Raptor debuts at Red Flag, dominates skies

Air Combat Command ^ | 2/20/2007 | Tech. Sgt. Russell Wicke

[Pukin Dog]

Any idea why they would be flying with their flaps down? Is that normal?

First, the Raptors control surfaces are computer controlled. There is no 'flap-lever' for the pilot to use.

The control surface position indicates that the aircraft are flying quite slowly, probably to allow a slower aircraft to keep up long enough to take the picture.

[ModelBreaker]

Great, but will they stop a raghead planting an garage door opener triggered IED?

No. They won't. So let's trash the F22's. The ragheads are, after all, the only threat.

[Robert A Cook PE]

But see the value of "dumb" cannons: you can put a cannon into somebody if you can see them.

Of course, that also means you have to see him (without him killing you) and stay with him until you're close enough to get a shell into him .... Which means close range and classic tactics.

But spoofing a cannon is hard. Getting the cannon into attack range is even harder. Dodging an inbound mortar shell is even harder - hope their parking places are bullet proof.

[Cacique]

btt

[stockpirate]

It is not a stealth aircraft.

But the engine moves in various directions. Makes it so it can cut a cicle in half, or almost stop in mid-air, or make a sharp angled right turn.

The History Channel has a good show about this aircraft.

[Jet Jaguar]

[Jet Jaguar]

It is not a stealth aircraft.

I would beg to differ with you on that.

[Pukin Dog]

The History Channel has a good show about this aircraft.

Apparently you missed the part about Stealth. The Raptor is a stealth aircraft.

[stockpirate]

It is stealthy in design and paint, but I do not think it meets the total requirements of stealth.

[Spruce]

Beside the JSF, Does the USN have anything comparable to the Raptor even planned?
Seems the JSF is a downgrade to the Tomcat in a dogfight and I just cannot imagine a JSF going-up against a Raptor and going home.

[BulletBobCo]

Radar signature or a Raptor is approximately the size of a bumblebee.

[buccaneer81]

Right... The Rooskies have discovered commerce.

So did the Chi-Coms. Right after Wal-Mart discovered China.

[stockpirate]

My bad, F22 is stealth, sorry.

http://www.f22fighter.com/stealth.htm

[Jet Jaguar]

I saw post 31.

[Spruce]

It is stealthy in design and paint, but I do not think it meets the total requirements of stealth.

Being that the Raptor has a lower RCS, lower acoustic, and lower IR signature than the f-117 stealth "fighter" and has computer controlled "active stealth", I think you may need to re-evaluate that statement.

[stockpirate]

See my post 31, my bad.

[Spruce]

Sorry FRiend. I read your post right after I posted and thought "Doh!".

[USNBandit]

I flew 'red' one week of this Red Flag, with the aggressors quoted in this article.

I cannot comment on specific tactics, but I will tell you that by the middle of the Red Flag the Raptor guys were being asked to throttle back a little bit. The folks in charge of training had come to the conclusion that, due to the Raptors lethality, the remaining blue fighters were not getting sufficient training.

[Pukin Dog]

The Tomcat would have major problems close in with a JSF, but from a distance, the Tomcat would blast it. As far as the JSF vs the Raptor, the JSF would be dead meat upon takeoff. There are no scenarios where the JSF outflies the F-22. None. That goes for every other aircraft too, but the Eurofighter, Hornet and Eagle have chances to survive, while the JSF would just blow up real good.

[Professional Engineer]

"The thing denies your ability to put a weapons system on it, even when I can see it through the canopy,"

Coming soon, gunsights.