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F-22 Raptor program
In the late 1980s/early 1990s the YF-22A competed against the YF-23A in the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program.
During the late 1970s, a new generation of Soviet fighters and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) prompted the US Air Force to find a replacement for the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. In 1986, the USAF awarded demonstration contracts to two competing industry teams—Lockheed-Boeing-General Dynamics (YF-22A) versus Northrop-McDonnell Douglas (YF-23A).
The extensive flight tests conducted demonstrated that the YF-23A (named Black Widow II) was stealthier and faster while the YF-22A (named Lightning II) was more agile.
The YF-23A, emphasized stealth characteristics: in fact to lessen weight and increase stealth, Northrop decided against using thrust vectoring for aerodynamic control as was used on the Lockheed YF-22A. Northrop built two YF-23A prototypes.
Eventually the YF-22A was selected as best of the two and the engineering and manufacturing development effort began in 1991 with the development contract assigned to Lockheed/Boeing.
The aircraft received approval to enter low rate initial production (LRIP) in 2001. Initial operational and test evaluation by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center was successfully completed in 2004. Based on maturity of design and other factors the program received approval for full rate production in 2005 and today the F-22A Raptor is USAF’s air dominance fighter.
The F-22A was introduced Dec. 15, 2005, and a total of 187 operational aircraft were built. The last Raptor was delivered to the Air Force in 2012.
The collapse of the Soviet Union
What let to the cancellation of the F-22 Raptor program?
David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II who was involved in the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF), explains on Quora;
‘The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990.
‘That is precisely what led to the early termination of that program.
‘It also didn’t help that it was enormously expensive and way over budget.
‘The F-22 was designed during the cold war essentially, for one mission: air superiority in central Europe in the event of an attack by the Warsaw Pact. That’s it. That’s why it’s so stealthy. That’s why it has supercruise. That’s why it has such an advanced radar. Fly fast and deep into the Warsaw Pact countries and destroy their fighter forces, so that attack aircraft (F-111, F-15, etc.) can then prosecute ground targets.
‘I know because I was cleared into the ATF program (as a Navy Commander) when I worked in the Pentagon in the late 80s. I attended budget and force structure briefings, and it was all about defeating the Warsaw Pact. There was zero mention of a counter-China role, or really any other missions.
Lack of a creditable threat
‘And when that raison d’etre vanished nearly overnight, the program was terminated. The last plane, of course, didn’t roll off the assembly line until much later, but it’s ultimate fate had been sealed since 1990.
‘It had nothing to do with Obama, Clinton, or any other President. It did have a lot to do with Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, who also cancelled the USN’s ATA program (A-12) for essentially the same reason; lack of a creditable threat.’
Tussey concludes;
‘Great airplane for sure, but by the end, the JSF program was well underway, and Lockheed won that too. So they really had no reason to protest the F-22 cancellation, and neither did the USAF. The world and the threat had changed.’
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
