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The Lockheed F-22 “Raptor,” one of
the world’s most advanced military jets, will be center-stage during
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, “The World’s Greatest Aviation
Celebration,” at Oshkosh, WI. The 55th annual edition of the EAA
fly-in convention will be held July 23-29.
Two of the airplanes will arrive at
Wittman Regional Airport on July 26 and at least one aircraft will fly
each afternoon on Friday through Sunday, July 27-29. At other times, the
F-22s will be parked on the AeroShell Square showcase ramp for public
display.
“Last year, EAA AirVenture attendees
got just a brief glimpse of the F-22’s capabilities during a short
visit to Oshkosh,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture
chairman. “That limited aerial display was one of the most memorable
events of the 2006 fly-in, however, and led to many member requests to
bring the Raptors back for an extended stay. We’re very pleased to
welcome them back for four days, especially as it coincides with EAA’s
commemoration of the U.S. Air Force’s 60th anniversary in 2007.”
The cutting-edge abilities of the F-22
are possible through a combination of high power, vectored thrust and
integrated avionics. The airplane’s stealth technology also allows it
to elude detection and be more effective as a weapon. In training
exercises, the F-22 proved to extremely successful, compiling impressive
victory totals against traditional front-line jet fighters.
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Photo courtesy
U.S. Air Force |
The F-22’s attributes also allow it to
perform air show maneuvers not seen from any previous U.S. military
aircraft. Its afterburners allow it to climb vertically as soon as its
wheels leave the ground, while the Raptor’s control surfaces allow it
to maneuver at speeds as low as 80 miles and hour although its top speed
is Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound, or more than 1,400 mph).
Despite the notable technological
advancements, the Air Force reports that The F-22A will have better
reliability and maintainability than any fighter aircraft in history. An
F-22A squadron will require less than half as much airlift as an F-15
squadron to deploy, and the increased reliability and maintainability
will require less manpower to fix the aircraft and the ability to
operate more efficiently. More than 80 F-22A models have been delivered,
with the first overseas deployment to Japan earlier this year.
Aircraft specifications include:
- Builder: Lockheed-Martin, Boeing
- Power Plant: Two Pratt & Whitney
F119-PW-100 turbofan engines with afterburners and two-dimensional
thrust vectoring nozzles.
- Thrust (each engine): 35,000-pound
class.
- Length: 62 feet, 1 inch (18.9 meters).
- Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (5.1
meters).
- Wingspan: 44 feet, 6 inches (13.6
meters).
- Speed: Mach 2 class.
- Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet
(approximately 15 kilometers).
- Empty Weight: 40,000-pound class
(approximately 18,000 kilograms).
- Armament: One M61A2 20-millimeter
cannon with 480 rounds; side weapon bays can carry two AIM-9
infrared (heat seeking) air-to-air missiles and main weapon bays can
carry (air-to-air loadout) six AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air
missiles or (air-to-ground loadout) two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAMs and
two AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles.
- Crew: One
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