ultimate fighter
Pictures of the F-22 Raptor, made by Pascal Le Fichant are exceptional, since they are the only story he has been possible to do this on combat aircraft in Europe. In the early 1980s, when the War Cold is still relevant, the United States instructed the manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing to develop the best fighter in the world. It must upgrade all existing devices and combine the most advanced technologies for performance, maneuverability, stealth, weapons systems and electronic warfare.
A plane exclusive
Replacing the legendary F-15 Eagle, F-22 must provide the U.S. Air Force an advantage in absolute and exclusive missions of air superiority. Unlike the F-16 and F/A-18, the Pentagon objected to its sale to other powers.
Stealth like a … pigeon
The angular shapes reminiscent of the Raptor’s genetic heritage mythical F-117 Night Hawk Night Hawk “, the recently retired. The fuselage, covered with a paint absorbent, contains no right angles, but instead forms may prevent the reflection of radar waves. For the same purpose, the glass cockpit is covered with a layer of gold. Result, the F-22 is a hundred times less visible on radar than its predecessor, the F-15.
Small secretive
Forms blunt missiles, bombs and tanks hung under the wings of fighter planes are particularly damaging to their radar signature. To keep intact the potential stealth form, the Raptor carries his weapons in bunkers that are open only when needed. Even the gun used for close combat is protected by a trap.
Proud to be American
Despite its stealth requirements, and totally unlike the original forms of the F-117,
the F-22 is very American in its architecture. With its trapezoidal configuration with wings, horizontal stabilizers and double vertical drifts, he enrolled in the parentage of the F-15 and
F/A-18 very different from the delta wing and “duck” (planning ahead wings) of the Eurofighter, Gripen and Rafale.
Internal heat
The reactor nozzles articulated the F-22 are incorporated in the fuselage and protected by a layer of ceramic coating to make it more discrete heat emissions.
The IQ of ten Gust
Loaded Antenna (thirty) embedded in its fuselage, the F-22 features a latest-generation radar with a range of 200 km. The data are processed by a computer capable of handling 700 million operations per second. In the cockpit, six color MFDs are responsible for informing the driver. A real computer room.
Powerful, without moderation
Because of the improved efficiency always weapons systems, the speed of fighter aircraft is not as dominant as during the Cold War. The Raptor is still a brute: 30% more powerful than its predecessor F-15 yet known in this area, it also offers nearly twice the thrust of a Rafale, but latter is lighter.
Supercroisiere, energy saving
The supercroisière is the ability of an airplane flying at speeds greater than Mach (speed of sound), without using the afterburner very penalizing in consumption and range. If it exceeds Mach 2 with the afterburner, the F-22 is also the only aircraft capable of flying supercroisière to over Mach 1.5, in combat configuration. This is one of its major assets.
Contortionist Western
In air combat, a pilot may run out of missiles and the obligation to pursue the commitment to the canon. The handling of the device becomes essential. Like some Russian fighters (Mig 29 and Sukhoi 27 for example), the F-22 is equipped with nozzles articulated to divert the flow reactor and increase maneuverability. The thrust vector also shortens the distance off.
Dancer, heavyweight
No cobra, too type “Russian” in the demonstration flight of F-22. The figure of reference is the “J-Turn”, a sort of slippage in breathtaking three dimensions. And there are many others, both possibilities seem endless Raptor. The American pilot demonstration would give heart to joy, in improbable acrobatic ballet, performed aboard their 20-ton monster vacuum.
Big grabber
The F-22 is far from the canons of beauty of the hunter, once considered small, lively and elegant. It is rather a large airplane 19 meters long, 13.5 meters wide and 36 tons at full load (for information, measurements of the Rafale is 15 m, 11 m and 24 tons). Rather clumsy on the ground only once in the air that the Raptor demonstrates the breadth of his immense potential.
Hands
To make your mouth water, here is the beginning of the presentation of Raptor Air Tattoo at Royal Air Force Base Fairford (GB). We’re mid-July, the English summer in full swing and the runway has been flooded by a torrential downpour. Post-combustion “ON”, Major Paul Moga, Chief Pilot Demonstration F-22 will show the public what his horse was in the belly.
Full power
After a sudden acceleration, the driver tore off his plane from the runway, immediately returned the landing gear and prevents the F-22 to climb to catch up to speed.
A real ball
To the delight of the few spectators present at the event, the driver keeps his camera a few meters in height throughout the takeoff phase.
Orange, the color of power
The plane is now about 500 km / h. The flames of post-combustion (rather discreet about stealth F-22) are synonymous with unbridled consumption of kerosene. The features of supercroisière “economy” of the Raptor, the PC is used for short acceleration phases.
The raptor rears
Things “serious” can start and after 3 kilometers performed at least 20 feet above the ground, Major Paul Moga seems to have finally decided to gain altitude.
Rock’n Roll
The show is launched. As driven by an invisible elastic, the Raptor is catapulted into the sky by the power of its two reactors. The thrust created by its nozzles instantly articulated gives an angle of climb impressive.
20 seconds
The aircraft is now mounted vertically, 20 seconds after brake release. The demonstration flight can begin.
Transonic
During this transition to high speed, between showers, the F-22 crosses areas of moist air condenses instantly in a very spectacular phenomenon. The aircraft, already stealth, can then halo a cloud of very fine effect.
Back on Earth
Technology Demonstration masterful leadership, the American F-22 is both a success and failure. The Reagan administration launched the project and the first tender on the basis of 700 aircraft. The military requirements, delays the need to use the best technology in electronics industry is constantly evolving, quickly doubled the initial price of the aircraft (40 million dollars in the early 1980s). On the other hand, the end of the Cold War and especially the political pressure put an early end to the Raptor program, after 187 aircraft have been delivered.
Raptor extinct
The future is likely to devices smaller than the F-22, less exclusive and could be widely disseminated in the framework of technical cooperation between countries and industries. It is in this spirit that developed the F-35, future U.S. multi-role fighter, which exists in several versions, including a board and take off vertically. The Raptor dominates the world of aerospace defense. But if an aircraft is “futuristic”, but there is no future and is already in the past.
Tags: Internal heat, Rock'n Roll, Small secretive, ultimate fighter