US Air Force Rates F-22A Raptor "Mission Capable"

Spacewar ^

[MARKUSPRIME]

Kirtland Air Force Base NM (SPX) Jan 16, 2006 The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center recently completed the F-22A Raptor Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation and has rated the Air Force's newest fighter as mission capable in the air-to-ground role.

This "Mission Capable" rating is part of AFOTEC's newly developed system now being applied to programs under test at AFOTEC. The new rating methodology starts with traditional effectiveness and suitability measures as a foundation for determining potential operational impacts on mission accomplishment in the expected operational environment.

[MARKUSPRIME]

This is a great investment for the US. Seems that it passed all the tests for Air to air and air to ground roles and is ready to go hot on targets.

[grobdriver]

Rock and Roll!

[joseph20]

So what is this thing capable of? How does it compare to others?

[agere_contra]

Great news. Let's move twenty of them to the Middle East.

[Mr Rogers]

After 20 years of work...it works pretty good.

Unfortunately, the USAF has sacrificed darn near every other aircraft in the inventory to get a handful of these.

Good news - we'll have air-air supremacy.

Bad news - we won't have anything left to exploit it with...

[AZRepublican]

I wonder if it hasn't been tested in Iraq already?

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"I wonder if it hasn't been tested in Iraq already?"

The bad guys in Iraq don't have airplanes to shoot down.

[scooter2]

How does it compare to others?

Two words......Vastly Superior.

[TommyDale]

"So what is this thing capable of? How does it compare to others?"

How about this? It has successfully dropped a "Bunker Buster" bomb while flying at supersonic speeds, hitting its target with deadly accuracy. Translated, the terrorists in the bunkers won't hear anything when they are blown hundreds of feet into the ground.

[mothball]

Ahdemanajaaahdd.... however you say it, should soon hear from them.

[TemplarAkolyte]

I wonder if they've got plans to use it's ground attack ability in Iran?

[The Shootist]

This is a great investment for the US

Aside from keeping the Lockheed assembly line open (a worthy cause) and keeping in mind all the "golly gosh gee whiz" stuff; why do we need a stealth(y) air superiority fighter designed to fight the Soviets in Europe?

When are we going to see a modern CAP aircraft, designed for the missions we need to fly today?

[Blood of Tyrants]

First mission: Iran.

[Montaignes Cat]

Factsheet on f-22A Raptor :

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=199

[TalonDJ]

A: There aren't many penetrator bombs that will fit in it's bomb bay. Ic could carry one on hard points though but that is not it's current mission.
B: A shockwave from a super sonic overflight travels at mach 1. A falling bomb falls slower than that. In what you described the bomb would hit long after they hear they plane pass by.

[Tom Bombadil]

So what is this thing capable of? How does it compare to others?

Against all other aircraft, this thing close to science fiction. Mach 1.5+ without afterburner. Electronics that act as a second crewmember. Vectored exhaust and can turn on dime at high speed/high altitude. Stealth. Radar is almost undetectable and can be used to jam opponents. Supersonic release of weapons.

And that is just scratching the surface.

[Don_Ret_USAF]

How about China.

[MARKUSPRIME]

China and Russia and Iran have an alliance called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We need these period. The CAP aircraft will be the F-35,much cheaper and does the role of the F-16 but better. Here is a link to lockheeds officials movies for the F-22. I have posted it before but some may not have seen it. Enjoy.

http://www.f22-raptor.com/media/video_gallery/

[The Shootist]

Don

CAP=A10 replacement.

[The Shootist]

Don,

Correction. CAS not CAP.

Getting old, I guess.