Originally posted by jetsetter
I am kinda glad the Navy is staying with the SLAM-ER. It keeps the production lines for the Harpoon open.

Yeah, but the Navy is doing away with all versions of the Harpoon.

You won't be seeing them on ship or subs for much longer.

Anyone have any news about the F/A-22x concept?

Originally posted by aerospaceweb
...Others have mentioned the FB-22, which is a Lockheed proposal for a fighter-bomber variant similar in mission to the F-15E. However, the Air Force has indicated that it's not interested in the idea.

Actually at a speech given in Florida back in February of this year (2004) Air Force Chief of Staff, General John Jumper brought up the subject of short-term future LRS options, while on the subject the General indicated that the USAF was still considering the FB-22 regional bomber. That was 3 months ago...
I heard it with my own ears... I'll endeavor to find a link, they usually have his speeches transcribed and available on the web.

natalie~



[Edited on 12-5-2004 by intelgurl]

I read that speech not long after it was said. The F/B-22 may come out and I hope it does.

"nice ride...120m$ seems too high a price"

Rafale 70 million, eurofighter 90 million. They all have 'financial' problems. Also, its $240 million, not $120 million.

"I should think at least 600 for the US Air Force. Overseas... dunno. Not many."

276 and the only way is down, as no more budget is being allocated to it by congress. Its not for export.

"Only country overseas I have heard of that are going to get the Raptor for sure is Israel."

Israel isnt allowed it becuause Israel will sell it to china, as with all other US technologies in the past! Also, Israel doesnt want raptor, Israel has no need for it, remember its neighbours either have junk or crap pilots! Israel wants JSF A.

"IG: Is there anything in the known arsenals of any potential adversary that can neutralize the threat of an F-22 Raptor?"

Look at Type 45 Destroyer, Horizon destroyer and the new Netherlands destroyer. Whether then French and Netherlands ones can actually shoot anyhing at the raptor im not sure, but they can track it, and send interceptors to it.

"good i wonder when we will get f22s?
our raf is shizen"

The RAF ses the benefit of having multirole jets as opposed to singl role aircraft. 100 Eurofighter are more useful than 100 F22, but thats not a problem for the us which has lots of planes.We can have an air force just like the US, but i guess you will be ok with your taxes being doubled?

"no only 2 squadrons have that and ones an aerobatic squadron
the other 1 is an R+D squadron we aint getting any new planes"

The planes have to be built first...its going to take 15 years to get them all.

"I can probably see the F-22 making its way to the RAF."

The USAF will have 50 F-22 in England (RAF Lakenheath) to replace their F15E.

::Life size replica's of raptor should be put outside all public area, next to the national flag. It looks amazing!

very interesting.. technology such as the ability to point the nose away from direction of flight for sustained periods, rotating the nose through 360 degrees and recovering from tail slide by rolling into an entirely different plane is technology brought to the U.S. from Russia - Russian hydraulic engineer Boris Smiroff and UCA professors Jim Shelton and Jim Skotka are to thank for the awe inspiring technology that went into this aircraft. Good job Men ..

Originally posted by aerospaceweb
The group at Edwards using the F-22 is the 411th Flight Test Squadron. They're conducting developmental and operational testing to get the plane ready to enter service. Raptors are also operating out of Nellis AFB and a training squadron has been established at Tyndall AFB. If all goes according to plan, the F-22 will officially enter service in December of next year. The first operational squadron is supposed to be based at Langley AFB in Virginia.

Back in February there were about 6 or 8 F-22's on the tarmac at Dobbins AFB just outside of Atlanta. I got a visitor's pass for me and my nephew through someone who posts here on ATS.
I wasnt able to get up close and touch them or anything but they were there, parked outside the Lockheed plant there.
I got to see one take off with an F-16, I understand they were going to test the plane up through the smokey mountains and then take it down to Huntsville, Alabama.
A #@$@! awesome sight!

Going back a few pages there's a lot of talk about RCS and detecability concerning current state of the art SAM systems. The RCS detection capability of that system is still higher than the frontal aspect RCS of the Raptor, the number is classified but it is significantly lower. Probably by a factor of 10 from what i've seen estimated from the F-117, and the Raptor is a generation better than that. Also mission profiles are such that they aren't going to direclty overfly the high risk systems, the tactical situation display gives circles around each system that gives their detection and track range, stray into those circles and its likely you'll be detected. Successful mission planning is as important as ever, even with low observables. Low doesn't mean invisible, it means difficult. And given the Raptor will be flown up to 60 thousand feet and in sustained supercruise that negatively impacts a missle in a tail chase if they get one off. Plus defensive electronics if all else fails. It's not like any decent Raptor pilot is going to allow an enemy system to operate to its strengths, its his job to operate his aircraft to its own.

Only country overseas I have heard of that are going to get the Raptor for sure is Israel.

Actually last I heard The Raptor is strictly for the USAF no other country is getting one including Israel. They might get one after 8 years in service but as of now no one else is getting one. and the USAF is sent to get around 339 of these and the first 24 are coming this December. Also we can afford them at 100 mil a pop with our 500B dollar DoD budget