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Posted: 5/28/2017 1:13:42 AM EDT
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a21232/why-the-f-22-raptor-is-such-a-badass-plane/?src=socialflowFB
On an otherwise unremarkable day in March 2013, an American MQ-1 Predator drone was flying in international airspace off Iran, conducting a routine surveillance flight over the Persian Gulf. But the U.S. Air Force knew trouble might be lurking ahead. Several months earlier, a pair of Iranian Sukhoi Su-25 attack planes had attempted unsuccessfully to shoot down another patrolling Predator. After that, the Pentagon decided subsequent drone patrols would be escorted, either by F/A-18 Hornets from the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier or F-22s deployed to nearby Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. On this day, Lt. Col. Kevin "Showtime" Sutterfield was the escort, heading toward the drone in case of trouble. "Showtime" was in a Raptor. At the annual conference of the Air Force Association later that year, USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh would tell the crowd what happened next: As the Predator flew its pre-planned route, two Iranian F-4 Phantoms approached and acquired the drone on their radars. One of the Phantoms got to within 16 miles of the MQ-1. On another heading, Col. Sutterfield closed in on the F-4. "Showtime is an Air Force Reservist … he flies the F-22. He flies it really well," Welsh said. "He flew under their [Phantom] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there. And then he pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said, 'You really ought to go home.'" |
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I was in Vegas 2016 and got to see F-22's flying around. LOVED IT.
They are the sh*t and we need many ore of them! |
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"He flew under their [Phantom] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there.
And then he pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said, 'You really ought to go home.'" View Quote |
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After that, the Pentagon decided subsequent drone patrols would be escorted, either by F/A-18 Hornets or F-22s View Quote So now we have manned fighters flying interference for unmanned drones? Seems like a great plan. |
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So now we have manned fighters flying interference for unmanned drones? Seems like a great plan. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Of there's a need over airspace with known hostile activity? Why not? I bet the crew of the EP-3 that was forced to land in China would have liked such an escort. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Lol. Raptors showing up to escort RPAs? I bet the crew of the EP-3 that was forced to land in China would have liked such an escort. Beaides, I don't think an escort would have stopped an idiot child Chinese pilot from being a dickhead. |
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EP-3 =/= an RPA. Beaides, I don't think an escort would have stopped an idiot child Chinese pilot from being a dickhead. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Lol. Raptors showing up to escort RPAs? I bet the crew of the EP-3 that was forced to land in China would have liked such an escort. Beaides, I don't think an escort would have stopped an idiot child Chinese pilot from being a dickhead. Flexibility. |
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The Raptor is an awesome plane, but the price tag is huge. Perhaps Trump and get the price down, otherwise why not build a drone that can take care of itself. For crying out loud, F4's those things are antiques!!
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Honestly impressed that they had F4s that are still flying.
I wonder how their F-14s are fairing. |
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Of there's a need over airspace with known hostile activity? Why not? I bet the crew of the EP-3 that was forced to land in China would have liked such an escort. View Quote |
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I remember reading about that incident. The Iranians were shocked to see the F22 pop up from "nowhere."
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I was at Langley AFB the first time they rolled in.
What a machine |
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The kind of "fuck off" only we can deliver.
Have a safe Memorial Day. |
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What a fucking waste,
using the greatest fighter in the world to protect rpa's against shit bag f-4s why not, oh you mean i get a bronze star for that?? |
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"He flew under their [Phantom] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there.
And then he pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said, 'You really ought to go home.'" On a serious note, think they used the F-22 for that exact outcome. Essentially a show of force to shove in their face the difference between our two countries air power. Makes a nice message... "piss off or you won't even see it coming" |
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We stopped flying the F-4 Phantom off of Navy ships in 1984 ... and Iran is still using them.
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Why can't the Raptor do the recon since he's there anyway? The F4's would have never seen him.
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Trouble is, America has 186 Raptors, only 123 of which are combat-capable. View Quote |
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shitty contract the first 22s off the line could not be upgraded, like later models. They were never meant for combat View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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So now we have manned fighters flying interference for unmanned drones? Seems like a great plan. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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nope- hunting is when you plan to kill something, they are just fucking around View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Fighter escorts - entirely new concept. View Quote Realistically, it does sound as though the drone was used as bait. I suppose the drone only needs an escort until it get's to a certain area where it can do it's mission on it's own and might only need escort on it's way back. Otherwise, why use it? |
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Is it reasonable or idiotic for me to suggest/ask if a Raptor successor is already in the works?
I've heard everyone but Obama thinks we needed more, but it's going to cost a ton to restart F22 production. So why not just dump that money into Gen 6? Is the F/A-XX or equivalent still on paper or do we maybe have some test jets? |
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EP-3 =/= an RPA. Beaides, I don't think an escort would have stopped an idiot child Chinese pilot from being a dickhead. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Lol. Raptors showing up to escort RPAs? I bet the crew of the EP-3 that was forced to land in China would have liked such an escort. Beaides, I don't think an escort would have stopped an idiot child Chinese pilot from being a dickhead. If you're going to do that, you might as well just use a B-1 to do the job since it can get itself out of trouble if necessary. |
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Intercepting an F4 while not being observed.
Sounds hard to do NOT |
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F-22 is early '90s technology. Damn near 30 years old. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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For unmanned aircraft? I think so. Realistically, it does sound as though the drone was used as bait. I suppose the drone only needs an escort until it get's to a certain area where it can do it's mission on it's own and might only need escort on it's way back. Otherwise, why use it? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Fighter escorts - entirely new concept. Realistically, it does sound as though the drone was used as bait. I suppose the drone only needs an escort until it get's to a certain area where it can do it's mission on it's own and might only need escort on it's way back. Otherwise, why use it? 2) random measures are great other side never knows if and when they'll be in place. You don't need Air Marshalls on every flight or an F-22 escorting every RPV to deter hostile behavior. You just have to demonstrate that you do, on occasion, have such measures in place. |
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And what is it's combat record if any? View Quote I've never read of an F22 scoring an air to air kill except in training. (Where apparently they're limited to number of kills by ordinance) They've dropped bombs but I don't think there's been any air to air combat. |
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You're right, they're significantly more expensive.
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The addition of AIM-9X will make the F-22 very difficult to defeat at short range (though the continued lack of a helmet-mounted sight limits the weapon's full potential). View Quote |
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