F-22 Raptor

In April the US Air Force announced that it had chosen the Pratt & Whitney powered version of
the Lockheed/Boeing F-22 to meet its ATF requirements to replace the F-15.It required 'stealthy'
design,the ability to cruise over long ranges at supersonic speed without afterburning, a very high
level of aerial agility and STOL capability with the aid of a two-dimensional thrust vectoring
system, a fly-by-light control system developed by Lear Astronics for a relaxed stability airframe,
and an advanced nav/attack system using artificial intelligence to filter data and so reduce the
pilot's workload while improving his grasp of the tactical situation.

Two prototypes of each twin-engined design were ordered, each powered by examples of the
two competing engine designs, namely the Pratt&Whitney F119 and General Electric F120 turbofans.
The first YF-22A prototype flew in September 1990 with YF120 engines and was followed in
October 1991 by the second machine with YF119 engines, and revealed the ability to cruise at
Mach 1.58 without afterburning and to attain Mach 1.7 with afterburning at 30000ft.

Key features of the design are an angular but clean external shape with jagged edges on any
portion that could reflect electromagnetic energy back toward a hostile radar, three internal weapon
bays in place of external hardpoints, and an avionics suite integrated by TRW Inc. on the basis
of a VHSIC computer system (operating on the artificial intelligence principles of the Pilot's
Associate system) offering three times the memory and 16 times the operating speed of the
F-15's system. The F-22A Raptor entered service in early April of 1997. It costs around

US$70 million.

Specifications: Lockheed/Boeing F-22A Rapier

Origin: USA

Type: Advance Tactical Fighter

Powerplant: Two 15876kg afterburning thrust Pratt & Whitney F119-P-100 turbofans.

Performance: Classified

Weights: Max take-off 27216 kg.

Dimensions: Span 13.56 m ; Length 18.92m ; Height 5.00 m ; Wing area 78.0 sqm.

Armament: One 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel ; Bays for the AIM-120 AMRAAM , AIM-9s

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