Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

So any word on whether the raptor will actually be flying at Avalon or not? Wife's due to have a baby 1 week after the airshow and wondering if its worth the trip down for the day or not.

If its just on static display, then not going.

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When I came home from Iraq on Mid-Tour Leave I was so excited to learn that the McChord Air Expo was scheduled to have a Raptor demo, then I was crushed to learn it was 4 days after I left to go back to Iraq. Stupid war, made me miss a Raptor.

munny wrote:

So any word on whether the raptor will actually be flying at Avalon or not? Wife's due to have a baby 1 week after the airshow and wondering if its worth the trip down for the day or not.

If its just on static display, then not going.

Now that is the question!...I've looked around and even asked RAAF via Facebook, but nobody will confirm or deny.
Either way flights and accom. booked, can't wait! Applause

Can only hope the weather takes the weekend off, it's been working hard lately.

batu731 wrote:

aaam wrote:

popcorn wrote:

I don't think the Aussies were ever in the market for the F-22. There may have been some polite inquiries at some point early on, most likely out of curiosity but no serious interest, much less government lobbying to acquire the jet.

The pro-Raptor frenzy down under seems to be emanating from one vocal group whose website espouses visions of hordes of SU-35s and more recently PAK-FAs and J-20s sweeping down from the north. Very Happy

To the best of my knowledge there were three countries definitely interested in acquiring the F-22:

Israel, although we'd have to loan or grant them the funds,

Japan, who wanted it so bad they were willing to fund sustaining the production line or funding modifications to their version to make it more "acceptable" to Washington, and

Australia, which would pay cash on the barrellhead (what a concept, nowadays!). They made it clear that was what they wanted, although I don't remember if they made a formal official request. Probably didn't want to strain relations and suffer embarsment if they formally asked and were officially turned down.

Israel, hell no, they'd sell the vital info to the Chinese the second day after they get hands on the Raptor.

Aussies, why do they need F-22 anyway? Invade New Zealand? Razz

Hell no!! we could invade nz with p-51s! as one add said, 100% beautiful, 100% there for the taking

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/f22a/index.asp is the website for the Raptor demo team, but they don't have a schedule posted yet for this year. They have contact info listed on that page if you want to shoot them an email or call them up and ask. I got to see them last year in Ft Worth TX. It was cool but the highlight of the show for me was the CV-22 on static that I got to check out. I wish I had been able to take a close look at the F-22 also but they had it parked on the other side of the flight line away from where we could get to it.

If they had made their intentions "clear", it would have been plastrered all over the internet by now.. specially by Kopp and company.

Polite inquiries were made by our Government at the beginning. They were told - "Not for Export". Once the cost of the F-35 became apparent and its limitations in certain areas became apparent about 4 years ago the Minister asked again - not formally - we were again told - "sorry the Raptor is not for export".
Australia maintains an Airforce for Defence reasons not to project power.
The Raptor on paper would be the better anti-shipping platform. Being an Island continent our best Defence is to stop ships from ever getting here.
Thats why we upgraded and kept our F111's flying for so long even though they were an expensive to maintain once we were the only country using them.
The only problem with the Raptor is we need to be able to deploy aircraft to our remote Airfields in the North quickly if there is a threat. They do not have extensive maintenance facilities. The Raptor may not have been any good anyway for that reason. Who knows? - many secrets still about its maintenance and availability. Maybe it would have been hopeless for that purpose?

rkap wrote:

If they had made their intentions "clear", it would have been plastrered all over the internet by now.. specially by Kopp and company.

Polite inquiries were made by our Government at the beginning. They were told - "Not for Export". Once the cost of the F-35 became apparent and its limitations in certain areas became apparent about 4 years ago the Minister asked again - not formally - we were again told - "sorry the Raptor is not for export".
Australia maintains an Airforce for Defence reasons not to project power.
The Raptor on paper would be the better anti-shipping platform. Being an Island continent our best Defence is to stop ships from ever getting here.
Thats why we upgraded and kept our F111's flying for so long even though they were an expensive to maintain once we were the only country using them.
The only problem with the Raptor is we need to be able to deploy aircraft to our remote Airfields in the North quickly if there is a threat. They do not have extensive maintenance facilities. The Raptor may not have been any good anyway for that reason. Who knows? - many secrets still about its maintenance and availability. Maybe it would have been hopeless for that purpose?

The F-111 is a striker. The F-35 is a striker and much more capable in this role than a F-22 which has quite limited options in the A2G environment. The F-35 configured for A2A is also going to be very effective. Its significantly cheaper to buy and operate than the raptor and does a better job fulfilling the different roles it will be asked to perform.

castlebravo wrote:

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/f22a/index.asp is the website for the Raptor demo team, but they don't have a schedule posted yet for this year. They have contact info listed on that page if you want to shoot them an email or call them up and ask. I got to see them last year in Ft Worth TX. It was cool but the highlight of the show for me was the CV-22 on static that I got to check out. I wish I had been able to take a close look at the F-22 also but they had it parked on the other side of the flight line away from where we could get to it.

You're better off to check here. The demo team websites are slow to update.

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/demoteamschedule.asp

aaam wrote:

To the best of my knowledge there were three countries definitely interested in acquiring the F-22:

Israel, although we'd have to loan or grant them the funds,

Japan, who wanted it so bad they were willing to fund sustaining the production line or funding modifications to their version to make it more "acceptable" to Washington, and

Australia, which would pay cash on the barrellhead (what a concept, nowadays!). They made it clear that was what they wanted, although I don't remember if they made a formal official request. Probably didn't want to strain relations and suffer embarsment if they formally asked and were officially turned down.

Incorrect I am afraid. Australia never wanted the Raptor. It was included in the original AIR-6000 shortlist true, as were F-16E/F, Super Hornet, Typhoon, Gripen, Rafale, F-15 and JSF, but this was "market level research" during the request for information stage only. JSF, Typhoon and Rafale were the only aircraft seriously considered for our next generation aircraft however and JSF was chosen.

There was no formal decision by ADF or Government that we wanted F-22A Raptor and no formal request for tender to Lockheed Martin to supply it.

Here is Defence's own list of answers to all these silly questions. Hopefully (unlikely) it puts these rumours to bed once and for all.

http://tinyurl.com/6h3t8h8

Ok, so far, Raptor may actually show up....ACC demo pilots will not attend, so if we are lucky we will get the basics.....or static. B2 no show...MRTT no show broke boom..(hmmm).
But we get thrown a Bone....or two... Thanks

Raptors will be there.

The raptors are already in avalon, but looking at the air display program, they'll not be flying. The display seems to be a lot like the last amberley airshow.

http://www.airshow.net.au/avalon2011/ai ... unday.html

http://qa.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air ... cf650f5428

Original photo caption and visitor comments don't explain the marks on the canopy?

The marks on the canopy are from patch repairs to the outer film of the canopy. That one is in bad shape, we'll probably be replacing it soon.

munny wrote:

The raptors are already in avalon, but looking at the air display program, they'll not be flying. The display seems to be a lot like the last amberley airshow.

Just out of curiosity, then why are they there?

Beazz

http://www.airshow.net.au/avalon2011/ai ... unday.html

Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

F22 in Australian airshow?