Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence roles.[6] Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is the prime contractor and is responsible for the majority of the airframe, weapon systems and final assembly of the F-22. Program partner Boeing

Defense, Space & Security provides the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and trai

ning systems.

The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 during the y

ears prior to formally entering USAF service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite a protracted and cost

ly development period, the United States Air Force considers the F-22 a critical component of US tactical air power, and claims that the aircraft is unmatched b

y any known or projected fighter,while Lockheed Martin claims that the Raptor's combination of stealth, speed, agility, precision and situational awareness, combined with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities, make

s it the best overall fi

ghter in the world today. Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, former Chief of the Australian Defence Force, said in 2004 th

at the "F-22 will be the most outstanding fighter plane ever built."

The high cost of

the aircraft, a lack of clear air-to-air combat missions because of delays in the Russian and Chinese fifth-generation fighter programs, a US ban on Raptor exports, and the ongoing development of the planned cheaper and more versatile F-35 resulted in calls to end F-22

production. In April 2009 the US Department of Defense proposed to cease placing new orders, subject to Congressional approval, for a final procurement tally of 187 operational aircraft.The National Defense Authorization

Act for Fiscal Year 2010 lacked funding for further F-22 production. The final F-22 rolled off the assembly line on 13 December 2011 during a ceremony at Dobbins Air Reserve Base.

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 62 ft 1 in (18.90 m)
Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
Height: 16 ft 8 in (5.08 m)
Wing area: 840 ft² (78.04 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 64A?05.92 root, NACA 64A?04.29 tip
Empty weight: 43,430 lb (19,700 kg)
Loaded weight: 64,460 lb (29,300 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 83,500

lb (38,000 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 Pitch Thrust vectoring turbofans
Dry thrust: 23,500 lb[262] (104 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 35,000+ lb (156+ kN) each
Fuel capacity: 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) internally,[7][259] or 26,000 lb (11,900 kg) with two external fuel tanks

Performance

Maximum speed:
At altitude: Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h)
Supercruise: Mach 1.82 (1,220 mph, 1,963 km/h)
Range: >1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km) with 2 external fuel tanks
Combat radius: 410 nm

i (with 100 nmi in supercruise) [258] (471 mi, 759 km)
Ferry range: 2,000 mi (1,738 nmi, 3,219 km)
Service ceiling: 65,000 ft (19,812 m)
Wing loading: 77 lb/ft² (375 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 1.09 (1.26 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)
Maximum design g-load: -3.0/+9.0 g[124]

USAF poster overview of key features and armament

Armament

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon in starboard wing root, 480 rounds
Air to air loadout:
6× AIM-120 AMRAAM
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air to ground loadout:
2× AIM-120 AMRAAM and
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder for self-protection, and one of the following:
2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM or
8× 250 lb (110 kg)

GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs
Hardpoints: 4× under-wing pylon stations can be fitted to carry 600 US gallon drop tanks or weapons, each with a capacity of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg).[263]

Avionics

RWR (Radar warning receiver): 250 nmi (463 km) or more
Radar: 125–150 miles (200–240 km) against 1 m2 (11 sq ft) targets (estimated range)
Chemring MJU-39/40 flares for protection against IR missiles.