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USAF confirms F-22 Raptor as fully operational
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 19:47
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12/15/2005 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- The F-22A Raptor -- Air Force’s most advanced weapon system -- is ready for combat, Air Force officials announced here today.

In reaching initial operational capability, the Raptor is certified ready for operational use.

The first combat-ready Raptors are flying with the 27th Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing here. The squadron’s deployment capability is a 12-ship package designed to execute air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

“If we go to war tomorrow, the Raptor will go with us,” said Gen. Ronald E. Keys, commander of Air Combat Command.

Declaring the transformational stealth fighter “IOC” means the Raptor’s proven capabilities are available for combat and supported by a properly trained and equipped force.

It also means the aircraft is qualified to fly homeland defense missions.

“F-22A IOC means our warfighters now have an unprecedented lethal mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities at their disposal,” General Keys said. “The Raptor’s cutting edge technology brings us continued joint air dominance despite advancing enemy threats.”

Reaching the IOC milestone culminates a collaborative 25-year effort between various Air Force organizations and industry partners. The road to the IOC included was a step-by-step process. The F-22A System Program Office first turned Air Force requirements into a successful acquisition program. Then there was developmental flight test and evaluation, simulation and ground testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and Eglin AFB, Fla. There was engine testing at Arnold AFB, Tenn., and missile testing at Holloman AFB, N.M., and over the Pacific Test Range. Also, there was tactics development at Nellis AFB, Nev., pilot and maintenance training at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and deployability here.

“The F-22A fulfills a long quest to bring fifth-generation capabilities of stealth, supercruise and precision to the warfighter today and 30 years from today,” General Keys said. “Now that we have met our first promised milestone of a fully capable, multi-mission platform ready for combat, we are already focused on furthering our integrated tactics development, refining our deployabilty, growing and training our force.”

The general said, “To add to what we learned on our successful first operational deployment to the Utah Test and Training Range to drop JDAMs (joint direct attack munition), fly against double-digit SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) at Nellis and work (close air support) with F-16 FAC-As, we will conduct our first routine peacetime exercise deployment by taking 12 Raptors to Alaska in June for Northern Edge.”

Designed to ensure America’s air dominance for years to come, the F-22A will ensure U.S. joint forces’ freedom from attack and freedom to attack, even as adversaries continue to advance their weapons and technologies, officials said.

“As I told (Air Force Chief of Staff) Gen. (T. Michael) Moseley, he and I have spent our lifetime executing, instructing and providing air dominance for the joint force. Lamentably, we have never been privileged to hold a weapon like this in our hands.

“After reviewing our test results -- seeing our operational deployment performance and talking to the pilots that will go to war with it -- I am confident the F-22A joins the combat force at a far more mature and capable level than any of our previous great aircraft, and will take its rightful place in a long line of U.S. Air Force legends of the air,” General Keys said.


Very good news, after some 19 years in the making it's good to see the world's most advanced air supremacy fighter finally enter service. Now to wait for it's eventual combat debut.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:09
That is one beast fighter. I thought this project was killed but its nice to see it resulted in something. Imagine a fleet of these things? Air superiority would be a given in a conflict with literaly any other power in the world.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:23
Russia has developed the S-400 already, this Surface-to-air system is specially designed to detect Stealth aircrafts.

Remember Bosnia? Even 40 year old Russian SAMs shot down the F-117s.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:23
at that price, you can forget about any kind of "fleet" no country in the world can afford this fancy gadget produced in mass.

Beautiful plane.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:26
Beautiful? you're crazy, it's ugly...

The Russian SU-47 Berkut is sexy.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:38
@Russkie: I bet it would be beautiful to your eyes if it was russian made... :roll:

don't you think that you're slipping into fanatism from time to time?
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 21:42
I have sympathy towards fanaticism and fanatics like Lenin.
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PostPosted: Thu 15 Dec 2005, 23:17
Nice to see the Russophiles put their word in.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:08
Oh goodie! The F-22 is here! Now, if we can only find a use for it...
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:15
Considering that USA, a heavy-weight superpower, has fought only against military featherweight opponents, this fighter planes must be immensely useful - at least when Osamas Al-Qaeda will buy their own private army, navy and airforce to challenge US dominance.

But so...how much did you US taxpayers pay for these fighters?
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:19
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But so...how much did you US taxpayers pay for these fighters?

Don't worry, it is all covered by the economic recovery we got by getting $300 back.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:38
One B-2 Spirit costs over two billion dollars. F-22's are only expensive when compared to other jets. We can afford these jets.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:46
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We can afford these jets.

Um, you do realize that we have the largest national deb- nah, you know what, it would just roll off your back anyway. YAY AMERICA WE HAVE SUPER AIRPLANES LIKE THE B-2 SPIRIT THAT ARE AWESOME AND WILL WIN US ALL WARS.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:53
The planed were paied YEARS ago Zag.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:53
Anyway, the future of aerial warfare for the US, at least, is in UAVs and cruise missiles. There is little point to sending up hellla expensive manned aircraft when you can use a cheaper remote controlled or automatic aircraft at a fraction of the price and risk.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 02:56
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The planed were paied YEARS ago Zag.

Care to make a second attempt at that sentence? ;)

Anyway, yes, and I was very much against them then, as I remain today.

Oh, and by the way, the Russians, while unreasonable, are right. The F-22 is inferior to many of the newest Russian aircraft... which no one but the US can afford.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 03:05
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The planed were paied YEARS ago Zag.


As noone cared to answer my question how much did you chaps pay for these fighters, I had to browse for the information myself and this also proves that you are wrong (if you mean what I think you mean).

On fiscal year 2005, Administration requested 4,5 billion dollars for the project - they were given 40 million less than they asked. 3,6 billion of this sum went into building 24 aircrafts.

Ah well.

Source.

edit: additional information and source. The article is rather interesting as itself, sounding quite neutral in tone.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 04:23
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Um, you do realize that we have the largest national deb- nah, you know what, it would just roll off your back anyway. YAY AMERICA WE HAVE SUPER AIRPLANES LIKE THE B-2 SPIRIT THAT ARE AWESOME AND WILL WIN US ALL WARS.


Oh, yes. It's all defense. None of it has to do with say, Social Security

Quote:
Anyway, the future of aerial warfare for the US, at least, is in UAVs and cruise missiles. There is little point to sending up hellla expensive manned aircraft when you can use a cheaper remote controlled or automatic aircraft at a fraction of the price and risk.


Droid aircraft can only carry out a programmed mission, not respond to changing factors. To use them for an air-superiority mission is idiotic.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 05:44
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Droid aircraft can only carry out a programmed mission, not respond to changing factors. To use them for an air-superiority mission is idiotic.

Um, you do realize that many/most UAV missions are carried out by remote pilots, right?
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 05:55
Currently the best-selling fighter plane is the F-16 C block 52.

So an opposing airforce needs to care about fighting F-16 generation fighters. Now, what airpalens are better than a F-16 C block 52?

Answer: each and everyone of the last generation. Grippen, Rafale, Typhoon, Su-34, all them can wax the tail to a F-16 in equality of training

Certainly the F-22 is a impressive piece of high tech, but we shouldn't dismiss that it only carries 4 MR missiles and 2 SR missiles. Nor that loading anythign else greatly diminishes its "stealth" ability. Or that a shoulder-fired IR missile is a threat as large to a F-22 as to any other aircraft.

And about drones... the more they go, the more expensive they become. They will never be cheaper than put a Brain Mk1 in command -or will have to suffer a handicap. Fighter jockeys flying micro-jets like the Hawk or the Mako will love to wax the tail to drones twice as expensive as their own plane...
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 06:11
TA, granted, but the main purpose of UAVs is to hit ground targets with precision while avoiding preventative attacks against them. It doesn't matter if you don't completely control the sky if you can bomb with impunity.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 07:15
First of all, I am very fond of Russian systems of war, but I have to agree that the F/A-22 is a) quite beautiful b ) the most lethal jet currently in service.

Fine, we can talk about the MiG-35 or the Eurofighter, but the first one is not tested properly yet and the second is not as good as the F-22, period. This will probably be the last of the advanced jets though (together wit the F-35 and whatever Russian/European counterparts come out in the next 20 years) as I agree that the UAVs will be the way forward from now on.
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 08:59
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Um, you do realize that many/most UAV missions are carried out by remote pilots, right?


It usually depends on the mission. But, to say a UAV can do the job of a manned-aircraft is absurd
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 09:33
I didn't know terrorists have fighter planes!

:hmm:
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PostPosted: Fri 16 Dec 2005, 09:38
Memphis wrote:
F-22's are only expensive when compared to other jets.

:eh: Master of the understatement. What else would you compare the cost of a jet to?

I've got mixed feelings about this plane. First, it's just awesome. It just seems to be overkill since the US doesn't need to position against a Soviet air fleet anymore. However, with an aging fleet of F15's, the Air Force is going to need to replace them sooner or later. Unfortunately the F35 won't be available for another 6-7 years.
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