| Without doubt, the most exiting combat aircraft of | | | | divergent exhaust nozzles with thrust vectoring for |
| the early 21st century is the Lockheed Martin F-22 | | | | enhanced performance and maneuverability. The F-22 |
| Raptor. A far different aircraft from anything | | | | has two of these engines. |
| preceding it, the F-22's development history reflects | | | | The F-22 combines many stealth features with nearly |
| the many problems, both technological and financial, | | | | all its armament stored internally. The aircraft is |
| than can beset an advanced system of its kind. | | | | designed for a high sortie rate, with a turn-around |
| In the late 1970s, the USAF identified a requirement | | | | time of twenty minutes and its avionics are highly |
| for 750 examples of an Advanced Tactical Fighter | | | | integrated to provide rapid reaction in air combat, |
| (ATF) to replace the F-15 Eagle. The goal was to | | | | much of its survivability depending on the pilot's ability |
| produce a tactical aircraft that would remain viable | | | | to locate a target very early and kill it with a first |
| for at least the first quarter of the 21st century. This | | | | shot. |
| aircraft would have a range 50-100 per cent greater | | | | For any air force, an ideal mix would be a majority of |
| than the F-15, be capable of short take-off and | | | | high-performance subsonic V/STOL aircraft, covered |
| landing on damaged airfields and be able to engage | | | | by a minority of supersonic interceptors. Many |
| multiple targets at once, beyond visual range. It must | | | | current combat aircraft are supersonic, multi-role and |
| incorporate stealth technology and supercruise. | | | | have a very short take-off capability. None, including |
| Supercruise meant that it could maintain supersonic | | | | the Harrier, have a true vertical recovery capability. |
| speeds without afterburners. In addition this paragon | | | | The Harrier however and the F-22, between them, |
| of fighter aircraft would have to be operated by a | | | | are as close as any design has come to fulfilling the |
| single pilot and be able to survive in an environment | | | | description of an ideal mix. The limitations on further |
| filled with people, both in the air and on the ground, | | | | development are imposed by the astronomical costs |
| whose sole purpose would be to destroy it. | | | | of present day aviation research and development. |
| One of the first research projects produced the | | | | It was once suggested that, by the middle of the |
| YF-16 which flew in 1976-77 and demonstrated the | | | | twenty-first century, the entire gross national |
| decoupling of aircraft flight path and attitude. What | | | | product of a country like the USA would not be |
| this meant is that the aircraft could skid sideways, | | | | sufficient to develop a new combat aircraft, but that |
| turn without banking, climb or descend without | | | | was before computer technology absorbed much of |
| changing its attitude and point its nose up or down, | | | | the strain of research and development. The world's |
| or right or left, without changing the direction of its | | | | major defense research agencies are, through |
| original flight path. Another development was the | | | | computer analysis and simulation, currently studying |
| mission adaptive wing (MAW), in other words, the | | | | the designs of agile aircraft for the year 2050, a |
| wing was capable of reconfiguring itself automatically | | | | generation beyond the F-22. |
| to mission requirements. | | | | In the future, use may be made of Remotely Piloted |
| In April 1991 it was announced that the F-22 by | | | | Vehicles (RPV) in air combat, just as they are now |
| Lougheed coupled with the Pratt & Whitney | | | | being used for reconnaissance duties in Iraq and |
| F119 had won over five other design concepts. The | | | | Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the agile combat aircraft and |
| P&W F119 develops 35,000 pounds of thrust | | | | fighter pilot, will continue to rule tomorrow's skies. |
| (lbst) and is fitted with two-dimensional convergent | | | | |