The F/A-22 Raptor is in service alredy?

[Loafing Smurf]

I didn't know its alredy in service? See link.

The first one in.


http://www.af.mil/search/media.asp?medi ... ediaType=1

[ATI_7500]

hey,the raptor looks better than i thought.  8)

[JW]

So the wheels fold upwards in the wing's root, the bombbay doors are opened in the belly, what is stored in the bays sideways of the air intake? AMRAAMS? Or just electronics?

[Blade]

AIM-9 Sidewinders are stored there. Doors open, rails extend, and the missle fires. The AIM-9 is launched from the rail. The AIM-120 AMRAAM drops from the aircraft, then fires its motor.

[JW]

Ah, thanks for the clarification, Blade!
Then, I am wondering, 'rails extend'. That could be a hairy thing if you're in a one-on-one, right? I mean, I am sure if the rail fails, the Sidewinder will not fire, but that means no punch then.
(yeah, I am a nono)

[Ivan]

Flanker.
EOS.
AA-11
You're toast.

What's stealth when your exhausts are so big you can see the primary burners glow when flying on cruise power

[GeForce]

Lovely plane I think. Although the F-23 did look far better...

[Daz]

nar i prefer the f22 to the f23 ... the f117 is my fav stealth aircraft looks like something from star wars or james bond or something

[Mr. Bones]

last weekend it was shown in public (flying) for the first time during the Edwards Open House. it's now operating from Nellis AFB

[Ivan]

Trying to give GW Bush a surporie when he comes home from his Asia tour.

This is the FIRST plane in USAF history of which the experts admit that the russians did a better job (Su-37)

Stealth on this machine is only for publicity purposes... exhausts are FAR too big to call it a real stealth

And as they still manage to get their quite new F/A-18 shot down by  fighter aircraft from the late 60's (1991, Iraqi Mig-25 gets a succesfull hit on a F/A-18, and escapes) of which the greater part was destroyed on the ground as they were as invulnerable to AAM's as they were when they were just coming into service (not counting IDF kills on Syrian Foxbats as it seems they didnt read the full operation manual concerning G limits and radar power settings) what's the use of another high-tech toy which will probably have an equally bad service record in REAL combat operations as those fancy AH-64D's which won't survive a conflict if they arent stored and maintained in dust-free, airconditioned hangars.