Forum: F-22A Raptor

“The New Playbook: This F-22 superfighter, few in number, will quarterback the war for the combat air force.”

An excellent article written by John A. Tirpak, executive editor for Air Force Magazine.

Major points made are:

-How the F-22 is planned to be used in LFEs since Raptor numbers will be capped.

-Why stealth is so important to the F-22’s design and the advantages it brings.

-Some of the planned upgrades.

-Some anecdotes as to why it isn’t fun fighting against the F-22.

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2009/September%202009/0909playbook.aspx

Nice work John.

F-16.net Sponsor

“The New Playbook: This F-22 superfighter, few in number, will quarterback the war for the combat air force.”

"Quarterback the next war"...? What is this?

Just as the Eagles have "quarterbacked" the previous 3 wars? Gulf W-I/II, and Afghanistan?

Sounds like F-22 mafia stuff...delusional, purely delusional...

Well, does I understand correctly: all F-22 versions will be upgraded to the same block (Block 35 configuration) by 2013?

Or the first produced 34 F-22 will remain in their Block 20 configuration without any significant modifications and upgrades? (I mean those 34 Raptors aren't supposed to use AIM-9X/AIM-120 ora EA radar mode)

Regards

rossdawg16 wrote:

“The New Playbook: This F-22 superfighter, few in number, will quarterback the war for the combat air force.”

"Quarterback the next war"...? What is this?

Just as the Eagles have "quarterbacked" the previous 3 wars? Gulf W-I/II, and Afghanistan?

Sounds like F-22 mafia stuff...delusional, purely delusional...

Well, just read the entire article and do not see so much as one thing in it that is delusional, mafia stuff or sci-fi sounding. It is all a re-inforcement of what we have actually been hearing about the F22 for the last couple years. The F22 is going to be everything that article says and then some because the truth is, they really are not fully aware yet of all it can and will do in the future. They're still learning themselves on a daily bases.

I recall a article saying what was so suprising is the Raptors ability to control the battlespace w/o entering the battle (quarterback/AWACS). The Raptors presence and capabilities actually enhance legacy AC capabilities.

I'll bet someone is wishing they made a 2-seater, sounds work overload to control a strike package in a single.

the thing is a piece of crap

Raptor_DCTR wrote:

the thing is a piece of crap

How so? I thought you were for them, not against them. Are you just being facetious?

If they're going to keep F-15s for another 15 years, they're going to need to be gutted and rebuilt with the latest avionics and weapons systems.

hehe.. rebuild them as F-15SEs.

discofishing wrote:

If they're going to keep F-15s for another 15 years, they're going to need to be gutted and rebuilt with the latest avionics and weapons systems.

That alone would take years, hence not cost effective.

Beazz, good post. I don't think anyone could disagree with that analysis.

SM, while perhaps we could wish all current F-15s could simply be upgraded to F-15SE spec, If I'm not mistaken, I think USAF F-15E variants only could be just partly upgraded to such spec. Perhaps only new build F-15E/K/SG variants could be later upgraded to full SE spec?

That being said, a new buy F-15SE in say 2013, if truly only $110m in 2009 dollars, would be a helluva an upgradeable stop-gap platform for at least 10-12 yrs, until 5.5+ gen designs come out. IMO..

F-15's are falling apart. I say we get some Phantom's out of AMARC, stat!

Pretty smart strategy on how to maximize effctiveness of a limited resource. And I don't think that the F-35 was even mentioned in the article. Imagine a strike package of F-22s, F-35s, B2s and UCAVS.. will probably happen one day.

SLEPing the F-15Cs would not come cheap, but it's really the only option if the USAF is to keep the light grey Eagles around as they envision. I'd much rather see that funding and resources put into getting more F-22s. But what do I know.

Although the F-15SE Silent Eagle isn't targeted for the USAF, nor are they interested in it, it still falls under 2 main problems:

(1) New build Silent Eagles won't come cheap.

(2) There isn't enough actual data on the aircraft itself to base a decision to or legitimize it's acquisition.

IMO, the USAF needs to look at the C Eagle problem sooner than later. They already starting to fall apart...literally.

Good post, Scorp.

The current strategic airpower requirements plan, e.g. envisioning F-15 service until 2025, would indeed require SLEPing. So it's pretty simple... Either SLEP them and retain their service, or retire them prematurely and further widen the strategic airpower shortfall over the next 10 yrs.

Personally, I'm very pro 'SLEP-Eagle'. And then some.. Either that or start dusting off Phantoms, ASAP, as vegasdave suggested.

While SE's wouldn't come cheap, nor have the been proven yet... can we honestly say any different with a block IV F-35? (The model which the Silent Eagle would be competing against)?

Seriously...for argument sake: would a 'Silent Eagle' come about $10-20m cheaper than a block IV and be FOC 2-3 years earlier than a hypothetical block IV?

At this point in time, it should be about saving National defense and USAF's deterrence posture and sustaining strategic requirements... even at the loss of hits to an historic Military Industrial/geopolitical, dream procurment schedule? This is the true debate for Congress and USAF, IMHO.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

F-22s will quarterback the war for the combat air force.