, in such battles, Red Air units were allowed to regenerate and return to the fight, but lost Blue forces could not. Even with such handicaps, in the largest single engagement, F-22-led forces claimed 83 enemies to one loss, after facing down an opposing force that had generated or regenerated 103 adversary fighters.

hegemony'd

[Quiggs]

From what I've heard from people who have seen the Raptors performing up close, they have the moves of some of the older Russian fighters, but at much higher speeds.

[NSXType-R]

Hey, if you've invested billions of dollars into an aircraft, you better get your money's worth.

BTW, did they include the Joint Strike Fighter? That would have been interesting.

[Quiggs]

Rumor has it the F22 is powered by 2 Pratt and Whitney 20 valve turbo motors.

[mclaren_crazy]

Originally Posted by Quiggs

Rumor has it the F22 is powered by 2 Pratt and Whitney 20 valve turbo motors.

Too bad they didn't just use the 1.8T. It would have been able to hit at least mach 10 then

[Blue Supra]

yeh i put a P&W in my 200...

it goes alright.

[baddabang]

Originally Posted by mclaren_crazy

Too bad they didn't just use the 1.8T. It would have been able to hit at least mach 10 then

Declassified information from the pentagon confirms that the F22 Raptor is actually powered by 16, 1.8 Turbos. It will N3v4R L0sE.

[Quiggs]

20 valve turbo = 1.8T... *bangs head against wall*

[Mr.Tiv]

I'll take two.


Really, it's quite a beautiful peace of machinery.

[Quiggs]

I still miss my Tomcats... But this is a seriously beastly machine.

[johnnyperl]

This project is almost 20 years old (from first contracts awarded) and development has cost just under $200 Billion and the 180 planes will cost another $22 Billion. But I'm sure it will be well worth it, especially against those car bombers in Iraq
The plane may be good, but the project is a joke. Especially compared to how the JSF came together.

[Mr.Tiv]

Originally Posted by Quiggs

[img]http://members.lycos.co.uk/aerospace21/F-22_raptor.jpg[img]

[img]http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/f22/images/F-22_DVD-1114-1_375x300.jpg[img]

I still miss my Tomcats... But this is a seriously beastly machine.

I'm more of an A-10 Warthog kind of man, myself.







Raw Power is your friend.

[baddabang]

Originally Posted by Mr.Tiv

I'm more of an A-10 Warthog kind of man, myself.

Raw Power is your friend.

I live not to far from an Fort Drum NY home of the 10th Mountain Division which also doubles as home to the 174th Fighter Wings Forward Operating Location, and I've had the opportunity to see them performing maneuvers at low altitudes. They are definetely a monster of an airplane, and when you see them take off over highways your car shakes and you can't hear the radio anymore. Its the ultimate old lady scare tactic.

[CdocZ]

I am so happy they did not drop the F-22. When I heard the JSF might be instead of the Raptor, I was....not happy hahaha. The F-22 is such an awesome piece of engineering.....

[Mr.Tiv]

Originally Posted by baddabang

I live not to far from an Fort Drum NY home of the 10th Mountain Division which also doubles as home to the 174th Fighter Wings Forward Operating Location, and I've had the opportunity to see them performing maneuvers at low altitudes. They are definetely a monster of an airplane, and when you see them take off over highways your car shakes and you can't hear the radio anymore. Its the ultimate old lady scare tactic.

I used to watch them do drills over my house. They still fly out of Dover AFB ever so often. I love those things.