F22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-
weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result
of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as
an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal
intelligence capabilities.[5] The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe
and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft
fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in
December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues,
USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its
combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and avionics systems enable unprecedented air
combat capabilities.[6][7]
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to
187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays
in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more
versatile F-35.[N 1] The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to
replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority
fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in
Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class
of fighter aircraft.[9] It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon,
including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful
propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept
development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP)
was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth
and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31
October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed
with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase,
culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23,
respectively. Concurrently, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric were awarded contracts to develop
the YF119 and YF120 respectively for the ATF engine competition.[10][11]
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft
designs.[N 2] Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods,
including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and
pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics
development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying
laboratories.[13] During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies
conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant
weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL)
requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics
was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and
track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well.
However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these
components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing
McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff
gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting
in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.[14]
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options.
The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58
in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the
USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team and Pratt & Whitney as the winners of the ATF
and engine competitions.[15] The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22,
with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky.[16] The
aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S.
Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF),[N 3] but by 1991, the Navy had abandoned
NATF.[17]
