Deadly Raptors

Ever since the birth of aviation, the United States Air Force continually designs the most technologically advanced and superior combat aircraft. Each decade a new type of fighter is released into service and the dawn of the jet age introduced a completely new era of airplanes and warfare. The creation of stealth technology completely inverted air combat and allowed bombers, such as the B-2 Spirit, to go undetected by the enemy. However, in the late 1990’s the US Air Force unleashed its deadliest fighter yet, the F-22 Raptor, combining stealth capability with speed and advanced weapons.

The Raptor’s main function is for surprise ground attacks and enemy intelligence through its communication features. The F-22 fighter is the newest addition to the United States military and didn’t go into service until December, 2005. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems worked together to make the Raptor the most sophisticated jet fighter in the fleet. It is the first fighter to utilize stealth capability using radar absorbent material that prevents the reflection of radar waves on its metal surface. However, it is much different than Stealth bombers that fly upwards to 40,000 feet, because the F-22 had to be shielded at low altitude combat as well. Designers had to eliminate any aspects that could reflect a radar signal and also disguise its inferred emissions to prevent being detected by heat seeking devices.

The Raptor is not a cheap aircraft to operate, especially with costs around $138 million per plane. The military was supposed to have around 700 in their fleet but to this date they only have 183. The F-22 engines play a major part in the extreme cost of the fighter because not only are they powerful enough to push the airplane to Mach 2, but each engine can also change pitch. Finances must also cover the missiles that are internally concealed within the fuselage. Overall the F-22 Raptor is a great success for the American military and even won the Collier Trophy, American aviation’s most prestigious award. The fighters are spread among seven squadrons, and to this day they continue to protect freedom for all Americans.