Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

Flight Global is reporting an Elmendorf based F-22 is missing after failing to return from a training mission last night.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... aptor.html

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First, hope the pilot is safe !
After that, finding the (rest of) the bird is a MUST !

Bad news. I hope the pilot is well.

The stealth fighter jet was about 90 miles northeast of Elmendorf Air Force Base when it “dropped off the radar.”

There was no mayday or any other communication from the pilot that would have indicated the plane was in trouble. There have been no distress calls from the pilot since the plane went missing

U.S. military helicopters and at least one C-130 have so far failed to turn up any sign of the missing fighter jet.

not good... Where is that pilot at least, the plane can get replaced like our President and the rest of those in Office.

Remember previous Raptor crash outside Edwards.. no any sign of troubles, only two things come to my mind.. sudden loss of SA or G-lock. That's two.
Btw, it's kinda weird it's no any other way to verify what might happen with most lethal and sophisticated bird ever, like just only say “it dropped off the radar” ..and should be somewhere .. Doh

And one thing. In what way Raptor can be seen on the radar when it STEALTH and officially known as invisible?? I don't wanna think about third possibility...
Was there not a Russian chap in the 70s who flew a Mig-25 into US hands? Just imagine the reverse has happened here? Alaska is quite close to Russia after all...Imagine our dear friends in Russia or China getting a 'defecting' F-22? - Air Dominance would be challenged in a matter of 5 years...
Anyway..

Really hope pilot's OK.

Patriot - they have a Radar enhancer attached when not using their stealth in peacetime.

Hope the pilot is ok.

Andy

boff180 wrote:

Radar enhancer

What's that? How that works? If not classified..

Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 - 08:39 PM Posts: 1496

Patriot wrote:

boff180 wrote:

Radar enhancer

What's that? How that works? If not classified..

It reflects... and try and stay with me here... radar waves.

Patriot wrote:

boff180 wrote:

Radar enhancer

What's that? How that works? If not classified..

It's called a Luneburg Lens... there's at least two or three threads on the subject here (F-22A Raptor forum), they might be buried a little bit though. It's not really that sensitive.

I guess it must be that something sticking out of the belly between main gear?

Patriot wrote:

Remember previous Raptor crash outside Edwards.. no any sign of troubles, only two things come to my mind.. sudden loss of SA or G-lock. That's two.
Btw, it's kinda weird it's no any other way to verify what might happen with most lethal and sophisticated bird ever, like just only say “it dropped off the radar” ..and should be somewhere .. Doh

And one thing. In what way Raptor can be seen on the radar when it STEALTH and officially known as invisible?? I don't wanna think about third possibility...
Was there not a Russian chap in the 70s who flew a Mig-25 into US hands? Just imagine the reverse has happened here? Alaska is quite close to Russia after all...Imagine our dear friends in Russia or China getting a 'defecting' F-22? - Air Dominance would be challenged in a matter of 5 years...
Anyway..

Really hope pilot's OK.

Find and read the book "MiG Pilot" for the story of that defection. Quite interesting. The chances of a USAF pilot doing the same thing would be maybe the same as the chances alien space bats stole the jet with a tractor beam.

90 NM NE of Elmondorf puts it in the training range near Eielson. I wondering why a wingman didn't see it...unless they were greatly separated, and at 1940 it was probably dark. It's hilly in that region but not mountainous...should be easy to find.

Loader - I do share your point, trust me. I know how it sounds. However sometimes reality turns out to be "better" tahat fiction as a matter of fact. Hope the intelligence guys keep their eyes open. May b I shouldn't starting that plot. Sorry.

Once again, it's weird indeed that the airforce is unable to have continuous coverage about the status of the aircraft? NORAD should have telemetric data about the speed, alt and position all at once. Instead all they know is that "gone". Alaska is vast and inaccessible - what if.. they never find the plane? Shrug

Roscoe wrote:

I wondering why a wingman didn't see it..

Lone gunmen? Nothing reported about two planes...

radar reflector photos: Smile

http://www.irandefence.net/showthread.p ... mp;page=41

Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

Missing Raptor in Alaska