The F-22 Raptor is the Air Force's newest fighter aircraft. Its
combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated
avionics, coupled with improved supportability, represents an
exponential leap in warfighting capabilities. The Raptor performs both
air-to-air and air-to-ground missions allowing full realizatioA combination of sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational
awareness, and weapons provides first-kill opportunity against threats.
The F-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite allowing the pilot to
track, identify, shoot and kill air-to-air threats before being
detected. Significant advances in cockpit design and sensor fusion
improve the pilot's situational awareness. In the air-to-air
configuration the Raptor carries six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9
Sidewinders. The F-22 engines produce more thrust than any current fighter engine.
The combination of sleek aerodynamic design and increased thrust allows
the F-22 to cruise at supersonic airspeeds (greater than 1.5 Mach)
without using afterburner -- a characteristic known as supercruise.
Supercruise greatly expands the F-22 's operating envelope in both speed
and range over current fighters, which must use fuel-consuming
afterburner to operate at supersonic speeds.
