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F/A-22 Raptor program operations accelerating toward high-rate production
July 20, 2004 (by
Jeff Hollenbeck) -
The F/A-22 Raptor air dominance fighter program is producing aircraft at an ever increasing rate and is on track for 2004.
"During the first half of this year, we built 10 Raptors - that's almost as many jets as we built during all of 2003," said Ralph Heath, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. and general manager of the F/A-22 Raptor program. "We're well on our way to building the 19 F/A-22s we promised the Air Force we'd build during 2004."
Earlier this month, the Air Force awarded the F/A-22 program its fourth production lot contract - raising the current number of Raptors on order to 74 production jets, with 50 aircraft yet to be built through 2006. In addition, the President's Fiscal Year 2005 defense budget includes a request for 24 more jets, to be built as part of F/A-22 production lot 5.
Looking forward, Raptor production lot 6 is expected to include 26 F/A-22 aircraft and the Pentagon is expected to make a decision during 2005 as to whether the Raptor program is ready to begin high-rate production - approximately three aircraft per month. "We believe the F/A-22 is on solid footing and ready to move into high-rate production starting with production lot 6 during 2006," Heath said.
Meanwhile, Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) of the F/A-22 Raptor is underway. While Lockheed Martin has no formal role in the Air Force's independent IOT&E assessment of the F/A-22, "we're confident that the Raptor's transformational warfighting capabilities will be proven, and that the F/A-22 will be deemed operationally effective as a result of these trials," Heath said.
IOT&E is expected to conclude this summer, with a final report on the F/A-22's performance expected before year's end.
In summary, the F/A-22 program is "wrapping up development, ramping up production, awaiting the final results of IOT&E, and working with the Air Force to plan for the continuous improvement of the Raptor through the service's spiral development modernization process; this will ensure the F/A-22 remains on the cutting-edge and capable of defeating sophisticated threats and performing other vital military missions for decades to come," Heath said.
Raptor 4002 passed its 300th flight-hour mark sortie from the Air Force's Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Cal. The F/A-22 fleet is expected to grow in the coming weeks, as Raptor 4003 makes it maiden flight from Lockheed Martin's facility in Marietta, Ga., before joining the F/A-22 Combined Test Force here later this year. [U.S. Air Force photo by Judson Brohmer]
Earlier this month, the Air Force awarded the F/A-22 program its fourth production lot contract - raising the current number of Raptors on order to 74 production jets, with 50 aircraft yet to be built through 2006. In addition, the President's Fiscal Year 2005 defense budget includes a request for 24 more jets, to be built as part of F/A-22 production lot 5.
Looking forward, Raptor production lot 6 is expected to include 26 F/A-22 aircraft and the Pentagon is expected to make a decision during 2005 as to whether the Raptor program is ready to begin high-rate production - approximately three aircraft per month. "We believe the F/A-22 is on solid footing and ready to move into high-rate production starting with production lot 6 during 2006," Heath said.
Meanwhile, Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) of the F/A-22 Raptor is underway. While Lockheed Martin has no formal role in the Air Force's independent IOT&E assessment of the F/A-22, "we're confident that the Raptor's transformational warfighting capabilities will be proven, and that the F/A-22 will be deemed operationally effective as a result of these trials," Heath said.
IOT&E is expected to conclude this summer, with a final report on the F/A-22's performance expected before year's end.
In summary, the F/A-22 program is "wrapping up development, ramping up production, awaiting the final results of IOT&E, and working with the Air Force to plan for the continuous improvement of the Raptor through the service's spiral development modernization process; this will ensure the F/A-22 remains on the cutting-edge and capable of defeating sophisticated threats and performing other vital military missions for decades to come," Heath said.
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