 Image by U.S. Air Force
The F-22 is an air-superiority fighter with improved capability over
current Air Force aircraft. From the inception of the battle, the F-22's primary objective
will be to establish air superiority through the conduct of counter air operations. The
F-22 also has an inherent air-to-surface capability. The F-22 incorporates the latest
technological gains in reduced observables, avionics, engine performance, and aerodynamic
design. Knowledge gained from proven weapon systems such as the F-15, F-16 and the F-117A
formed the foundation for F-22 development. The F-22's armament can consist of one M61A2
20 millimeter multibarrel cannon; internal stations can carry AIM-9 infrared (heat
seeking) air-to-air missiles and AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles or 1,000 pound
Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMS); external stations can carry additional stores. |
AF separates F-22 facts from myths
WASHINGTON - As the fate of the F-22 Raptor continues to be debated on capitol
Hill and in the press, it's increasingly important to separate fact from myth. The
following facts clarify America's need for the F-22 and its role as the premier fighter of
the 21st century Air Force:
Myth: Delaying initial F-22 procurement will not really impact
the overall program.
Fact: The House vote withdrawing $1.8 billion in procurement
funds for the F-22 in fiscal year 2000 potentially sounds a death knell for the Raptor,
the cornerstone of the nation's global air dominance in the 21st century. Even if the
program survives this setback (which will be determined in a House-Senate conference
committee in Sept.), terminating current production will ultimately increase overall costs
by $6.5 billion, causing the program to exceed congressionally mandated cost caps.
Myth: The Air Force doesn't really need the F-22 to maintain
air superiority in the 21st century.
Fact: The F-22 is integral to the Air Force's tactical aircraft
modernization program and the key to dominating the skies in 2010 and beyond. By the time
the F-22 comes on-line, the F-15 (today's premier fighter) will be more than 25 years old.
Without the F-22, the Air Force will steadily lose its edge in air superiority in the 21st
century. By 2005, flying the F-15 into combat will be the equivalent of driving a
20-year-old car in the Indianapolis 500.
Myth: Other countries don't have the technology to compete with
the F-15's defense and strike capability, so there is no reason to improve on it.
Fact: America's best fighter, the F-15, is on par with current
Russian fighters, and behind Europe's and Russia's newest class of fighters set to roll
off production lines by 2005. These include the French Rafale, Europe's Eurofighter and
the Russian SU-35. The F-22's capabilities are critical to maintaining air superiority.
Myth: The F-22 doesn't bring anything to the fight the F-15
isn't already providing.
Fact: To maintain the levels of air superiority and dominance
provided by the F-15 today, we will need the F-22's capabilities of speed, supercruise,
maneuverability at supersonic speeds, stealth and integrated avionics to allow our pilots
to identify and defeat threats. It also will give our air warriors a capability they've
never before had: First look, first shot, first kill. Additionally, the F-15 does not
provide any air-to-ground capability; the F-22 will provide first-day, near-precision,
air-to-ground capability with the Joint Direct Attack Munition.
| The Air Force's next-generation air-superiority fighter flew at
sustained speeds of greater than Mach 1.5 without afterburner recently, demonstrating for
the first time one of its most important and advanced capabilities: the ability to
"supercruise." The Raptor continues to surpass our expectations," said Bob
Rearden, Lockheed Martin's F-22 program general manager. "Supercruising in less than
275 flight hours and reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet a full year ahead of schedule
validates the maturity of the F-22 at this early stage of flight test, and confirms that
the Raptor is fundamentally different from fighters previously developed. The Raptor's
maturity at this stage of the flight test program is phenomenal." |
|
Myth: The F-15 will still be able to provide an adequate
defense and effective strike force 15 years from now.
Fact: The F-15 is expected to provide an adequate defense and
effective strike force for the next five to 10 years (when the F-22 is scheduled to become
operational); but not 15. Without the F-22, we won't have the capability to counter the
threat because we won't have the speed or stealth _ dramatically decreasing our chances of
survival.
Myth: The Air Force's insistence on the F-22 is part of an
obsolete, Cold War mentality because future conflicts will be low intensity and not
require the same high-tech equipment we needed for the Cold War.
Fact: Low-intensity conflicts are not necessarily low
technology. The threat includes not only advanced fighter aircraft, but also increasingly
lethal surface-to-air missiles. The number of countries possessing the most advanced SAMs
is expected to increase from 14 to 21 by 2005 -- an increase that will overwhelm our
current fighter force's ability to gain air superiority.
Myth: The F-22 is cost-prohibitive and not worth the return on
investment.
Fact: With an average aircraft "sticker price"
(fly-away cost) of less that $85 million, the F-22 will cost less than 1 percent of the
DOD budget during its production period. In its most costly year, 2003, the F-22 will
consume less than 5.6 percent of theAir Force budget; 1.7 percent of the defense budget
and 0.25 percent of the total federal budget --a small price for the advantages of air
superiority. Thanks to air superiority, no airman, soldier, sailor or Marine has lost his
or her life to enemy aircraft in the last 40 years.
Myth: Air superiority is a "nice to have" that has to
be weighed against budget constraints.
Fact: Owning the sky is worth the cost. For less than 1 percent
of the DOD budget, the F-22 will enable all of America's air, land and sea forces to
operate effectively and free from enemy air attack.
Myth: As a cost measure, rather than continue with development
of the F-22, the Air Force can simply upgrade its current fighters.
Fact: The average F-15 will be 26 years old in 2005. Even with
major upgrades, it will not match the capabilities of the newest foreign fighters. An
improved F-15 would only provide one-third the effectiveness of the F-22 at nine-tenths
the cost.
Myth: The Joint Strike Fighter is a respectable substitute for
the F-22 at a much lower cost.
FACT: The Air Force's modernization strategy is to develop a
mix of high-capability F-22s and lower-cost JSFs to achieve dominant capability and force
readiness. The JSF is very effective as a low-cost, multi-mission aircraft optimized for
attacking ground targets. It is not a substitute for the F-22. The JSF is primarily
designed as an affordable replacement for the Air Force's aging F-16s and A-10s, and will
depend on the F-22 for air superiority. Just as the F-15 and F-16 are a highly successful,
synergistic team today, the F-22 and JSF will be the winning team of the future; however,
neither can succeed on its own.
Related Links
Find more photos on Air Force Link
Check out the archives
for more info.
Top of Page
