[Zagadka]

Wandering around my drunken head are the mechanics of the F-22, or more accurately, how to defeat the machine. It's known that the F-22 produces a very small radar figure... but as far as I can imagine, there aren't many large birds flying at mach 2.4. With modern technology, can't someone just build a crossmatching program with one traditional radar and one automatic sorter that finds anything flying over mach 1 and compares the two, eliminating everything except for anything with a radar signature moving extremely rapidly? How does the F-22 counter this?

[MB.]

With modern technology, can't someone just build a crossmatching program with one traditional radar and one automatic sorter that finds anything flying over mach 1 and compares the two, eliminating everything except for anything with a radar signature moving extremely rapidly? How does the F-22 counter this?

These kinds of systems are already used to destroy nuclear warheads traveling through space at incredible speeds.

F-22s are not invisible. Their principle advantage is that they're cheap and partly stealthy. That said, any radar/SAM system sophisticated enough could register and destroy the plane.

Once detected the F-22 can counter only by removing itself from radar contact, such as by flying below the radar's sweep, or staying outside of it.

[War Angel]

The problem with stealthy aircraft is not only detection, but mostly interception.

I don't know of any missiles that can get a lock on a bird-sized target (and to them, that's about the size of the F-22 and other stealthy air planes) moving at such speeds.

[NYYS]

Yeah, detection is tricky, of course, but my understanding is that radar-guided missiles are basically useless against it. Couple that with the fact that it's faster than basically anything, very maneuverable, and ideally will be firing at extreme ranges anyway and it becomes very difficult to defeat.

[Piano Red]

How does the F-22 counter this?

By masking it's IR signature from the friction produced by the airflows passing over it's airframe in flight. As well as sheaths which cover the thermal exhaust from the engines and mask the aircraft's heat corona.

The only way the stealth on the F-22 can be realistically defeated at the moment (and this goes for all stealth tech) is if the pilot simply closes in too close to an active radar site to the point where the power being emitted negates the extreme Low Observability of the aircraft.

...and that's assuming the F-22 is somehow prevented from using it's EW capabilities to jam or overload the radar station.

The greatest advantage/disadvantage of Stealth Technology is stand off range.

[Thunderhawk]

Couple that with the fact that it's faster than basically anything,

Modern Air-to-Air Missiles going slower then mach 2?
Of course, its not a big issue when the missiles are launched from sites ahead of the plane.


The ECM would also be needed to jam possible guidance dirrections from ground control sites.

[NYYS]

Modern Air-to-Air Missiles going slower then mach 2?

haha, no. I meant faster than other planes.

[Typhoon]

someone just build a crossmatching program with one traditional radar and one automatic sorter that finds anything flying over mach 1 and compares the two, eliminating everything except for anything with a radar signature moving extremely rapidly? How does the F-22 counter this?

Very clever idea Zagadka, your onto a winner....unfortunately someone out there got to it first ! Seperating targets by velocity is a common method of defeating clutter and is one of the most effective ways for modern radar to deal with chaff since once released the chaff will rapidly lose velocity compared with the aircraft.

As Piano Red states above the best counter the F-22 has to this kind of filter is the very small signature it returns which means the distance the radar is from the F-22 is important.

Yeah, detection is tricky, of course, but my understanding is that radar-guided missiles are basically useless against it.

Many modern missiles could get around this using a data-link between the missile and its early warning radars should they be suffciently accurate. The EW radar provides a general location till the missiles own radar is close enough to detect the F-22 itself.

The key points of any modern air defence system are networking, sensor fusion, ECM/ECCM, high mobility and high capacity. The Russian air-defence systems being the best examples, hence their notority and desirability on the market today.

[Oxymoron]

Again I think we are missing the point that in todays war initiative is vital. I mean how can any Nation defend against Tomahawks, followed by waves of Stealth Aircraft, and low flying Apache Wolfpacks? The best defence is a good offence this is especially true in todays world.

[Dr House]

Couple that with the fact that it's faster than basically anything

It's not, actually. It's not even faster than the F-15 it's replacing (And the F-15 isn't the fastest fighter in the World, the MiG-25 beats it out by about 250 mph).

-Dr House

[Piano Red]

It's not, actually. It's not even faster than the F-15 it's replacing (And the F-15 isn't the fastest fighter in the World, the MiG-25 beats it out by about 250 mph).

Depends on how you measure speed really...

Both the F-15 and MiG-25 can only go supersonic with their afterburners for a handful of minutes.

Whereas the F-22 can perform it's entire mission at such speeds, and it definitely is faster than the F-15 when at full afterburner, it's just that it's true top speed is still one of those things that remains confidential.