F-22 Raptor

History

During the 1990s, the @F-22A Raptor started out as two prototypes in the Advanced Tactical Surface Fighter program: the YF-22 series faced off against the YF-23 series in the ATSF program to determine the next American TSF. The YF-22 won because of its superior uptime, ease of maintenance, cheaper manufacturing cost, and ease of incorporation into existing US combat doctrine, and the decision was made to mass-produce it as the F-22A Raptor. The decision was met with criticism from around the world, largely because the inclusion of true stealth capabilities on a TSF implied that the USA would be willing to fight enemy nations without care or consequence to the BETA invasion.

Despite its appearances and the tactics of its users, the F-22A is extremely maneuverable in close-quarters combat thanks to its design and the high thrust-to-weight ratio of its jump units. Unique among TSFs for its multi-port compound-eye sensors and low-profile head unit influenced by Lockweed Mardin's involvement in the Hi-MAREF project, the other portions of the F-22A's frame are also optimized to reduce radar signature from the front via stealth coatings, materials used in construction, and anti-radar shaping.

Several other improvements, like the implementation of Operation by Light in its components, integration with active jamming technology, super high speed cruise capability for long-range stealthy travel, reduced noise and heat signatures from its jump units and lowered vibration level when walking are also part of the F-22A's overall stealth capabilities, bringing its lethality to new heights in anti-TSF combat. Its design remains top-of-the-line even a decade after its conceptualization, solid proof of the Raptor's legacy.

Deployment

It is unknown when the Raptor first entered active service, but its rollout date and location was March 14, 2001, at the US Army's Langley Base, a place suspected of being under the CIA's control to some degree. The Raptor is exclusive to American units.

Variants

F-22A Raptor EMD Phase2

Prior to full-scale production in 2001, the Raptor had undergone further testing with several pre-production units; its full designation is the F-22A Raptor Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase, or F-22A EMD Phase2. All discovered faults on both YF-22s are rectified, with its final performance comparable to the production F-22A. This includes switching to the production-model FE119-PW-100 engines in its jump units rather than the trial models used on YF-22 N22YF (YF-22 Raptor Unit 2). The F-22A EMD Phase2 also used a cobalt-colored radio wave-absorbing paint, which would eventually be replaced by the grey-green radio wave-absorbing paint on the F-22A. The Raptor EMD Phase also retained the larger head fins of the YF-22.

Many of the F-22A's signature performance and stealth attributes would be tested and further refined with the F-22A EMD Phase2, including its super high speed cruise and stand-off capability, used to initiate long-range strikes against enemies, as well as its lowered fuel consumption and even its walking capability, tuned to reduce terrain vibration. The active jamming capabilities seen on the F-22A were also first tested on the F-22A EMD Phase2, and like its descendant, the F-22A EMD Phase2 is just as capable of achieving electronic warfare superiority against its opponents.

In performance trials the F-22A EMD Phase2 would attain the outrageous record of taking on 100 @F-15 Eagles and 200 @F-18 Hornets without a single loss; against the @F-16 Fighting Falcon the F-22A EMD Phase boasted an engagement ratio of 1 Raptor to 144 Fighting Falcons.

Four units are later operated by the Infinities Test Flight of the 65th Combat Training Battalion at @Yukon Base in @Alaska during Project PROMINENCE, where the F-22A EMD Phase2's flawless battle record was maintained throughout the Blue Flag exercises.

YF-22 Lightning II

In 1982, Lieutenant-General Lloyd Vandenburg of the US Army, pushed forth his expectations of total defeat for the BETA within a few decades. Citing the importance of the USA to keep its military standards above those of other nations, and the need for the country to secure the G-Elements of each Hive, a proposal was submitted for an area-dominance TSF to make sure that the USA could acquire and keep its new holdings on Earth, allowing the nation to continue to pursue its goal of dominance in the eventual space race.

In 1990, with the requirement of a new TSF line with improved anti-BETA and anti-TSF capabilities, the YF-22 entered the final phase of its trials to test its improved anti-TSF capabilities, powerful sensors and avionics for early detection of enemies, viable stealth capability against current sensor systems, super high speed cruise capability for long-range strike capability, and superior combat uptime compared to current TSFs.

The YF-22 was trialed in the Mojave Desert with two units, each with a different engine model; N22YX, the first prototype, used the Pratts & Witney YFE119-PW-100 engine, while N22YF, the second prototype, used the General Electronics YFE120-GE-100. Aircraft development was led by Lockweed, the prime contractor in a consortium with Boening and General Dynomics. While the YF-22 was easier to maintain and could operate longer on the field, it was equal in most areas to its rival unit, the YF-23; combat matches between the YF-22 and YF-23 usually ended up as close-range battles where the YF-22 lost in close-combat capability against the YF-23. Out of a total of 40 matches, the YF-22 lost 18 times, won 14 times, tied 5 times, and had 3 voided results.

In anti-BETA combat tests using the JIVES simulator system, the YF-23 proved to be the dominant superior over the YF-22 in both general anti-BETA combat and Hive infiltration. However, the YF-22 was ultimately selected as the winner of the ATSF competition; it was easier to maintain, at least compared against the YF-23, and—unlike the YF-23—could be more easily integrated into current US combat doctrine.