Aviation Specials — F-22 Raptor (2017)

4 F-22 RAPTOR —

20 YEARS OF AIR DOMINANCE

This bookazine marks 20 years since the  rst

 ight of the F-22A. Author of this publication

Jamie Hunter introduces the mighty Raptor

6 CONCEIVING THE RAPTOR

Despite being lavished with praise today, the

Raptor had troubled beginnings in an era of

defence cutbacks. It was conceived as the

Advanced Tactical Fighter and was chosen

amid an intense battle between aerospace

heavyweights

16 THE RAPTOR EVOLVES

With the YF-22 project complete, Lockheed

moved to develop the production version

of the F-22, which became known as the

Raptor. A huge development e ort ensued,

which forged a path to operational service

28 RAPTOR INTO SERVICE

With the Engineering and Manufacturing

Development phase complete, the USAF

was already into operational testing, with

an elite band established to help realise the

F-22’s potential

40 RAPTOR SCHOOLHOUSE

Training new F-22 Raptor pilots falls to

the 43rd Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB,

which holds the future of US Air Force air

supremacy in its hands

50 LEGENDS OF LANGLEY

The 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-

Eustis led from the front when it came to

the F-22 Raptor, bringing this revolutionary

 ghter into US Air Force service in 2005. The

demand for the wing’s services remains as

high today as ever

64 ROCK AND ROLL

Maj Dan ‘Rock’ Dickinson talks about

how pilots train to become the Raptor

demonstration pilot and the challenges of

this awe-inspiring aerial routine

72 PATCH WEARERS

The USAF Weapons School is the centre of

excellence when it comes to the world’s

greatest air force. The 433rd Weapons

Squadron is responsible for teaching the

best of the best Raptor instructor pilots

82 RAPTOR ON THE FRONT LINE

In September 2014 the F-22 Raptor made

its combat debut in the skies over Syria. It

was a landmark kinetic event, however in

reality it was just one example of the F-22’s

contribution to operations in the region

94 KEEPING THE RAPTOR SHARP

The F-22 is subject to a spiral upgrade

programme. It is what keeps the

 ghter relevant, until its replacement

comes along...

CONTENTS

AUTHOR/EDITOR

Jamie Hunter

GROUP EDITOR

Nigel Price

DESIGN

Dominique Maynard

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Janet Watkins

ADVERTISING SALES

Ian Maxwell

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION

Debi McGowan

GROUP MARKETING MANAGER

Martin Steele

CIRCULATION & CONTRACT

PUBLISHING EXECUTIVE

Amy Donkersley

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Ann Saundry

PUBLISHER AND

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Adrian Cox

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

Richard Cox

PRINTED BY

Warners (Midlands) plc, The

Maltings, Bourne, Lincs

PE10 9PH (UK)

DISTRIBUTED BY

Seymour Distribution Ltd

2 Poultry Avenue,

London EC1A 9PP (UK)

+44(0)20 7429 4000

CONTACTS

Key Publishing Ltd

PO Box 100, Stamford,

Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1780 755131

Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261

E-mail :

[email protected]

http://www.keypublishing.com

PUBLISHER

Key Publishing Ltd

Printed in England

Cover image:

F-22As from the 94th

Fighter Squadron break

for the camera.

Jamie Hunter

A 1st Fighter

Wing F-22A  ies

over the Nellis

AFB ranges

during a ‘Red

Flag’ training

exercise.

Jamie Hunter

LEGENDS OF LANGLEY

The 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-

Eustis led from the front when it came to

the F-22 Raptor, bringing this revolutionary

 ghter into US Air Force service in 2005. The

demand for the wing’s services remains as

CONTENTS

Cover image:

F-22As from the 94th

Fighter Squadron break

3 Contents C.indd 3 28/09/2017 15: