Forum: F-22A Raptor

Checksixxx - Really? Would you like to splice words a little more. Gimme a break, man. The aircraft doesn't even have the -9X in its SMS at all, so it won't even know what the missile is if its hanging on the CRL.

Can you hang an AIM-9X on the CRLs? Yes. It certainly will fit in the side weapons bays. You cannot connect the missile's umbilical, provide power to the missile, have the jet identify the store, etc.

In short, the Raptor at its current OFP cannot carry nor employ the AIM-9X. For that matter, to my knowledge, the missile has NEVER been flight tested on the jet.

So even if they dropped the software in tomorrow, they'd still have to certify it safe to fly before they started doing any launch/release testing.

Its pretty well documented in several open source documents that AIM-9X is not on the aircraft in its current configuration, including statements from Dozer in the threads mentioned above. Future software OFPs (Spirals? Increments?) will allow the F-22 to utilize the AIM-9X.

For that matter, for the thread at hand, the original question makes it something of a moot point if you could CARRY the missile, but not EMPLOY the missile.

Seems to me that YOU are flat out wrong.

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Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

I thought part of the certification process was finding any faults and shortcomings. In other words often the software isn't complete until after the certification process. I thought part of the certification process was seeing how the aircraft responds to the weapons and adjusting procedures and software and sometimes-even hardware to work better.

Checksixx is correct in saying that the argument was whether it could carry the 9X. there is very little doubt it could.

Of course it could also be taken as ready for service, which it almost certainly is not.

As I addressed before the missile was conceived and designed to go on the F-22. Like I said due to a lagging technology, mostly on the part of lack of funding due to political bickering and negotiations the electronics are not ready (which I would include by implication to also include as software).

It seems we are all pretty much in agreement, it's just that we are too hardheaded and busy splitting hairs to acknowledge it. Wink

Blu4, are also splitting hairs and dodging issues. Wink

There is little doubt that the F-22 can carry the 9x. It is mostly a matter of negotiation for funding. I suspect it would be very easy to incorporate the 9x into the F-22, however to do it properly is expensive, more of a technical achievement and more time-consuming. It would probably be easy to put it in and get similar performance as with the AIM-9M, however to get the best performance out of the missile would probably require some sensor fusion/networking with the aircraft's systems and data links. Due to budget constraints and political bickering it might take years for the missile to reach service and it may never reach its full potential, if Congress continues to be so tight with the purse strings.

Don't blame the F-22 or missile, blame Congress and the taxpayers.

The F-22 can not carrying the 9X at the moment, which is a simple integration issue. But the 9X has been part of its 'road map' since its inception. Current plans are to integrate the weapon in 2016.

Okay, I guess it depends on your definition of "carry." Does it fit in the SWBs? Yep. Can they fly with it loaded the jet? Hasn't been flight tested, hasn't been cleared for flight, hasn't been power-on checked.

Nope. Emphatically, No.

There are a SLEW of technical issues that need to be resolved before -9X can be carried in the F-22. If you doubt that, then explain to me WHY it will be 2014-16 before its integrated into the jet (commonly published timeline).

For anybody who's saying that it CAN be carried, show me one picture, ONE reference, or ONE shred of evidence that an F-22 can CURRENTLY carry an AIM-9X.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

F-22 and AIM9x launch