Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American twin-engine, all-weather stealth fighter developed for the United States Air Force. It combines low observability, supercruise, thrust-vectoring and integrated sensors, and was designed primarily to gain and maintain air superiority.[1]
Development
The Raptor emerged from the Advanced Tactical Fighter programme, which sought a successor to the F-15 Eagle. The Lockheed-led YF-22 team won the competition in 1991, and Boeing became a major programme partner. The first production-representative F-22 flew in 1997.
The type entered service in 2005. Production ended after 195 aircraft because of cost, changing defence priorities and a prohibition on export, leaving the F-22 exclusively in United States service.[1]
Design
The F-22 uses a blended airframe, internal weapons bays and materials and shaping intended to reduce radar signature. Its two F119 engines permit sustained supersonic flight without afterburner and use two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzles for high manoeuvrability.
A radar, electronic-warfare equipment and distributed avionics present the pilot with a fused tactical picture. Weapons are normally carried internally to preserve stealth, while external pylons can be fitted when range or additional payload is more important than low observability.[2]
Operational history
USAF Raptors perform homeland air defence, forward deployments and air-superiority missions. The aircraft made its combat debut in 2014 during operations against targets in Syria and has also been used for alert duties and the interception of aircraft and high-altitude objects.
Modernisation has added new weapons, sensors and communications, while the Air Force has studied a future replacement under its Next Generation Air Dominance effort.
Variants and operators
The aircraft family includes F-22A; YF-22 prototypes. Equipment, weapons and mission systems differ among production blocks and national fleets.
Principal or notable users include United States Air Force. Some operators have retired early versions while others continue upgrades or new procurement.[1]
Specifications
Published performance figures depend on configuration, fuel, altitude and mission profile. Representative figures for the family include a maximum speed of Mach 2.25 and a range of 1,600 nmi (2,960 km) with external tanks. The usual crew is 1, and power is provided by 2 × Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 afterburning turbofans.[1]