Prepare to be captivated as we unravel the enigma of the F-22 Raptor, an aircraft that redefined the very nature of air combat with stealth and speed in our latest sky-high discussion. You'll discover the incredible journey of the Raptor, from its inception to its status as the undisputed king of the skies, an icon of air dominance that has weathered the storms of budget cuts and evolving military needs.
Strap in for a tale of innovation and aerial prowess as we dissect the F-22's groundbreaking features, from its thrust vectoring engines to supercruise capabilities that leave other jets trailing in its wake. With less than 200 operational jets, we explore the unique challenges and the future trajectory of the world's first fifth-generation fighter, ensuring you're briefed on why the Raptor remains peerless in the theatre of modern warfare. Join us, no co-pilot needed, for an electrifying conversation that promises more twists and turns than a Raptor in a dogfight.
Imagine a fighter that combines the agility of a falcon with the lethal precision of an eagle, a marvel of aeronautical engineering that blurs the line between reality and science fiction, a jet that's like the SR-71 Blackbird's younger, more agile little brother they never told you about. Welcome to the world of the F-22 Raptor, the epitome of stealth, speed and air dominance. This isn't just a story of any fighter. It's a tale of innovation, a blend of cutting-edge technology and unparalleled performance that has redefined modern air combat. Built to outclass any adversary in the sky, the Raptor was so advanced that it faced a different kind of threat Budget cuts and changing priorities. But here's the twist Just when it seemed like the Raptor might be grounded for good, it's getting a new lease on life, with some game-changing upgrades. And, just like most of us, retirement isn't possible right now, not in this economy and this world's state of affairs. Today we're diving into the secrets of this iconic aircraft, the world's first fifth-generation fighter, from its groundbreaking design to its evolving role in an era of great power competition. The F-22 Raptor's story is more than just titanium and composites. So fasten your seatbelts, hit that subscribe button and join me on a supersonic journey to uncover why the Raptor is the undisputed king of the skies, why its best days may yet be ahead and how it's paving the way for the future of air dominance. Pilotphotogcom.
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The F-22 is an enigma, born at the end of one era and destined for greatness in another. Conceived during the Cold War to counter advanced Soviet fighters that never materialized. The Raptor found itself without a worthy adversary for much of its early life. But make no mistake, this jet was built different. The Raptor famously won a competition against the YF-23 Black Widow in the early 90s and went on to become the world's first and many say still the best fifth generation fighter. But it was a victim of very bad timing. You see, the Air Force wanted over 700 Raptors with the idea that they would replace the legendary F-15 Eagle in the air superiority role. More on the Eagle later. In the end, the Air Force got less than 200 Raptors and only has about 150 combat-ready F-22s today.
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So how did we get here? Well, by the time the Raptor was ready for the spotlight, the Soviet Union had collapsed, 9-11 happened and the US found itself in a two-decade plus war on terror, fighting an enemy that did not have a traditional army, let alone an air force. This is not what the Raptor was designed for. It's kind of like having a bazooka to take out a mosquito. Instead, the Raptor was designed to fight in Europe against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. So you had a jet that was far and away superior to any fighter in the sky without a direct adversary to fight at the time.
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At the time, the Raptor seemed like an expensive solution in search of a problem. On top of that, the other issue the Raptor had was its endurance, or legs. Since the designers envisioned the Raptor fighting in Europe, long range was not seen as a priority. Nato's Western Europe is filled with many airfields and the distance to the Iron Curtain was relatively small. As a result, the F-22's designers made stealth their highest priority, followed closely by supercruising and maneuverability, which is why the Raptor has thrust vectoring engines that allow it to perform maneuvers that could be useful in combat. Supercruising allowed the F-22 to fly supersonic without afterburner, which very few aircraft can do even today.
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Every design is a compromise, so in the end the F-22's range was not a priority. In fact, to get all of that speed out of the engines, the Raptor is sort of a gas guzzler because its engines are so powerful. Case in point, operating at dry thrust or military power, each engine unleashes a formidable 26,000 pounds of force. To put this into perspective, that's even more thrust than what each engine of the F-15 Eagle can muster, even when it's pushed to the limits with full afterburner. When the Raptor does fire up its afterburners, the display is nothing short of spectacular. And if the thought of surpassing the F-15's full afterburner capacity in dry thrust impresses you, imagine this. In afterburner mode, the Raptor's output not only exceeds that but also surpasses the maximum afterburner thrust of the legendary SR-71. This, of course, comes at a price. The thirsty Raptor, just on internal fuel, has a range of just under 500 miles, which again, is fine if you're fighting a war in Europe, but not so great if you're in a conflict in the Pacific, where distances are measured in thousands of miles and where a high-end conflict is likely to take place.
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Today, because of this, many felt that the Raptor story was over. Yet as new threats have emerged and great power competitions have intensified, the Air Force recognized its need to keep its premier air superiority fighter on the cutting edge. Enter the F-22 upgrade program, a multi-billion dollar effort to extend the Raptor's reign well into the 21st century. The Air Force really is putting its money where its mouth is by investing heavily into these upgrades for the F-22, to the tune of over $80 million per jet. That's a serious pile of money, and is about the cost of a brand new F-35 Lightning.
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Now, with these upgrades, the first order of business is to give the Raptor more range. The quickest way to do this is with external fuel tanks, which is what essentially all the fourth generation fighters do. However, fourth gen doesn't care about or can't be stealthy. This is not true for the Raptor, so it needs to find a way to extend its range while maintaining its stealth. Now, we've already seen Raptors with external fuel tanks, but these were conventional tanks that were never intended to hide an aircraft's radar signature. The new tanks that we've seen in renders from the Air Force and in my 3D concept model here appear to be more streamlined and likely have applied radar absorbing materials or RAM coatings to them to help out with the stealth profile of the jet. The same thing is likely true about the external pylons that the tanks mount to. My guess is that the tanks and pylons will be able to be jettisoned so that the Raptor goes back to its clean and more stealthy configuration, but that's just the beginning.
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We've also seen the upgraded Raptor concept with outboard pylons. These appear to be sensor pods, most likely infrared search and track or IRST pods. Irst systems can track aircraft by looking for their heat signature, which is becoming a more important aspect of stealth. There is speculation that the NGUIDE fighter will prioritize thermal stealth or even cloaking. I've done a video all about this. You can check out that video after this one Link in the description or scan the QR code on your screen. Getting back to why IRST sensors are important, current stealth aircraft are designed to absorb or reflect radar waves, making them harder to detect. However, all aircraft emit heat, especially when flying at high speeds or using afterburners. So infrared sensors and tracking has seen sort of a renaissance lately. The Raptor's dual sensor pods could be some kind of stereoscopic thermal tracking, meaning that the sensors compare each other's readings to paint a picture of the object they are tracking. That's just my guess for now. As we learn more, I'll definitely make an updated video.
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Now, one of the drawbacks to stealth fighters is that they must carry all of their weapons inside their airframes to maintain stealth. You can only fit so many missiles or bombs inside the airplane, which becomes a limiting factor. Aside from the external fuel tanks, these pylons could be used to mount stealth weapons pods, similar to what we have seen on the Block 3 Super Hornet. These weapons pods could give the Raptor double its weapons capacity, greatly increasing its effectiveness. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the F-22 upgrade program is what it means for the future.
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Despite only having around 150 combat-ready Raptors today, these upgrades will also be used as a testbed for its eventual replacement, the next-generation air dominance, or NGAD fighter. While there are rumors that a prototype of the super secret NGAD fighter has already been flying for quite a while, it's still very much in development and while you can test certain things in a simulator or even in a lab, there's nothing quite like actual flying. For this reason, the Active Duty 5th Generation Raptor is an excellent testbed and can itself benefit from the lessons learned from these tests. We've already seen F-22s with chrome or mirror-like coatings flying around, and, yes, I've done a video on that as well. These coatings are likely some sort of new radar and thermal absorbent material and remember, it's looking more and more like the next step in stealth evolution is going to be thermal cloaking. Additionally, part of these upgrades likely include avionic systems that are being tested, which will not be observable to us in the civilian world, but you can rest assured that the Raptor is going to be testing them in every possible configuration. And, speaking of electronic systems, another key aspect of the NGAD program will be drones that fly and fight alongside the manned fighter. This is also something that is likely being tested, not just with the Raptor, but also the F-35 Lightning. As to when we will see these upgraded Ultimate Raptors, as of right now it looks like it will be sometime in 2026. The NGAD could be operational by 2030, although it will take time for it to be produced in serious numbers. In the meantime, the Raptor will be the one to establish and maintain air superiority until it passes the torch.
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As we look to the future, one thing is clear the F-22 Raptor is more than just a fighter jet. It's a symbol of American innovation, a testament to the skill and dedication of the men and women who build and fly it, and a reminder of the enduring importance of air power in the 21st century. So the next time you see a Raptor streaking across the sky, remember you're witnessing history in the making. You see a raptor streaking across the sky. Remember, you're witnessing history in the making the F-22 Raptor the king of the skies now and for years to come. But wait, there's more. If you're like me, the moment someone even whispers the word jet within a 50-mile radius, who's the first person they think of? That's right, it's you, the Walking Talking Aviation Encyclopedia.
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