Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

Quote:

MADL Integration on F-22 May Slip: The Multifunction Advanced Data Link, planned for the F-22's increment 3.2 software update, is probably out until further notice, according to Lockheed Martin's F-22 program manager, George Shultz. Speaking with reporters last week at the company's F-22 plant in Marietta, Ga., Shultz said it’s not official yet, but "we’ve been hearing" that Air Combat Command "is moving toward delaying MADL." This data link is designed to give the F-22 the means of sharing data with other platforms without compromising its stealth cover. It is also planned for the B-2 and F-35. The reason for postponing MADL on the F-22 is the usual one: money. "The budget is strained," said Shultz. "We still have Link 16" in the F-22 software, he noted. The 3.2 update is still planned to include the AIM-120D and AIM-9X missiles, advanced electronic warfare, geolocation, and electronic protection.

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Pages/default.aspx

one word... bummer

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[quote="SpudmanWP"]

Quote:

MADL Integration on F-22 May Slip: The Multifunction Advanced Data Link,....one word... bummer

...or did it get leap frogged with the commissioning of the new aesa radar. MADL ia also a communications protocol plus the hardware. Aesa is apparently having a big impact on l.o.s. communication systems. Question

Nope.. AESA upgrades are in no way a replacement for MADL.

Without MADL, a BACN airframe will be needed for the F-22 to communicate with the rest of the (non F-22) assets in the area. If the F-22 is to be the "tip of the spear", then it needs to communicate what it sees.