Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

Note: The Air Force has now replaced the term spiral development with increments which more accurately defines their approach to modernization. DOD Instruction 5000.02, Operation of the Defense Acquisition System (Dec. 8, 2008), provides for three decision points or phases. They include: milestone A (entry point for the technology development phase); milestone B (entry point for engineering and manufacturing development phase—which is comprised of two major efforts called integrated system design, and system capability and manufacturing process demonstration); and milestone C (entry point for the production and deployment phase).

According to Air Force officials, the program currently intends to upgrade 143 aircraft with the full complement of modernized capabilities by fiscal year 2020 and retain 36 aircraft with only Increment 2 capabilities to be used in training. Increment 3.1 is being fielded in fiscal years 2011 to 2016 and Increment 3.2A from fiscal years 2014 to 2016. Increment 3.2B, the last currently planned increment, is expected to field from fiscal years 2017 and 2020. Future capability enhancements are expected to follow the current modernization program, but have not been defined.
The content, scope, and phasing plan changed over time, contributing to cost and schedule problems. Figure 3 illustrates the changing nature of modernization projects, particularly in the later increments.

Some capabilities, such as the Multifunction Advanced Data Link, have been eliminated because of changes in requirements and immature technology. Some, like the AIM-9X missile, have been added to the program to meet emerging threats. Some required capabilities have been reduced, such as the Geolocate project, which will now field a less-capable version than initially planned.
Air Force officials stated that potential new capabilities are analyzed and vetted by evaluating technical maturity and applying cost as independent variable principles to determine which to include in the F-22A modernization program. As a result of this evaluation process, certain capabilities have been modified, deferred, added, or eliminated. Most changes affect the final two increments. For example, MADL, which was intended to provide communications interoperability with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, was removed from Increment 3.2B. MADL and other deferred efforts, such as the full Small Diameter Bomb capability, may eventually be delivered in future increments yet to be defined.

I noticed the Link 16 upgrades.. is the Raptor still limited to "receive only" mode?

Glad to see you fixed your double post problem popcorn

Its always going to be receive only Link 16 support. Link 16 isn't LPI and would give away the aircraft position. MADL (F-35/BACN) or IFDL(F-22/BACN) do not have this issue.

It would be intelligent to put MADL in F-22s to match the F-35.