USAF News and Discussion

[Terran]

Raptor 2.0

Sandbox News.

F-22 Raptor "2.0" Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing

We've gotten our best look at yet at new stealthy underwing tanks and sensor pods for the F-22, and the USAF's new AGM-181 nuclear cruise missile.

www.twz.com

TWZ photos of the belly of the F22 sporting low observable external tanks and IRST pods.
Raptor 2.2 is a major overhaul of “The Kid”. Including alongside the external stores engine overhaul to the twin F119 Afterburning turbofans, radar upgrades, mission system overhaul and start of integration of new weapons. Update to its Electronic warfare and countermeasures systems integration of a low profile helmet mounted display. The F22 is old enough that it got its official nickname from the first Jurassic park movie. Yet it’s clearly still the dominant design by which all other fifth and even sixth generation aircraft are compared.

 

[John Fedup]

Raptor 2.0

Sandbox News.

F-22 Raptor "2.0" Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing

We've gotten our best look at yet at new stealthy underwing tanks and sensor pods for the F-22, and the USAF's new AGM-181 nuclear cruise missile.

www.twz.com

TWZ photos of the belly of the F22 sporting low observable external tanks and IRST pods.
Raptor 2.2 is a major overhaul of “The Kid”. Including alongside the external stores engine overhaul to the twin F119 Afterburning turbofans, radar upgrades, mission system overhaul and start of integration of new weapons. Update to its Electronic warfare and countermeasures systems integration of a low profile helmet mounted display. The F22 is old enough that it got its official nickname from the first Jurassic park movie. Yet it’s clearly still the dominant design by which all other fifth and even sixth generation aircraft are compared.

Too bad production ended at below 200 from the reduced 800 down to 400 plan. A hundred less F-35s for 25 to 30 F-22s…just saying.

 

[Terran]

Optimal time for that was early on. However it was “The end of history.” The USAF and Department of Defense were more concerned with Counter Insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. They made decisions in the USAF like the curtailed Raptors or not moving to buy the E7 when the line was open and in the U.S.. yet they were not limited to the USAF. The Army and its howitzers as well as MEADS, the Navy and its destroyers as well as LCS. Prepositioned stores and many other projects cut cut back with funding shifted to emergency demand projects like MRAPS.

 

[John Fedup]

Optimal time for that was early on. However it was “The end of history.” The USAF and Department of Defense were more concerned with Counter Insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. They made decisions in the USAF like the curtailed Raptors or not moving to buy the E7 when the line was open and in the U.S.. yet they were not limited to the USAF. The Army and its howitzers as well as MEADS, the Navy and its destroyers as well as LCS. Prepositioned stores and many other projects cut cut back with funding shifted to emergency demand projects like MRAPS.

Sadly true but wrt the F-22, I believe the last one off the line had a price of $147 million (no R&D cost added in) and at that time the F-35 was well over $100 million.