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The F-22 Raptor advanced tactical fighter
aircraft is being developed for service with
the US Air Force from the year 2005. The
USAF requirement is for a fighter to replace
the F-15, with emphasis on agility, stealth
and range. By 1990, Lockheed Martin,
teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics,
had built and flown the demonstration
prototype aircraft, designated YF-22.
The first F-22 fighter aircraft was unveiled
in April 1997 and was given the name
Raptor.

The decision to proceed to low-rate initial
production (LRIP) was authorised in
August 2001, when Lockheed Martin was
awarded a contract to deliver 10 F-22
by 2003. A further 13 aircraft were ordered
in February 2002. The F-22 is planned to be operational by December 2005 and to enter full rate production of 90 aircraft per year in 2006.

The USAF has a total requirement of 295 aircraft and the first operational wing of F-22 Raptors will be based at Langley AFB in Virginia, eventually replacing F-15 Eagle aircraft.

During flight tests, the F-22 has demonstrated the ability to 'supercruise', flying at sustained speeds of over Mach 1.5 without the use of afterburner. Assembly of the first operational F-22 began in March 2001. In September 2001, the F-22 successfully launched an AMRAAM air-to-air missile against a target drone during tests. Operational testing is expected to begin in April 2003.

DESIGN

The F-22 construction is 39% titanium, 24% composite, 16% aluminum and 1% thermoplastic by weight. Titanium is used for its high strength-to-weight ratio in critical stress areas, including some of the bulkheads, and also for its heat-resistant qualities in the hot sections of the aircraft. Carbon fibre composites have been used for the fuselage frame, the doors, intermediate spars on the wings, and for the honeycomb sandwich construction skin panels.

COCKPIT

The cockpit is fitted with hands-on throttle and stick control (HOTAS). The cockpit has six color liquid crystal displays. The Kaiser Electronics Projection Primary Multifunction Display provides a plan view of the air and ground tactical situation including threat identity, threat priority and tracking information.

Two displays provide communication, navigation, identification and flight information. Three secondary displays show air and ground threats, stores management and air threat information.

A BAE SYSTEMS head-up display (HUD) shows target status, weapon status, weapon envelopes and shoot cues. A video camera records data on the HUD for post-mission analysis.

WEAPONS

A variant of the M61A2 Vulcan cannon is installed internally above the right air intake. The general dynamics linkless ammunition handling system holds 480 rounds of 20mm ammunition and feeds the gun at a rate of 100 rounds per second.

The F-22 has four hardpoints on the wings, each rated to carry 2,270kg, which can carry AIM-120A AMRAAM or external fuel tanks. The main under-fuselage weapon bay has the capacity to carry AMRAAM AIM-120A or AIM-120C missiles, and the joint direct attack munition (JDAM).The Raytheon AMRAAM air-to-air missile is an all-weather, short- to medium-range fire-and-forget missile, with a range of 50 nautical miles. The side bays can be loaded with Lockheed Martin/Raytheon AIM-9M Sidewinder all-aspect, short-range air-to-air missiles.

RADAR

The AN/APG-77 radar has been developed for the F-22 by the Electronic Sensors and Systems Division of Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Electronic Systems. The radar uses an active electronically scanned antenna array of 2,000 transmitter/receive modules, which provides agility, low radar cross-section and wide bandwidth.

COUNTERMEASURES

The aircraft's electronic warfare system includes a radar warning receiver and a BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS) (formerly Lockheed Martin Sanders) missile launch detector.

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

The TRW CNI communications, navigation and identification system includes an intra-flight datalink, joint tactical information distribution system (JTIDS) link and an identification friend or foe (IFF) system. Boeing is responsible for mission software and avionics integration. The aircraft has a Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) LTN-100G laser gyroscope inertial reference, a global positioning system and a microwave landing system.

ENGINE

The F-22 is powered by two Pratt and Whitney F119-100 engines. The F119-100 is a low-bypass afterburning turbofan engine, providing 156kN thrust. The F119 is the first fighter aircraft engine equipped with hollow wide-chord fan blades, which are installed in the first fan stage.

Thrust vectoring is controlled by a Hamilton Standard dual redundant, full authority digital engine control (FADEC). The FADEC is integrated with the flight control computers in the BAE SYSTEMS Astronics vehicle management system.
(Used From http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f22/index.html)
You can get these pictures at http://www2.acc.af.mil/gallery/zip.shtml