Just wondering if this new fighter is about to go into service finally? Been hearing about it since the early 90's.

Also, what does this plane offer over the current F-15? I know it's more stealthy, but does it really offer anything the F-15 can't do? The F-15 is an impressive warbird and I hope that the Air Force reserve units continue to operate it for years to come.

The ability to supercruise, the RCS of a field mouse, able to push the AOA envelope by 60%.......the last of the test birds was delivered to EAFB recently, I believe-still a long ways from deployment.

IOC is in 2005 for the base F/A-22 Raptor. It looks like bush is going to up the order to something like 750 planes by 2010-2011. Look for the bomber version underdevelopment to reach IOC by 2015.

(1) supercruise - supersonic cruise w/out using afterburners

(2) internal weapons bays for stealth

(3) stealth design

(4) vector thrust engines for FAR greater maneuverability

(5) better computers, tracking, etc....

(6) greater reliability, better serviceability

This program has been around since ~1980 and the ATF study.  Both the YF-22 and YF-23 competed in the early 90s and the YF-22 won out.  For the past ten years it's been in testing and it's production numbers slowly whittled away by Congress.  It should be IOC in 2005 to 2007.  BTW the C-17 cargo aircraft program was begun AFTER ATF and has been in service for about a decade!

Once fielded it will blow away any and all other air superiority aircraft.  Stealth, power, speed, integrated combat system and sensors, the complete package.  Try playing a game of Jane's F-15 and then try Total Air War (F-22 sim) for a good comparison.  You'll see the difference!

Glad to here this plane offers increased maneuverability and cruise w/ out afterburner. Does the thrust vectoring control give it the ability to make those same maneuvers that the Russian Sukhoi SU-37's are so famous for?