Posted on 12/22/2005 2:06:56 AM PST by F14 Pilot
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force's new F-22A Raptor is such a dominant fighter jet that in mock dogfights its pilots typically take on six F-15 Eagles at once.
Despite the favorable odds, the F-15s, still one of the world's most capable fighters, are no contest for the fastest radar-evading stealth jet ever built.
"The F-15 pilots, they are the world's best pilots," said Lt. Col. David Krumm, an F-22A instructor pilot. "When you take them flying against anyone else in the world, they are going to wipe the floor with them. It's a startling moment for them to come down here and get waylaid."
The F-22A officially became ready for combat this month with a squadron of 12 Raptors on standby for worldwide deployment at Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Those who know the Raptor best say it represents a major leap in U.S. warfighting abilities. At this Florida Panhandle base, where all Raptor pilots are trained, instructors say the jet's stealth, speed and ability to electronically scan the battlefield from the air are far superior to any other fighter.
"This is what's next," Krumm said. "The stuff that we have is great and it's capable, but this is what's next."
The Raptor, originally designed for air-to-air combat, was expanded to include a ground attack role. Pilots dropped bombs from Raptors for the first time last weekend in training exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
One of the challenges is finding pilots for the single-seat Raptors, formerly designated F/A-22 to emphasize its ground attack role. The Air Force looks for experienced pilots with a background in fighters and bomb dropping, said Col. Matthew Molloy.
Raptor pilots are former F-15 pilots who have flown a two-seat version, the F-15E Strike Eagle, and also have ground attack experience. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the Air Force's only other jet that flies both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Eventually, the Air Force plans to take students straight out of pilot training into the Raptor program, Molloy said.
Critics say the Raptor is too expensive at a time when the U.S. already dominates the skies, and that it was designed for a high-tech enemy that no longer exists - the Soviet Union.
The Air Force puts the Raptor's price tag at $160 million per plane, but outside experts estimate they cost more than $350 million each when research and development expenses are added. So far, the Air Force has 56 Raptors, including training and test fighters, at Tyndall, Langley, Nellis and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
The current budget plans call for about 180 Raptors, but the Air Force wants more. Tyndall has the largest contingent at 23.
Military leaders say the plane will ensure American air dominance for years to come.
"In any air-to-air fight out there, it is a hopeless mismatch," Krumm said. "What we are more concerned with are countries that want to deny us air space by purchasing surface-to-air missiles and that kind of stuff. Those are very lethal to the way the U.S. deploys."
The Raptor is designed to be especially proficient at taking out such ground-launched missiles because of its speed and stealth. That's something military leaders say could be needed in a fight against potential enemies including Iran or North Korea.
"We want to kick the door down so the air space is clear for any (aircraft) you want to go in," Krumm said. "Someone could come in flying a Cessna 172 with a pistol if you wanted after we're done."
The Raptor's dogfighting capability adds a new dimension to the Air Force's fleet of stealth aircraft. Krumm compared the earlier F-117 Nighthawk and B-2 Spirit to cockroaches.
"They want to sneak in, drop their bombs, and sneak out again. They have absolutely no wish for a fight," he said. "They don't have air-to-air missiles, they cannot maneuver that well or anything else. Our airplane is entirely offensive. Not only am I stealthy, but I'll also hunt you down and kill you if you get in my way." And then there is the Raptor's super cruise capability that lets it fly at supersonic speed without using fuel-guzzling afterburners as required by other fighters. "That saves us a lot of gas and opens up a whole host of things when you start talking about dropping bombs," Krumm said.
"You can imagine if you are 60,000 feet doing mach 1.9 (about 1,400 mph) and these bombs are flying out of your airplane, the swath of hell you can produce going through a country saying 'I'll take that target, and that target'."
Twelve Raptors will head to Alaska in June for their first routine peacetime exercise deployment.
In the meantime, the instructors at Tyndall's 325th Fighter Wing will continue looking for the Air Force's top pilots to fly the world's best fighter jet.
"Langley rapidly needs pilots and we are trying to produce pilots to keep up with the production of the airplanes," Molloy said.
Krumm said one issue is that the plane is single-seater, which means only the most experienced fighter pilots, capable of flying such a high-tech plane solo, will be selected until the program becomes more routine. "When you strap on $160 million of taxpayer money, it's by yourself with me nervously flying alongside you going 'Please don't screw up, please don't screw up,'" Krumm said.
As for your suggestion that the US might be holding something back during these war games, couldn't the same be said about the Israelis?
Also, I remember this information about the loss was "leaked" to the press since our Armed Forces were embarrassed.
They will demand due process and court orders to shoot down enemy combatants.
AWESOME!!
Please put me on your list.
LOL!
"You can imagine if you are 60,000 feet doing mach 1.9 (about 1,400 mph) and these bombs are flying out of your airplane, the swath of hell you can produce going through a country saying 'I'll take that target, and that target'."
LOL again. It's just not fair.
"They will demand due process and court orders to shoot down enemy combatants."
You are not far from the truth. In the room with the "big board" where they control the air war, there is a JAG that really runs the show!
What's McPeak up to now?
Horse crap. The R&D costs apply to the first plane only.
McPeak was in the process of combining the missions of all the branches while he was head of the chiefs of staff...
The uniforms chnaged, the misions changed with more joint ops... a good thing I guess.
Point taken. I understand that the F-22A makes far less use of radar absorbing coatings.
I understand that the F-117 has to be 'buttered' before each mission to fill-in voids between panels & surface imperfections. Kinda hard to see how you can use a stealth weapon from a primative forward airstrip unless you can cut your reliance on things like that. I assume, for instance, that the B2 can really only operate from 2 places: Whitman AFB (Missouri) & Diego Garcia.
My office had a summer intern once who was in the Navy ROTC. He was telling us about a fleet exercise that he got the chance to be a part of. Eventually they had to tell the attack subs to go away because they kept "sinking" the carriers, despite the best efforts of the anti-sub guys.
Are the carriers dangerous? Yes. Are they vulnerable? Definitely yes.
Not only that, but the R&D costs have already been spent. Even if the critics managed to cancel that program, that money doesn't come back. Cut the buy and all you succeed in doing is driving up the pro-rated portion of the aircraft dedicated to R&D. Simple accounting, but it might be beyond the ability of your basic J-school grad.
Or until the technology is stolen ... or bartered for a campaign contribution by the next Clinton in the White House.
Ironically, the drawback of the plane being expensive becomes an advantage if someone steals the technology. They can't afford to build copies. I love the US.
I'd say that's probably a good assumption...my thoughts about it when it's actually been used is that they get it out at the beginning of a conflict, fly a marathon mission to bomb the $hit out of some poor target, fly home and claim success, never to be seen again. This being done to justify its existence and utility...I've even heard that it can't be rained on, and don't get me started about radar stealth....low frequency radars are our enemies' friend....
And these are just the ones we know about
"Our airplane is entirely offensive. Not only am I stealthy, but I'll also hunt you down and kill you if you get in my way."
I love the sound of that!
I have a pilots licence and during trianing my c.f.i. had me make a couple of landings at night at the local general aviation airport with no lights on.
I told him what the hell, I'm not going to run drugs or anything, why this?
He told me so that if I lost electricity in the craft I knew I could still land if I'd practiced.
Never know when your high tech stuff will be disabled and you have to make a go of your more basic equipment.
Thanks
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