Forum: F-22A Raptor

"U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors reportedly conducted their first-ever intercept of Russian Bear H bombers on Thanksgiving Day.

Military sources tell In From the Cold that the intercept occurred as the Russian aircraft approached Alaskan airspace, near the Aleutian Islands. F-22s from Elmendorf AFB were scrambled to intercept the Russian bombers, which were detected at long range by radar and intelligence systems. The Raptors flew alongside the TU-95s for a few minutes before the bombers turned and headed back toward Russian airspace. One of the photographs taken during the intercept reportedly shows the F-22's shadow falling across the fuselage of the Bear H.

The Thanksgiving mission was the latest by Moscow's long-range bomber squadrons, which have become increasingly aggressive in recent months, after years of inactivity. Over the past year, Bear and TU-160 Blackjack have flown a series of high-profile sorties against Norway, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Alaska and Guam. Similar missions were flown during the Cold War, and analysts say the recent flights are symbolic of a resurgent Russian military, under President Vladimir Putin.

Last Thursday's intercept came barely three months after the F-22s arrived in Alaska. Elmendorf's 3rd Fighter Wing will eventually operate two squadrons of the fifth-generation fighters. The Air Force is pushing to buy more Raptors (beyond the current production run of 183 aircraft), but critics have complained about the cost of the program. At $130 million a copy, the F-22 is more far expensive than the F-15s and F-16s that form the backbone of the USAF fighter inventory, but the Raptor offers advanced capabilities (stealth, supercruise) that the older jets can't match.

In that regard, the Thanksgiving intercept may have been an inadvertent gift from the Russians. The Air Force will use the mission as proof of an escalating threat, that must be met by state-of-the-art fighters like the F-22. "

http://formerspook.blogspot.com/

Anybody have any details on this? Or better yet, photos?

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Hmm, what`s the betting those Raptors had "radar reflectors" fitted? Best not to give too much away, right?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only A-A radar on the Bear is the tail mounted gun fire control radar and I don't think that would be operating in proximity to 2 F-22s.

Lightndattic wrote:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only A-A radar on the Bear is the tail mounted gun fire control radar and I don't think that would be operating in proximity to 2 F-22s.

Put on the other guys' shoes. If that were me and some far East Russian base just got PAK-FAs I'd outfit a B-52 as an elint aircraft and send it on over. Or better yet just send an EC-135 (or RC??) but then they don't have one with the range do they? Whatever the case were I the Russians going to a known F-22 area of operation for the first time I'd be packing all the gear I could squeeze onto the plane.

Hard to believe that story when none of the F-22 units up there are up to speed yet...

Anybody know how many F-22s they've even received? And are F-15s their to keep up the numbers (relatively speaking) until they've received all their F-22s?

sferrin wrote:

Anybody know how many F-22s they've even received? And are F-15s their to keep up the numbers (relatively speaking) until they've received all their F-22s?

Unless I've missed something, the 19th FS will keep the F-15's they have so they got it covered.

The F-15's in Alaska have the latest AESA radar. I have read in open sources such as AvWeek that with their larger antennae, they can see a little farther than the F-22's

Loader2088 wrote:

The F-15's in Alaska have the latest AESA radar. I have read in open sources such as AvWeek that with their larger antennae, they can see a little farther than the F-22's

Not quite true. ALR-94 has a greater range, plus even if F-15 had a greater range, F-15 is detectable at great distance too....

The ALR-94 is a passive device so unless the other guy is transmitting it can't see anything. I'm pretty sure the -63V2 can't see as far as the APG-77. What is generally said is that IF the F-15 gets the APG-77 it would be able to see further because you'd get more modules on the APG-77 because the F-15 has more room than the F-22 behind the radome.

They may not have been there for long yet, but it would be foolhardy for any air force to seriously test the capability of the F-22's at Elmendorf. They would have a short life expectancy, I'm sure.

snypa777 wrote:

Hmm, what`s the betting those Raptors had "radar reflectors" fitted? Best not to give too much away, right?

I truly hope ATC could see the Raptors! Plus, I hope they did not turn on the APG-77.

Loader2088 wrote:

The F-15's in Alaska have the latest AESA radar.

AvLeak also stated that the USAF is only intending to equip approximately one half the F-15C's will receive the AN/APG-63(V)2 radars. The other half will receive the (V)3 radars when they become available.

Loader2088 wrote:

I have read in open sources such as AvWeek that with their larger antennae, they can see a little farther than the F-22's

Yes, the USAF also has stated that it is reducing the broadcast power of the APG-77 so that its signal will seem more like random noise. Whatever the exact amount of the range that is being reduced, it is far more important for the USAF to have the APG-77 remain undetected for as long as possible.

Adrian

avon1944 wrote:

snypa777 wrote:

Hmm, what`s the betting those Raptors had "radar reflectors" fitted? Best not to give too much away, right?

I truly hope ATC could see the Raptors! Plus, I hope they did not turn on the APG-77.

Loader2088 wrote:

The F-15's in Alaska have the latest AESA radar.

AvLeak also stated that the USAF is only intending to equip approximately one half the F-15C's will receive the AN/APG-63(V)2 radars. The other half will receive the (V)3 radars when they become available.
Adrian

As I understand it NO Eagles beyond the first 18 will get the V2, ~170 Cs will get the V3, and the F-15Es will get the V4. If there's anyone here who KNOWS what the latest plans are (published of course) could you clear it up as I've heard several conflicting stories.

Those Northern Raptors could easily have had their radars in standby mode, not emitting at all. "Noses Cold".
There are enough radars in North America that can see those big Bears to vector those Raptors in, or put the whole scene on the pilots MFD, Bears and all, datalinked up. No Raptor emissions necessary. A good workout for the ALR-94 though as the Bears may have been emitting themselves, although I can imagine a game of electronic "Chicken", waiting for the other guy to blink first.

Just as important as APG-77 snooping, the Russians could bounce radar off the Raptors to see what they get back. With a signature enhancement panel, or whatever they are called, what they get would be useless.
I would agree that those Bears are almost certainly packed with ELINT gear. It would be too good an opportunity to miss. They certainly carry radar.

All pure speculation of course. Cool

They probably didn't need their radar reflectors since they had their external wing tanks loaded for the intercept.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

F-22s intercept Bears