F-22 weapons ideas

The F-22 has represented a quantum lep in teh technologies of a fighter, yet it uses weapons that were developed for the past generattion of fighters, and does not necessarily take maximum advantage of all the advantages that it has. here are a list of ideas that I had, but feel free to add any of your own.

1) Longe Range Air-Air Missile(LRAAM, Super AMRAAM) Either use a current AMRAAM or new one developed with ram engines, aadd second stage rocket. At high altitude it would be launched into low space with the 1st stage aimed into a basket area where planes have been detected. Once in an optimum altitude, the regular AMRAAm part could seek out a target. With speed, stealth, and data transferred from the Raptor it could be like a moving super SAM covering vast distances.
2) High Kinetic Penetrator Bomb (HKPB) Usses the stage from LRAAM and also goes into suborbit, but usses fall from peak to build up kinetic energy to make it a penetrator bomb, either GPS or laser designated, and could use explosives or pure kinetics, wings could be added to extend the range but a warhead would have to be used.

the thing is its only really designed to be a fighter, not really a A2G one that is until the FB22 comes out.

Originally posted by devilwasp
the thing is its only really designed to be a fighter, not really a A2G one that is until the FB22 comes out.

While it is true that both the F-15 and F/A-22 were designed under the doctrine "not a pound for air to ground" the fact is that both the Eagle and the Raptor have inate abillities which make them both very good at strike missions. Think about it - what more could you want from a strike aircraft then a plane that is superstealthy, can supercruise, and has the best sensor equipment in the world? I believe that the new 250lbs small diameter bomb will be the bomb of choice for the first few years the Raptor is in service.

While most strike missions will likely be performed in the future by the JSF, the Raptor will handle the highly sensitive ones because it is a better aircraft. As far as the F/B-22, I wouldn't hold my breath on it - it's still a paper airplane, and with Iraq looming on the defence budget, it doesn't seem like this new aircraft would be a priority.

anyway, I thought you might enjoy this tidbit:

While these conversations, many of them informal, didn't touch on "even one-third of its classified capabilities," according to one pilot, they included the ability to hunt down and destroy cruise missiles well behind enemy lines, the introduction of a new missile that allows the head-on attack and destruction of stealthy enemy missiles, a tailless bomber derivative design, a planned electronic attack capability so powerful that it actually damages enemy electronics, and modifications that would allow the aircraft's electronic package to invade enemy computer networks.

.......

While F/A-22 crews will train to attack cruise missiles with AIM-9s and 20-mm. cannon, the primary weapon will be the AIM-120C Amraam. A variant, the AIM-120C-6 (available by 2006), has been specialized with an improved seeker to optimize the explosive cone of destruction for small, slow targets in a head-on engagement with the F/A-22. The upgraded Amraam incorporates improved fuzing through a new quadrant target-detection device. One tactic for the F-22s will be to approach a wave of cruise missiles head-on, get in a first shot and then turn at Mach 1.7 supercruise speed for a second and third shot from behind.

Source

So, it seems as if new weapons are in development, even if it is only a modified AMRAAM.

Personally, I would like to see some kind of compact extended range standoff missle akin to the Phoenix missle system. Another toy they could add is a solid state laser like the one planed for the JSF.

Hypersonic a2a missiles no real need for a warhead.

Also head the the RAF dropped a load of laser and gps guided bombs in IRAQ during gw2. I've head of cost cutting but that taking the PISS

Originally posted by RAB
Hypersonic a2a missiles no real need for a warhead.

yeah imagine the impact, a warhead would probably just make sure the wreckage is not there.

Also head the the RAF dropped a load of laser and gps guided bombs in IRAQ during gw2. I've head of cost cutting but that taking the PISS

the RAF and USAF dropped bombs the laser and GPS guided bombs are standard issue.
im not sure what you mean?

Originally posted by roniii259
The F-22 has represented a quantum lep in teh technologies of a fighter, yet it uses weapons that were developed for the past generattion of fighters, and does not necessarily take maximum advantage of all the advantages that it has. here are a list of ideas that I had, but feel free to add any of your own.

1) Longe Range Air-Air Missile(LRAAM, Super AMRAAM) Either use a current AMRAAM or new one developed with ram engines, aadd second stage rocket. At high altitude it would be launched into low space with the 1st stage aimed into a basket area where planes have been detected. Once in an optimum altitude, the regular AMRAAm part could seek out a target. With speed, stealth, and data transferred from the Raptor it could be like a moving super SAM covering vast distances.
2) High Kinetic Penetrator Bomb (HKPB) Usses the stage from LRAAM and also goes into suborbit, but usses fall from peak to build up kinetic energy to make it a penetrator bomb, either GPS or laser designated, and could use explosives or pure kinetics, wings could be added to extend the range but a warhead would have to be used.

Interesting ideas, both, but if you're going to create missiles like that with such massive range why not just fire them from a C-130? These seem more suited to ASAT applications.

I always wanted to see stealth A2A missile with thrust vectoring. A missile that would use a combination of IR and Radar to get close to its target but then when it got into visual range it would use a visual targeting system to track and hit the target. This might be able to do away with all counter measures a plane could throw at a incoming missile. If the missile was looking for the image of a M-29 I dont think a flare or chaff counter measure would do much good.

So I would like to see

Stealth
Thrust vectoring
IR, Radar, Image tracking

all on the same missile though I fear the cost would make it not practical

Said it many a time before, and I'll say it again:

Missiles are history.

It's a waste of time and money to fire missiles at something that will simply shoot them down and then YOU. The age of the the Directed Energy Weapon is here. Thus I think the F/A-22 is fine for the next two decades til laser-equipped fighters become commonplace... but an F-22 can be shot down by a remote controlled Cessna with a bolt on laser cannon and plugging into a mass detector system.

The F-22 will be using the AIM-120D AMRAAM, which will be in service by 2008, and has a range of about 110km, and a 70 click no-escape zone.

SORRY guys

The thing that in my post gps guided bricks ie concerte blocks sorry for the messup!

Originally posted by Lampyridae
It's a waste of time and money to fire missiles at something that will simply shoot them down and then YOU. The age of the the Directed Energy Weapon is here.

Hitting to fast moving objects will be very difficult, especially when gun platform itself moves fast!
And for longer ranges you'll need very high powered power hungry laser... whose sizes are big. (ABL is built to 747 airframe)

Originally posted by Lampyridae
Interesting ideas, both, but if you're going to create missiles like that with such massive range why not just fire them from a C-130? These seem more suited to ASAT applications.

a C-130 cant reach as high into the atmosphere so the weight and cost will go up. Also with supercruise the raptor could cover a wider area, and orbit undetected by longe-range radars.

Originally posted by Lampyridae
Said it many a time before, and I'll say it again:

Missiles are history.

It's a waste of time and money to fire missiles at something that will simply shoot them down and then YOU. The age of the the Directed Energy Weapon is here. Thus I think the F/A-22 is fine for the next two decades til laser-equipped fighters become commonplace... but an F-22 can be shot down by a remote controlled Cessna with a bolt on laser cannon and plugging into a mass detector system.

that is assuming that the F-22 is identified before the Cessna is shot down right? Anyways while lasers can easily disrupt a volatile missile destroying a plane is harder. Also a laser produces allot of heat so an ir spike occurs, and it takes awhile to recharge. Missiles will still be used for about 50 more years, but a missile or bomb equiped with a plasma yield weapon may prolong this for an infinent period.