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127-508: The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is an American twin-engine , all-weather, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft . As a product of the United States Air Force 's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed as an air superiority fighter , but also incorporates ground attack , electronic warfare , and signals intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin , built most of

254-649: A great circle route. Hence, in case of an engine failure in a twinjet (like Boeing 777 ), the twin-jet could make emergency landings in fields in Canada , Alaska , eastern Russia , Greenland , Iceland , or the British Isles . The Boeing 777 has also been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for flights between North America and Hawaii , which is the world's longest regular airline route with no diversion airports along

381-518: A podded engine usually mounted beneath, or occasionally above or within, each wing. Most notable examples of such a configuration are the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 . The second has one engine mounted on each side of the rear fuselage, close to its empennage , used by many business jets , although some airliners like the Fokker 70 , Douglas DC-9 and COMAC ARJ21 utilise such a design as well. In

508-458: A 1,300 lb (590 kg) weapon that can be carried internally in the F-22. While capable of carrying weapons with GPS guidance such as JDAMs and SDBs, the F-22 cannot self-designate laser-guided weapons. While the F-22 typically carries weapons internally, the wings include four hardpoints , each rated to handle 5,000 lb (2,300 kg). Each hardpoint can accommodate a pylon that can carry

635-692: A 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23 respectively; while they represented competing designs, the prototypes were meant for demonstrating concept viability and risk mitigation rather than a competitive flyoff. Concurrently, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric competed for the ATF engines. Dem/Val was focused on system engineering , technology development plans, and risk reduction over point aircraft designs; in fact, after down-select,

762-617: A combined tactical picture, thus enhancing the pilot's situational awareness and reducing workload. Key mission systems include Sanders /General Electric AN/ALR-94 electronic warfare system, Martin Marietta AN/AAR-56 infrared and ultraviolet Missile Launch Detector (MLD), Westinghouse / Texas Instruments AN/APG-77 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, TRW Communication/Navigation/Identification (CNI) suite, and Raytheon advanced infrared search and track (IRST) currently being tested. The APG-77 radar has

889-412: A company's needs. Similar requests include a request for quotation (RFQ) and a request for information (RFI), where a customer needs more information from vendors before submitting an RFP. An RFI is typically followed by an RFP or RFQ. When an RFP is made after negotiations with prospective contractors, the submitted tender is known as a BAFO (best and final offer). A request for proposal requires

1016-503: A defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187. F-22 production would support over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month, about half of the initially planned rate from the 1990 MAR; after EMD aircraft contracts, the first production lot was awarded in September 2000. As production wound down in 2011,

1143-502: A detachable 600- gallon (2,270 L) external fuel tank or a launcher holding two air-to-air missiles; the two inboard hardpoints are "plumbed" for external fuel tanks. The two outboard hardpoints have since been dedicated to a pair of stealthy pods housing the IRST and mission systems. The aircraft can jettison external tanks and their pylon attachments to restore its low observable characteristics and kinematic performance. Each F-22 requires

1270-551: A final selection decision is based. Federal government requests for final proposal revisions must advise offerors that the final proposal revisions shall be in writing and that the Government intends to make award without obtaining further revisions. The term "request for proposals" is sometimes used in relation to government procurement in the United Kingdom , for example a request for proposals to raise and manage

1397-721: A low-observable, active-aperture, electronically scanned antenna with multiple target track-while-scan in all weather conditions; the antenna is tilted back for stealth. Its emissions can be focused to overload enemy sensors as an electronic-attack capability . The radar changes frequencies more than 1,000 times per second to lower interception probability and has an estimated range of 125–150 mi (201–241 km) against an 11 sq ft (1 m) target and 250 mi (400 km) or more in narrow beams. The upgraded APG-77(V)1 provides air-to-ground functionality through synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping, ground moving target indication/track (GMTI/GMTT), and strike modes. Alongside

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1524-554: A period of concept and specification development, the ATF System Program Office (SPO) issued the demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth, supersonic cruise and maneuver. The RFP would see some alterations after its initial release, including more stringent signature reduction requirements in December 1985 and adding

1651-457: A radar lock and cue emissions to a narrow beam (down to 2° by 2° in azimuth and elevation). Depending on the detected threat, the defensive systems can prompt the pilot to release countermeasures such as flares or chaff. The MLD uses six sensors to provide full spherical infrared coverage while the advanced IRST, housed in a stealthy wing pod, is a narrow field-of-view sensor for long-range passive identification and targeting. To ensure stealth in

1778-501: A range of ±20 degrees in the pitch-axis ; the nozzles are fully integrated into the F-22's flight controls and vehicle management system. Each engine has dual-redundant Hamilton Standard full-authority digital engine control ( FADEC ) and maximum thrust in the 35,000  lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner . The fixed shoulder-mounted caret inlets are offset from

1905-455: A retractable door. The radar projection of the cannon fire's path is displayed on the pilot's head-up display. Although designed for air-to-air missiles, the main bay can replace four launchers with two bomb racks that can each carry one 1,000 lb (450 kg) or four 250 lb (110 kg) bombs for a total of 2,000 pounds (910 kg) of air-to-surface ordnance. In 2024, Lockheed Martin disclosed its proposed Mako hypersonic missile,

2032-462: A series of hypoxia-related issues, the life support system was consequently revised to include an automatic backup oxygen system and a new flight vest valve. In combat environments, the ejection seat includes a modified M4 carbine designated the GAU-5/A. The F-22 has three internal weapons bays: a large main bay on the bottom of the fuselage, and two smaller bays on the sides of the fuselage, aft of

2159-530: A service life of 8,000 hours. The revised shaping would be validated with over 17,000 additional hours of wind tunnel testing and further RCS testing at Helendale, California and the USAF RATSCAT range before first flight. Increasing weight during EMD due to demanding ballistic survivability requirements and added capabilities caused slight reductions in projected range and maneuver performance. Aside from advances in air vehicle and propulsion technology,

2286-451: A single weapons platform to enable it to survive and conduct missions, primarily offensive and defensive counter-air operations, in highly contested environments. The F-22's shape combines stealth and aerodynamic performance. Planform and panel edges are aligned at common angular aspects and surfaces, also aligned accordingly, have continuous curvature to minimize the aircraft's radar cross-section. Its clipped diamond-like delta wings have

2413-408: A specified distance from an available diversion airport. Overwater flights near diversion airports need not be ETOPS/LROPS-compliant. Since the 1990s, airlines have increasingly turned from four-engine or three-engine airliners to twin-engine airliners to operate transatlantic and transpacific flight routes. On a nonstop flight from America to Asia or Europe, the long-range aircraft usually follows

2540-416: A three-week packaged maintenance plan (PMP) every 300 flight hours. Its stealth coatings were designed to be more robust and weather-resistant than those of earlier stealth aircraft, yet early coatings failed against rain and moisture when F-22s were initially posted to Guam in 2009. Stealth measures account for almost one third of maintenance, with coatings being particularly demanding. F-22 depot maintenance

2667-636: A total of 186 (or 187 when accounting for Production Representative Test Vehicles and certain EMD jets); one of the Block 30 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base, California. By 2020, Block 20 aircraft from Lot 3 onward were upgraded to Block 30 standards under the Common Configuration Plan, increasing the Block 30/35 fleet to 149 aircraft while 37 remained in the Block 20 configuration for training. In order to prevent

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2794-418: A total of 750 ATFs to replace its F-15 Eagles , it later scaled down to 381, and the program was ultimately cut to 195 aircraft — 187 of them operational models — in 2009 due to political opposition from high costs, a lack of air-to-air missions at the time of production, and the development of the more affordable and versatile F-35 . The last aircraft was delivered in 2012. The F-22 is a critical component of

2921-541: A trijet aircraft) and Boeing worked on new widebody twinjet designs that would become the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 , respectively. The MD-11's long range advantage was brief as it was soon nullified by the Airbus A330-300 and the extended-range Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing 777-200ER. The Airbus A320 twinjet stands out as the most produced jet airliner. The Boeing 777X is the world's largest twinjet, and

3048-575: A wide field of view and serves as a primary flight instrument ; information is also displayed upon six color liquid-crystal display (LCD) panels. The primary flight controls are a force-sensitive side-stick controller and a pair of throttles. The USAF initially wanted to implement direct voice input (DVI) controls, but this was judged to be too technically risky and was abandoned. The canopy's dimensions are approximately 140 inches long, 45 inches wide, and 27 inches tall (355 cm × 115 cm × 69 cm) and weighs 360 pounds. The canopy

3175-460: Is a form of reverse auction that solicits a business proposal by an organisation interested in the procurement of a service or product from potential suppliers. It is usually part of a complex sales process, and made through a bidding process. Unlike invitations to tender , which award contracts based upon the price and quality of the tender, RFPs allow suppliers more flexibility in proposing an original service or product in alignment with

3302-507: Is capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra ; vortex impingement on the vertical tail fins did cause more buffeting than initially anticipated, resulting in the strengthening of the fin structure by changing the rear spar from composite to titanium. The computerized triplex-redundant fly-by-wire control system and FADEC make

3429-649: Is located under the ICP, and is used for navigation and situation assessment. Three 6.25 in × 6.25 in (15.9 cm × 15.9 cm) secondary multi-function displays are located around the PMFD for tactical information and stores management. The ejection seat is a version of the ACES II commonly used in USAF aircraft, with a center-mounted ejection control. The F-22 has a complex life support system , which includes

3556-474: Is not an issue, as one of the engines is more than powerful enough to keep the aircraft aloft (see below). Mostly, ETOPS certification involves maintenance and design requirements ensuring that a failure of one engine cannot make the other one fail also. The engines and related systems need to be independent and (in essence) independently maintained. ETOPS/LROPS is often incorrectly thought to apply only to long overwater flights, but it applies to any flight more than

3683-431: Is performed at Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB , Utah; considerable care is taken during maintenance due to the small fleet size and limited attrition reserve. F-22s were available for missions 63% of the time on average in 2015, up from 40% when it was introduced in 2005. Maintenance hours per flight hour was also improved from 30 early on to 10.5 by 2009, lower than the requirement of 12; man-hours per flight hour

3810-569: Is planned to remain a cornerstone of the USAF's fighter fleet until its succession by the crewed Next Generation Air Dominance fighter. The F-22 originated from the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) initiated in 1981 to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon . Intelligence reports indicated that their effectiveness would be eroded by emerging worldwide threats emanating from

3937-518: The 777X in November 2013, while then-CEO Fabrice Brégier preferred to focus on product improvement rather than all-new concepts for 10 years. It would have a 10-abreast economy like the 777; its 565 m (6,081 sq ft) wing, slightly more than the 747-8, would have an 80 m (262 ft) span, as wide as the A380 , for a 892,900 lb (405 t) MTOW compared to 775,000 lb (352 t) for

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Misplaced Pages Continue

4064-464: The AIM-260 JATM . Missile launches require the bay doors to be open for less than a second, during which pneumatic or hydraulic arms push missiles clear of the aircraft; this is to reduce vulnerability to detection and to deploy missiles during high-speed flight. An internally mounted M61A2 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon is embedded in the airplane's right wing root with the muzzle covered by

4191-569: The Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing and envelope expansion, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production-quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 74 Block 10/20 training aircraft and 112 Block 30/35 combat aircraft for

4318-399: The Boeing 777 , Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 have matched or surpassed older quad-jet designs such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340 in these aspects, and twinjets have been more successful in terms of sales than quad-jets. In 2012, Airbus studied a 470-seat twinjet competitor for the Boeing 747-8 with lower operating costs expected between 2023 and 2030, revived after Boeing launched

4445-520: The Sierra Army Depot to support repairs and maintenance throughout the fleet life cycle, as well as the possibility of a production restart or a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). The Marietta plant space was repurposed to support the C-130J and F-35, while engineering work for sustainment and upgrades continued at Fort Worth, Texas and Palmdale, California. The curtailed production forced

4572-617: The Soviet Union , including new developments in surface-to-air missile systems for integrated air defense networks, the introduction of the Beriev A-50 "Mainstay" airborne warning and control system (AWACS), and the proliferation of the Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" and Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" class of fighter aircraft. Code-named " Senior Sky ", the ATF would become an air superiority fighter program influenced by these reports; in

4699-478: The waterfall model and instead have been implemented through numbered Releases on an annual basis. Additional upgrades currently being tested include new sensors and antennas, integration of new weapons including the AIM-260 JATM , and reliability improvements such as more durable stealth coatings; the dedicated infrared search and track (IRST), originally deleted during Dem/Val, is one of the sensors added. Other developments include all-aspect IRST functionality for

4826-753: The 777-200LR variant has the world's second longest aircraft range (behind Airbus A350-900 ULR). Other Boeing twinjets include the 767 , 757 (With the latter having stopped production, but still in commercial service) and 787 . Competitor Airbus produces the A320 family , the A330 , and the A350 . Some modern commercial airplanes still use four engines ( quad-jets ) like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 , which are classified as very large aircraft (over 400 seats in mixed-class configurations). Four engines are still used on

4953-432: The 777X, with a composite structure for an operating empty weight of 467,400 lb (212 t), and a 8,150 nmi (15,090 km) range at Mach 0.85. When flying far from diversionary airports (so called ETOPS/LROPS flights), the aircraft must be able to reach an alternate on the remaining engine within a specified time in case of one engine failure. When aircraft are certified according to ETOPS standards, thrust

5080-559: The AIM-9X/AIM-120D; fleet releases began in 2013 and 2019, respectively. Concurrent with Increment 3.2, Update 5 in 2016 added Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS), datalink updates, and more. Update 6, deployed in tandem with 3.2B, incorporated cryptographic and avionics stability enhancements. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System -Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS) for Tactical Mandates, including Mode 5 IFF and Link 16 transmit/receive capability

5207-782: The Boeing 757 FTB tested avionics, CNI, environmental qualifications, and observables, with the first combat-capable Block 3.0 software flying in 2001. Air vehicle testing resulted in several structural design modifications and retrofits for earlier lots, including tail fin strengthening to resolve buffeting at certain angles of attack. Raptor 4001 was retired from flight testing in 2000 and subsequently sent to Wright-Patterson AFB for survivability testing, including live fire testing and battle damage repair training. Other retired EMD F-22s have been used as maintenance trainers. Twinjet There are three common configurations of twinjet aircraft. The first, common on large aircraft such as airliners, has

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor - Misplaced Pages Continue

5334-454: The DoD under Secretary Donald Rumsfeld further cut the planned F-22 procurement to 183 production aircraft, despite the USAF's requirement for 381; funding for this number was reached by a multi-year procurement contract awarded in 2006, with aircraft distributed to seven combat squadrons; total program cost was projected to be $ 62 billion (~$ 90.2 billion in 2023). In 2008, Congress passed

5461-544: The F-22 airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while program partner Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems. First flown in 1997, the F-22 descended from the Lockheed YF-22 and was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A . Although the U.S. Air Force (USAF) had originally planned to buy

5588-478: The F-22 due to its physical size. These are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter , and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. The aircraft has an integrated avionics system where through sensor fusion, data from all onboard sensor systems as well as off-board inputs are filtered and processed into

5715-533: The F-22 had been designed to defeat contemporary and projected Soviet fighters, the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 would have major impacts on program funding; the DoD reduced its urgency for new weapon systems and the following years would see successive reductions in its budget. This resulted in the F-22's EMD being rescheduled and lengthened multiple times. Furthermore,

5842-415: The F-22 in 2013, funding cuts prevented its deployment. While Block 20 aircraft from Lot 3 onwards have been upgraded to Block 30/35 under the Common Configuration Plan, Lockheed Martin in 2017 had also proposed upgrading all remaining Block 20 training aircraft to Block 30/35 as well to increase numbers available for combat; this was not pursued due to other budget priorities. Aside from capability upgrades,

5969-466: The F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions, and can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar without climate control. The F-22 incorporates a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified , in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles

6096-432: The F-22 to rapidly designate targets for allies and coordinate friendly aircraft. Although communication with other aircraft types was initially limited to voice, upgrades have enabled data to be transferred through a Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) or via Link 16 traffic through MIDS-JTRS. The IEEE 1394 B bus developed for the F-22 was derived from the commercial IEEE 1394 "FireWire" bus system. In 2007,

6223-525: The F-22's avionics were unprecedented in terms of complexity and scale for a combat aircraft, with the fusion of multiple sensors systems and antennas, including integrated electronic warfare and integrated communication, navigation, and identification (CNI), and software integration of 1.7 million lines of code written in Ada ; the avionics often became the pacing factor of the whole program. In light of rapidly advancing computing and semiconductor technology,

6350-514: The F-22's radar was tested as a wireless data transceiver, transmitting data at 548 megabits per second and receiving at gigabit speed, far faster than the Link 16 system. The radio frequency receivers of the electronic support measures (ESM) system give the aircraft the ability to perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks. The F-22 has a glass cockpit with all-digital flight instruments. The monochrome head-up display offers

6477-429: The F-22's structural design and construction was improved over the course of the production run; for instance, aircraft from Lot 3 onwards had improved stabilators built by Vought . The fleet underwent a $ 350 million "structures retrofit program" to resolve problems identified during testing as well as address improper titanium heat treatment in the parts of early batches. By January 2021, all aircraft had gone through

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6604-485: The F-22, citing advancing threats from Russia and China. On 9 June 2017, the USAF submitted their report stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to cost-prohibitive economic and logistical challenges; it estimated it would cost approximately $ 50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $ 206–216 million per aircraft, including approximately $ 9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $ 40.4 billion for acquisition with

6731-549: The F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. At one point the Israeli Air Force had hoped to purchase up to 50 F-22s. In November 2003, however, Israeli representatives announced that after years of analysis and discussions with Lockheed Martin and the DoD, they had concluded that Israel could not afford the aircraft. Israel eventually purchased

6858-565: The F-35. Throughout the 2000s when the U.S. was primarily fighting counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the USAF's requirement for 381 F-22s was questioned over rising costs, initial reliability and availability problems, limited multirole versatility, and a lack of relevant adversaries for air combat missions. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated

6985-401: The ICP are used to display integrated caution advisory/warning (ICAW) data, CNI data and also serve as the stand-by flight instrumentation group and fuel quantity indicator for redundancy. The stand-by flight group displays an artificial horizon , for basic instrument meteorological conditions . The 8 in × 8 in (20 cm × 20 cm) primary multi-function display (PMFD)

7112-624: The Lockheed team completely redesigned the airframe in the summer of 1987 due to weight analysis, with notable changes including the wing planform from swept trapezoidal to diamond-like delta and a reduction in forebody planform area. The team extensively used analytical and empirical methods including computational fluid dynamics and computer-aided design software, wind tunnel testing (18,000 hours for Dem/Val), and radar cross-section (RCS) calculations and pole testing. Avionics systems were tested in ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val,

7239-564: The Lockheed team's design was more adaptable to the Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) for replacing the F-14 Tomcat , but by fiscal year (FY) 1992, the U.S. Navy had abandoned NATF due to cost. As the program moved to full-scale development, or Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD), the production F-22 design (internally designated as Configuration 645) evolved to have notable differences from

7366-621: The Missile Launch Detector (MLD), manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability with uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) or "loyal wingmen", and cockpit improvements. To preserve the aircraft's stealth while enabling additional payload and fuel capacity, stealthy external carriage has been investigated since the early-2000s, with a low drag, low-observable 600-gallon external tank and pylon currently under development to increase stealthy combat radius. The F-22 has also been used to test technology for its eventual successor from

7493-543: The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program; some advances are to be applied to the F-22 as well. Not all proposed upgrades have been implemented. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation. Although the Gentex / Raytheon (now Thales USA ) Scorpion helmet-mounted cuing system (HMCS) was successfully tested on

7620-586: The Open Systems Enclave (OSE) orchestration platform to allow the avionics suite to interface with containerized software from third-party vendors. The F-22's ability to operate close to the battlefield gives the aircraft threat detection and identification capability comparative with the RC-135 Rivet Joint , and the ability to function as a "mini- AWACS ", though its radar is less powerful than those of dedicated platforms. This allows

7747-552: The SPO used trade studies from both teams to review ATF requirements and adjust ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing ( STOL ) requirement was relaxed to delete thrust-reversers , saving substantial weight. Side looking radars and the dedicated infrared search and track (IRST) system were eventually removed as well, although space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for their later addition. The ejection seat

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7874-574: The Senate and House agreed to abide by the 187 cap in July 2009. Gates highlighted the F-35's role in the decision, and believed that the U.S. would maintain its stealth fighter numbers advantage by 2025 even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test and 187 production aircraft built; the jet was delivered on 2 May 2012. After production ended, F-22 tooling and associated documentation were retained and mothballed at

8001-490: The Structural Repair Program to ensure full service lives for the entire fleet. The F-22 Raptor (internally designated Configuration 645) is a fifth-generation air superiority fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF. It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability , stealth, and integrated avionics (or sensor fusion) in

8128-602: The U.S. aerospace industry. Some Australian defense officials and politicians have expressed interest in procuring the F-22; in 2008, the Chief of the Defence Force , Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston , stated that the aircraft was being considered by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a potential supplement to the F-35. Some defense commentators have even advocated for the purchase in lieu of

8255-620: The USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team and Pratt & Whitney as the winners of the ATF and engine competitions. Both designs met or exceeded all performance requirements; the YF-23 was considered stealthier and faster, but the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky, having flown considerably more test sorties and hours than its counterpart. The press also speculated that

8382-534: The USAF considered the F-22 to provide the greatest capability increase against peer adversaries for the investment. However, funding instability had reduced the total to 339 by 1997 and production was nearly halted by Congress in 1999. Although funds were eventually restored, the planned number continued to decline due to delays and cost overruns during EMD, slipping to 277 by 2003. In 2004, with its focus on asymmetric counterinsurgency warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan ,

8509-435: The USAF to extend the service of 179 F-15C/Ds until 2026—well beyond its planned retirement—and replace those with new-build F-15EX , which took advantage of an active production line for export customers to minimize non-recurring start-up costs, in order to retain adequate numbers of air superiority fighters. In April 2016, Congress directed the USAF to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of

8636-559: The USAF's current high-end tactical airpower. While it had a protracted development and initial operational difficulties, the aircraft became the service's leading platform for air-to-air missions against peer adversaries. Although designed for counter-air operations, the F-22 has also performed strike and electronic surveillance, including missions in the Middle East against the Islamic State and Assad -aligned forces. The F-22

8763-599: The USAF, Gates dismissed this and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one, despite an effort by Wynne's and Moseley's successors Michael Donley and General Norton Schwartz to raise the number to 243; according to Schwartz, he and Donley finally relented in order to convince Gates to preserve the Long Range Strike Bomber program. After President Barack Obama threatened to veto further production at Gates' urging, both

8890-542: The aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling. The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar, with radio waves reflected, scattered , or diffracted away from the emitter source towards specific sectors, or absorbed and attenuated. Measures to reduce RCS include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges and continuous curvature of surfaces, internal carriage of weapons, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of

9017-546: The aircraft's sophisticated capabilities, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft. The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $ 44.3 billion and procurement cost of $ 26.2 billion in FY 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994 and service entry in the mid-to-late 1990s. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review (MAR) led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996 and service entry in

9144-442: The airplane has an RCS of 0.0001 m or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble"; the aircraft can mount a Luneburg lens reflector to mask its RCS. For missions where stealth is required, the mission capable rate is 62–70%. Beginning in 2021, the F-22 has been seen testing a new chrome-like surface coating, speculated to help reduce the F-22's detectability by infrared tracking systems. The effectiveness of

9271-463: The avionics was to employ the Department of Defense 's (DoD) PAVE PILLAR systems architecture and Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) program technology; the avionics had computing and processing requirements equivalent to multiple contemporary Cray supercomputers in order to achieve sensor fusion. To enable early looks and troubleshooting for mission software development, the software

9398-854: The bidder to produce an original business proposal based on the buyer's needs. Depending on the RFP document's specification, a bidder may be required to decide upon project expectations, timetable, product design, and vendors. Other requested information may include basic corporate information and history, technical capability, product information. In United States government procurement , Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.203 covers requests for proposals, stating Requests for proposals (RFPs) are used in negotiated acquisitions to communicate Government requirements to prospective contractors and to solicit proposals. The FAR allows for evaluation of proposals, further discussions with bidders and invitation for submission of written final proposal revisions (FPRs), upon which

9525-415: The canted vertical stabilizers , and all-moving horizontal tails ( stabilators ); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag. Owing to the focus on supersonic performance, area rule is applied extensively to the airplane's shape and nearly all of the fuselage volume lies ahead of the wing's trailing edge to reduce drag at supersonic speeds, with

9652-510: The early-to-mid 2000s. After the end of the Cold War, this was further curtailed to 442 in the 1993 Bottom-Up Review while the USAF eventually set its requirement to 381 to support its Air Expeditionary Force structure with the last deliveries in 2013. Throughout development and production, the program was continually scrutinized for its costs and less expensive alternatives such as modernized F-15 or F-16 variants were being proposed, even though

9779-784: The effective range for JDAMs than with prior platforms. Its structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and bismaleimide /epoxy composites comprise 42% and 24% of the structural weight; the materials and multiple load path structural design also enable good ballistic survivability. The airplane's aerodynamics, relaxed stability , and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope, capable of 9- g maneuvers at takeoff gross weight. Its large control surfaces, vortex-generating chines and LERX, and vectoring nozzles provide excellent high alpha ( angle of attack ) characteristics, and

9906-418: The engine fan faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio frequency emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye . The aircraft's rectangular thrust-vectoring nozzles flatten

10033-536: The engine inlets; a small bay for countermeasures such as flares is located behind each side bay. The main bay is split along the centerline and can accommodate six LAU-142/A launchers for beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles and each side bay has an LAU-141/A launcher for short-range missiles. The primary air-to-air missiles are the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AIM-9 Sidewinder , with planned integration of

10160-409: The exhaust plume and facilitate its mixing with ambient air through shed vortices , which reduces infrared emissions to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles . Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight. Compared to previous stealth designs,

10287-647: The first Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) F-22, and eight more EMD jets assigned to the 411th FLTS would participate in the test program under the Combined Test Force (CTF) at Edwards. The first two aircraft conducted envelope expansion testing such as flying qualities, air vehicle performance, propulsion, and stores separation. The third aircraft, the first to have production-level internal structure, tested flight loads, flutter, and JDAM separation, while two non-flying F-22s were built for testing static loads and fatigue. Subsequent EMD aircraft and

10414-680: The first delivery in the mid-to-late 2020s. The long gap since the end of production meant hiring new workers, sourcing replacement vendors, and finding new plant space, contributing to the high start-up costs and lead times. The USAF believed that the funding would be better invested in its next-generation Air Superiority 2030 effort, which evolved into the Next Generation Air Dominance . The F-22 and its subsystems were designed to be upgraded over its life cycle in anticipation for technological advances and evolving threats, although this initially proved difficult and costly due to

10541-620: The first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). The improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes, was certified in March 2007 and fitted on airframes from Lot 5 onward. Increment 3.1 and Updates 3 and 4 for Block 30/35 aircraft improved ground-attack capabilities through synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping and radio emitter direction finding , electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and

10668-569: The first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues , F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012. In contrast to prior upgrades, Increment 3.2 for Block 30/35 aircraft emphasized air combat capabilities and was a two-part process. 3.2A focused on electronic warfare, communications and identification including Link 16 receive-only capability, and interim AIM-9X and AIM-120D capability while 3.2B included geolocation improvements and full integration of

10795-725: The forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley . In November 2008, Gates stated that the F-22 lacked relevance in asymmetric post-Cold War conflicts, and in April 2009, under the Obama Administration , he called for production to end in FY 2011 after completing 187 F-22s. The loss of staunch F-22 advocates in

10922-492: The forward fuselage to divert the turbulent boundary layer and generate oblique shocks with the upper inboard corners to ensure good total pressure recovery and efficient supersonic flow compression. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 in supercruise at military/intermediate power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners. With 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) of internal fuel and an additional 8,000 lb (3,629 kg) in two 600-gallon external tanks,

11049-404: The fuel to reach. The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of parasitic drag from external stores. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m), thus providing 50% greater employment range for air-to-air missiles and twice

11176-454: The highly integrated avionics systems architecture. The modernization and upgrades consist of software and hardware modifications captured under numbered Increments, originally called Spirals, as well as software-only Operational Flight Program (OFP) Updates. Amid debates over the airplane's relevance in asymmetric counterinsurgency warfare, the first Increments and OFP Updates primarily focused on ground attack, or strike capabilities. Increment 2,

11303-399: The immature YF-22 demonstrator, despite having similar configuration. The external geometry saw significant alterations; the wing's leading edge sweep angle was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. The radome shape was changed for better radar performance, the wingtips were clipped for antennas, and the dedicated airbrake

11430-482: The inadvertent disclosure of the aircraft's stealth technology and classified capabilities to the U.S.'s adversaries, annual DoD appropriations acts since FY1998 have included a provision prohibiting the use of funds made available in each act to approve or license the sale of the F-22 to any foreign government. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon or

11557-530: The introduction of ETOPS rules that allowed twin-engine jets to fly long-distance routes that were previously off-limits to them, Airbus was able to further develop the A300 as a medium- to long-range airliner to increased sales; Boeing launched its widebody twinjet, the Boeing 767 , in response. In the 1980s the Boeing 727 was discontinued, as its central engine bay would require a prohibitively expensive redesign to accommodate quieter high-bypass turbofans, and it

11684-609: The jet entered operational service, while Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activity continued for upgrades. Derivatives such as the X-44 thrust vectoring research aircraft and the FB-22 medium-range regional bomber were proposed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, although these were eventually abandoned. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy , American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to

11811-466: The jet has a ferry range of over 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi; 2,960 km). The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles . Its ability to supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using afterburners, allows it to intercept targets that afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack

11938-449: The largest cargo aircraft capable of transporting outsize cargo , including strategic airlifters . Twin-jets tend to be more fuel-efficient than trijet (three engine) and quad-jet (four engine) aircraft. As fuel efficiency in airliners is a high priority, many airlines have been increasingly retiring trijet and quad-jet designs in favor of twinjets in the twenty-first century. The trijet designs were phased out first, in particular due to

12065-444: The leading edge swept back 42°, trailing edge swept forward 17°, and a conical camber to reduce supersonic drag. The wings are smoothly blended into the fuselage with four empennage surfaces and leading edge root extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the caret inlets; the inlets' upper edges also meet the fuselage's forebody chines. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps , flaperons , ailerons , rudders on

12192-481: The majority involving the mission systems such as processing radar data. The highly integrated nature of the avionics architecture system, as well as the use of the programming language Ada , has made the development and testing of upgrades challenging. To enable more rapid upgrades, the CIPs were upgraded with Curtiss-Wright open mission systems (OMS) processor modules as well as a modular open systems architecture called

12319-541: The mid-1990s, when the USAF officially named the F-22 "Raptor". The "Lightning II" name was later given to the F-35. The aircraft was also briefly dubbed "SuperStar" and "Rapier". In September 2002, USAF changed the Raptor's designation to F/A-22, mimicking the Navy's McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and intended to highlight a planned ground-attack capability amid debate over the aircraft's role and relevance. The F-22 designation

12446-410: The more complicated design and maintenance issues of the middle engine mounted on the stabilizer. Early twinjets were not permitted by ETOPS restrictions to fly long-haul trans-oceanic routes, as it was thought that they were unsafe in the event of failure of one engine, so quad-jets were used. Quad-jets also had higher carrying capacity than comparable earlier twinjets. However, later twinjets such as

12573-434: The need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition was expressed by Bush Administration Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and his successor Robert Gates , Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England , and Chairman of U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Senators John Warner and John McCain . Under Rumsfeld, procurement was severely cut to 183 aircraft. The F-22 lost influential supporters in 2008 after

12700-454: The new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials , lightweight alloys , advanced flight control systems and avionics, more powerful propulsion systems for supersonic cruise (or supercruise ) around Mach 1.5, and stealth technology for low observability. The USAF initiated an ATF request for information (RFI) to the aerospace industry in May 1981, and following

12827-419: The newer F-35 Lightning II , which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of export sales on

12954-414: The numerous new technologies needed for the F-22's ambitious requirements exacerbated the cost overruns and delays. Some capabilities were also deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. Following extensive tests and evaluations with over 7,600 test hours flown, the program transitioned to full-rate production in March 2005 and completed EMD that December as

13081-530: The onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS), protective pilot garments, and a breathing regulator/anti-g (BRAG) valve controlling flow and pressure to the pilot's mask and garments. The pilot garments were developed under the Advanced Technology Anti-G Suit (ATAGS) project and protect against chemical/biological hazards and cold-water immersion , counter g-forces and low pressure at high altitudes, and provide thermal relief. Following

13208-573: The planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, considerations for the F-22 were later dropped and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet would serve as the RAAF's interim aircraft prior to the F-35's service entry. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained

13335-548: The potential scenario of a Soviet and Warsaw Pact invasion in Central Europe , the ATF was envisaged to support the air-land battle by spearheading offensive and defensive counter-air operations (OCA/DCA) in this highly contested environment that would then enable following echelons of NATO strike and attack aircraft to perform air interdiction against ground formations; to do so, the ATF would make an ambitious leap in capability and survivability by taking advantage of

13462-464: The radar is the ALR-94 electronic warfare system, among the most technically complex equipment on the F-22, that integrates more than 30 antennas blended into the wings and fuselage for all-round radar warning receiver (RWR) coverage and threat geolocation. It can be used as a passive detector capable of searching targets at ranges (250+ nmi ) exceeding the radar's, and can provide enough information for

13589-833: The radio frequency spectrum, CNI emissions are strictly controlled and confined to specific sectors, with tactical communication between F-22s performed using the directional Inter/Intra-Flight Data Link (IFDL); the integrated CNI system also manages TACAN , IFF (including Mode 5 through the MIDS-JTRS terminal), and communication through HAVE QUICK /SATURN, SINCGARS and JTIDS . The aircraft has also been upgraded to incorporate an automatic ground collision avoidance system (GCAS). Information from radar, CNI, and other sensors are processed by two Hughes Common Integrated Processor (CIP) mission computers, each capable of processing up to 10.5 billion instructions per second . The F-22's baseline software has some 1.7 million lines of code ,

13716-488: The requirement for flying technology demonstrator prototypes in May 1986. Owing to the immense investments required to develop the advanced technologies, teaming between companies was encouraged. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed, through its Skunk Works division at Burbank, California , teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas . These two contractor teams undertook

13843-687: The requirement that an aircraft be able to continue a takeoff if an engine fails after the takeoff decision speed is reached. Thus, with all engines operating, trijets must be able to produce at least 150% of the minimum thrust required to climb and quad-jets 133%. Conversely, since a twinjet will lose half of its total thrust if an engine fails, they are required to produce 200% of the minimum thrust required to climb when both engines are operating. Because of this, twinjets typically have higher thrust-to-weight ratios than aircraft with more engines, and are thus able to accelerate and climb faster. Request for proposal A request for proposal ( RFP )

13970-542: The stabilators pivoting from tail booms extending aft of the engine nozzles. Weapons are carried internally in the fuselage for stealth. The aircraft has a refueling boom receptacle centered on its spine and retractable tricycle landing gear as well as an emergency tailhook . Fire suppression system and fuel tank inerting system are installed for survivability. The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate rectangular two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles with

14097-630: The stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar-absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect

14224-870: The team largely carried through from Dem/Val to EMD, with prime contractor Lockheed responsible for the forward fuselage and control surfaces, General Dynamics for the center fuselage, and Boeing for aft fuselage and wings. Lockheed acquired General Dynamics ' fighter portfolio at Fort Worth, Texas in 1993 and thus had the majority of the airframe manufacturing, and would merge with Martin Marietta in 1995 to form Lockheed Martin . While Lockheed primarily performed Dem/Val work at its Skunk Works sites in Burbank and Palmdale, California , it would shift its program office and EMD work from Burbank to Marietta, Georgia , where it performed final assembly; Boeing manufactured airframe components, performed avionics integration and developed

14351-584: The third configuration both engines are within the fuselage, side-by-side, used by most fighters since the 1960s. Later fighters using this configuration include the Su-27 'Flanker', the F-15 Eagle , and the F-22 Raptor . The first twinjet to fly was the German fighter prototype Heinkel He 280 , flying in April 1941 with a pair of nacelled Heinkel HeS 8 axial-flow turbojets. The twinjet configuration

14478-450: The total program cost was estimated to be about $ 67.3 billion (about $ 360 million for each production aircraft delivered), with $ 32.4 billion spent on RDT&E and $ 34.9 billion on procurement and military construction in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at $ 138 million (~$ 191 million in 2023) in 2009. In total, 195 F-22s were built. The first two were EMD aircraft in

14605-625: The training systems in Seattle, Washington . The EMD contract originally ordered seven single-seat F-22As and two twin-seat F-22Bs, although the latter was canceled in 1996 to reduce development costs and the orders were converted to single seaters. The first F-22A, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Air Force Plant 6 in Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta on 9 April 1997 and first flew on 7 September 1997, piloted by chief test pilot Alfred "Paul" Metz. Because

14732-547: The two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in testing successfully demonstrated supercruise, high angle-of-attack maneuvers, and the firing of air-to-air missiles from internal weapons bays. After the Dem/Val flight test of the demonstrator prototypes at Edwards Air Force Base , the teams submitted the results and their design proposals — or Preferred System Concept (PSC) — for full-scale development in December 1990; on 23 April 1991, Secretary of

14859-520: The upper DoD echelons resulted in the erosion of its political support. In July 2008, General James Cartwright , Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , stated to the SASC his reasons for supporting the termination of F-22 production, including shifting resources to the multi-service F-35 and the electric warfare EA-18G Growler . Although Russian and Chinese fighter developments fueled concern for

14986-450: The way. On large passenger jets, the cost of the engines makes up a significant proportion of the plane's final cost. Each engine also requires separate service, paperwork, and certificates. Having two larger engines as opposed to three or four smaller engines will typically significantly reduce both the purchase and maintenance costs of a plane. Regulations governing the required thrust levels for transport aircraft are typically based upon

15113-562: Was 43 in 2014. When introduced, the F-22 had a Mean Time Between Maintenance (MTBM) of 1.7 hours, short of the required 3.0; this rose to 3.2 hours in 2012. By fiscal year 2015, the cost per flight hour was $ 59,116, while the user reimbursement rate was approximately US$ 35,000 (~$ 41,145 in 2023) per flight hour in 2019. The YF-22 was originally given the unofficial name "Lightning II", from the World War II Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter which persisted until

15240-401: Was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing ACES II . Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimates grew from 50,000 to 60,000 lb (22,700 to 27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 to 35,000 lbf (133 to 156 kN) class. Each team built two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of

15367-417: Was eliminated. To improve pilot visibility and aerodynamics, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm) and the engine inlets moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the fuselage, wing, and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. The internal structural design was refined and reinforced, with the production airframe designed for

15494-596: Was ground-tested in Boeing's Avionics Integration Laboratory (AIL) and flight-tested on a Boeing 757 modified with F-22 mission systems, called Flying Test Bed, as an avionics laboratory. Because much of the F-22's avionics design occurred in the 1990s as the electronics industry was shifting from military to commercial applications as the predominant market, avionics upgrade efforts would initially be difficult and protracted due to changing industry standards; for instance, C / C++ rather than Ada became predominant programming languages. The roughly equal division of work amongst

15621-557: Was installed starting in 2021. To address obsolescence and modernization issues, the F-22's mission computers were upgraded in 2021 after Increment 3.2B with military-hardened commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) open mission system (OMS) processor modules with a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) while an agile software development process in conjunction with an orchestration system was implemented to enable faster enhancements from additional vendors. Subsequent software updates have since shifted away from Increment releases developed using

15748-455: Was redesigned after the original design lasted an average of 331 hours instead of the required 800 hours. The F-22 has integrated radio functionality, the signal processing systems are virtualized rather than as a separate hardware module. The integrated control panel (ICP) is a keypad system for entering communications, navigation, and autopilot data. Two 3 in × 4 in (7.6 cm × 10.2 cm) up-front displays located around

15875-475: Was reinstated in December 2005, when the aircraft entered service. The F-22 flight test program consisted of flight sciences, developmental test (DT), and initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) by the 411th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, California, as well as follow-on OT&E and development of tactics and operational employment by the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis AFB , Nevada . Flight testing began in 1997 with Raptor 4001,

16002-656: Was soon supplanted by twinjets for the narrow-body market; Airbus with the A320 , and Boeing with the 757 and updated "classic" variants of the 737 . During that decade only McDonnell Douglas continued development of the trijet design with an update to the DC-10 , the MD-11 , which initially had a range advantage over its closest medium wide-body competitors which were twinjets, the in-production Boeing 767 and Airbus A300/A310. In contrast to McDonnell Douglas sticking with their existing trijet configuration, Airbus (which never produced

16129-484: Was used for short-range narrow-bodied aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 737 . The Airbus A300 was initially not successful when first produced as a short-range widebody, as airlines operating the A300 on short-haul routes had to reduce frequencies to try and fill the high-capacity aircraft, and lost passengers to airlines operating more frequent narrow-body flights. However, after

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