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Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Reaches Milestone in Maturity

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

September 30, 2008

thomas

MARIETTA, Ga., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Lockheed Martin
(NYSE: LMT) F-22 Raptor surpassed more than 50,000 total flight hours in
August while establishing new standards in capability and maturity.

“The F-22 continues to demonstrate the field performance vital to an
operational weapon system,” said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive
vice president and F-22 general manager. “The fleet reliability measures
are ahead of plan and the force-on-force exercises have shown Raptors
provide the capability to dominate airspace today and in the future.”

Pilots and crews at six U.S. bases achieved this maturity level.
Operational, frontline Raptors are assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing at
Langley AFB, Va.; the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, N.M.; and the 3rd
Wing at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. These units maintain constant readiness
supporting Air Combat and Pacific Air Force Commands.

The Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., tests new F-22
capabilities, most recently releasing a small diameter bomb at supersonic
speed for the first time. Nellis AFB, Nev., hosts two F-22 missions,
operational testing and tactics development, along with Fighter Weapons
School training — the fighter pilot’s “PHD” course. Pilot and crew chief
training is at Tyndall AFB, Fla., with the first basic course students
currently undergoing F-22 certification. Raptors will also be based at
Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

The warfighter has put the Raptor to the test since reaching initial
operational capability in 2005 and full operational capability in 2007.
F-22s have flown in multiple Red Flag events, Northern Edge exercises,
deployed to Kadena Air Base Japan, Andersen Air Force Base (AFB), Guam, and
flown in the Royal International Air Tattoo and the Farnborough Air Show.
In all exercises and demonstrations the Raptor’s world-class capability has
been clearly established.

The Raptor’s stealth, integrated avionics, maneuverability and
supercruise speed (1.5 times the speed of sound without afterburner) give
the F-22 “first-look, first-shot, first-kill” capability.

Lockheed Martin’s F-22 and F-35 aircraft deliver game changing 5th
Generation capabilities designed to defeat current and future threats.
Representing a quantum leap in air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities
that provide an order of magnitude increase in operational effectiveness
over legacy fighters, the F-22 and F-35 will dominate any foreseeable
threat environment and ensure joint and combined operational flexibility
for years to come.

The F-22 Raptor is built by Lockheed Martin teamed with Boeing and
Pratt & Whitney. Parts and subsystems are provided by approximately 1,000
suppliers in 44 U.S. states. Lockheed Martin has delivered 127 Raptors to
the U.S. Air Force.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000
people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design,
development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced
technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007
sales of $41.9 billion.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

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