Raptor 03 Centerpiece Of New Air Dominance Exhibit
Raptor 03, the third F-22 manufactured by the industry team of
Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Pratt & Whitney, took center stage
this weekend at The National Museum of the US Air Force as it
became part of a new exhibit showcasing America's air dominance
fighter. One of nine F-22s built for engineering, manufacture and
development testing, Raptor 03 will remain on display in the
museum.
"The F-22 Raptor is a revolutionary combat system with its fifth
generation fighter capabilities, and we are pleased to add one of
these state of the art weapons systems to the museum's collection,"
said Brig. Gen. C.D. Moore, Commander, 478th Aeronautical Systems
Wing. "The expanding Raptor fleet, represented by the display of
Ship 3 (91-4003), reflects the finest in American ingenuity,
creativity and innovation."
Raptor 03 was the test fleet workhorse. It was used for loads
testing, crosswind landing trials, arrester hook evaluations,and
weapons bay environment studies. It was the first F-22 to launch an
AMRAAM missile at supersonic speeds and was the first to carry out
a rolling, high-g Sidewinder missile shot -- something no other
aircraft is capable of doing.
"We are honored by the role the industry team has played in
defining a new generation of US Air Force Air Dominance fighters,"
said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics executive vice
president and F-22 general manager. "The Raptor now sits in this
great museum among the greatest aircraft ever used in the defense
of our nation."
The Raptor's combination of stealth, integrated avionics,
maneuverability and supercruise (flight 1.5 times the speed of
sound without afterburner) gives the F-22 "first-look, first-shot,
first-kill" capability against any potential enemy aircraft and
anti-access surface-to-air threats. The F-22 was designed to
provide not just air superiority but air dominance, giving
America's warfighter an unprecedented advantage quickly and
decisively.
Billed by its manufacturers as the world's most advanced
fighter, the Raptor is built by Lockheed Martin teamed with Boeing
and Pratt & Whitney. Parts and subsystems are provided by
approximately 1,000 suppliers in 44 US states. F-22 production
takes place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Marietta,
GA; Fort Worth, Texas; Palmdale, CA; and Meridian, MS, as well as
at Boeing's plant in Seattle, WA. Final assembly, initial flight
testing and delivery of the Raptor occurs at Marietta.
Raptors are currently assigned to five US bases. Flight testing
takes place at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, CA.
Operational tactics development and Weapons School training is
ongoing at Nellis AFB, NV. Pilot and crew chief training takes
place at Tyndall AFB, FL. Operational Raptors are assigned to the
1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, VA (27th and 94th Fighter
Squadrons) and now the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB, AK. Raptors will
also be based at Holloman AFB, NM, and Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.16.24)
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