Innovation from S.W. Ohio - F-22 Raptor Provides U.S. Air Superiority
January 20, 2006
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is one of the most important assets in Ohio's Third Congressional District. The base plays a critical role in the global war on terror. When speaking about Wright-Patt, I often say the research conducted there today will provide U.S. troops with the advantages on the battlefields of tomorrow.
The U.S. Military has a new weapon in its arsenal just being deployed for active duty. The F-22 Raptor program was begun in the early 1980s as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF). The program was managed and developed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, giving all Ohioans a reason to be proud of our role in our nation's defense.
The program began at the height of the Cold War and the ATF was envisioned as a next-generation aircraft designed to confront and defeat the Soviet Air Force. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and end of the Cold War, the role of the ATF expanded to include multi-mission capabilities, such as precision-strike ground attacks.
The resulting F-22 Raptor is the replacement for the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. Manufacturing began in 1994 with the first test aircraft rolling off the production line in April 1997. The F-22 Raptor was flown for the first time on September 7, 1997. Since then, the F-22 has undergone testing and evaluation. The Air Force has pushed the envelope with it to learn what its capabilities are in combat. The Air Force plans to field the Raptors during the next decade to replace the aging fleet of F-15 Eagles.
The F-22 Raptor is the world's only fifth generation fighter and is a revolutionary leap in lethality and survivability over any aircraft in production or design anywhere in the world. It is and will remain unprecedented in its total integration of stealth and advanced avionics. Through the use of its stealth capabilities, supersonic cruise, and sensors, the F-22 Raptor maintains its first-look, first-shot, first-kill capability. It has a lethal mix of advanced air-to-air and air-ground weapons to ensure U.S. air dominance for the next generation. The F-22 can accurately drop ordnance on its target with precision at supersonic speeds.
The official Initial Operating Capability (IOC) certification was granted on December 15, 2005. This designation indicates that the F-22 Raptor is now considered ready to go into combat situations. Declaring the transformed stealth fighter "IOC" means the F-22 is now available for combat with support from properly trained and equipped forces. The first combat-ready F-22s are flying with the 27th Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB. The squadron's deployment capability is a 12-aircraft package designed to execute air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The new official designation for the aircraft is F-22A.
Current plans call for the Air Force to take delivery of over 180 F-22As. Approximately 1,000 suppliers in 42 states will take part in building the aircraft. F-22 production takes place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Palmdale, CA; Meridian, MS; Marietta, GA; and Fort Worth, TX; as well as Boeing's plant in Seattle, WA. Final assembly and delivery occurs at the Marietta plant facilities.
Created here in southwest, Ohio, the F-22A now flies highest among all the jet fighters in the world. It ushers in a new era of air superiority for the United States and is a great example of how Wright-Patterson Air Force Base provides the United States with advantages on the battlefields of tomorrow.
http://www.house.gov/miketurner/news/columns/1.20.06.shtml