2 new US F-22 fighters arrive in Okinawa
2007-2-17



TWO F-22 Raptors, America's most advanced fighter jets, were deployed
Saturday in Japan for the first time, the US Air Force said, according to
The Associated Press.

Ten more F-22s were to arrive at Kadena Air Base on the southern island of
Okinawa tomorrow, the Air Force said in a statement.

It said the deployment of the planes and more than 250 personnel from the
27th Fighter Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, was a scheduled
rotational assignment.

While at Kadena, the jets are expected to hold combined exercises with
Japan's air force, US F-15s, and the US Navy.

The plane's unique combination of stealth and maneuverability make it the
most dominant fighter jet in the world, the Air Force statement said.

The F-22 program has been sharply scaled back from a plan to build 750. Only
183 are now slated to be built, with each plane costing around US$350
million, including development costs.

First 2 of 12 F-22s arrive in Japan

By Eric Talmadge - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Feb 17, 2007 8:25:48 EST
 
TOKYO — The U.S. took its newest and most expensive stealth fighter jet on the road Saturday, deploying the F-22 to an air base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa for its first overseas mission.

The first two of a dozen F-22s roared into Okinawa’s skies from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for a three- to four-month deployment to show “the flexibility that U.S. forces have to meet our ongoing commitments and security obligations throughout the Pacific,” the U.S. military said in a statement.

Bringing the planes to Japan is a way of showing off the fighter’s strengths in a region with a complex security balance that is being challenged by the rapid growth of Chinese and North Korean military power.

“It’s a very formidable asset,” said Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, commander of the U.S. forces in Japan. Wright added that it is important for the F-22 pilots from Langley to get the experience of flying abroad and training with the Japanese.

Though Wright, speaking to reporters in Tokyo before the arrival, said there are no plans to regularly bring F-22s to Japan after the current mission ends, F-22 fighters are scheduled to be deployed in Alaska and possibly Hawaii, which would give a significant boost to the Air Force’s fire power in the Pacific.

The U.S. is not alone in boosting its air capabilities in Asia.

The arrival of the planes — the rest were scheduled to arrive Sunday — comes less than two months after China unveiled its J-10 fighter, which is believed to be one of the most advanced used by any air force in the world today, though it is not seen as a serious technological rival to the F-22.

The U.S. is also actively trying to sell the F-22 abroad.

Japan, which is planning to replace its aging F-4 fighters with a more advanced aircraft, is a prospective buyer.

It is unlikely that they will choose the F-22, however.

“The F-22’s capabilities are good, but it’s too expensive. And the U.S. probably won’t allow us to produce it under license,” Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said recently.

The F-22A Raptor is an improvement over other fighters because it can cruise at supersonic speeds without using its afterburner — which means that it can go faster, longer. It is also highly maneuverable and its radar-evading stealth design makes it harder to detect.

But high costs have dogged the program.

The F-22 program has been sharply scaled back. Only 183 are now slated to be built, though original plans called for 750, with each plane costing around $350 million. Excluding development costs, each F-22 still costs about $135 million, making it the most expensive fighter in the world.

The U.S is also actively pursuing its next fighter, the F-35.

The rest made it.

www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123041567

Raptors arrive at Kadena


by Maj. Dani Johnson
18th Wing Public Affairs

2/19/2007 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNEWS) -- Ten F-22 Raptors arrived here Feb. 17 and 18 for the first overseas deployment of the Air Force's newest air supremacy aircraft.

The aircraft, assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., started their deployment to Kadena almost 10 days previously with a stop at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. While en route, a software issue affecting the aircraft's navigation system was discovered Feb. 11 causing the aircraft to return to Hickam.

The issue was corrected and the aircraft continued on to Kadena. According the 27th FS commander, Lt. Col. Wade Tolliver, the unit is excited about the opportunity to work with the 18th Wing and other services while in the Pacific.

"Every time we fly this jet we learn something new, and to have to opportunity to fly it here in the Pacific with the F-15s (Eagles) and other aircraft is something we are looking forward to," said Colonel Tolliver.

The deployment is part of an air expeditionary force rotation. While the first deployment overseas as part of the AEF, it is not the first time the unit has sent its aircraft to other locations. Most recently the aircraft deployed to Alaska.

"This deployment is a great opportunity for the squadron. We are 8,000 miles away from our support system and home base," the colonel said. "Not only will we be learning about operating from an overseas operation, we will get the opportunity to educate the Air Force and our sister services on the capabilities the jet brings to the fight."

The colonel emphasized that the F-22 was not necessarily created to replace any one airframe in the Air Force.

"The F-22 brings an enormous capability to the Air Force," Colonel Tolliver said. "It is not about what aircraft it is replacing but about how to integrate this new aircraft into the fleet and what advantages it brings to the force."

Colonel Tolliver said the squadron will use this deployment to not only educate but to learn more innovative and advanced tactics to enhance the warfighting capability.

"This is history in the making," said Brig. Gen. Punch Moulton, the 18th WG commander. "This deployment definitely brings unmatched combat airpower to the Pacific highlighting the importance of the bilateral alliance of promoting peace and stability in the region."

The 27th FS deployed more than 250 Airmen to Kadena for the 90-120 day deployment, which is part of a regularly-scheduled U.S. Pacific Command rotational assignment of aircraft to the Pacific.

bump

Cool man.  It seems like just yesterday when the stealth fighter was put in service.  A lot of folks don't even realize it's been retired and replaced.  Hey, maybe that's a good thing.  

Like the pics.  The F-35 is better though, cause it can carry the same exact bombload (but with fewer missiles) slower, and less far, but it really rocks because after you "kick down the door" you can hang shit on the wings...hey wait a second, what are those things under the wings.  

Why are we still thinking about buying that second rate lawn dart MkII again?  

Just a curiousity....at what speed would they fly over to Japan?  Would they go supersonic over the ocean, or slower to use less fuel?  

Quoted: Cool man.  It seems like just yesterday when the stealth fighter was put in service.  A lot of folks don't even realize it's been retired and replaced.  Hey, maybe that's a good thing.

The F-117 HAS NOT been retired yet.  It still has a few years left before it is completely retired.

Quoted: Just a curiousity....at what speed would they fly over to Japan?  Would they go supersonic over the ocean, or slower to use less fuel?

Slow enough to let the tanker keep up.  Ask SmilingBandit about "fighter drags".  

Quoted: Quoted: Just a curiousity....at what speed would they fly over to Japan?  Would they go supersonic over the ocean, or slower to use less fuel?   Slow enough to let the tanker keep up.  Ask SmilingBandit about "fighter drags".

Yep


An F-22 Raptor receives fuel from a 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker over Iwo Jima Feb. 18 while en route to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. This was the first-ever overseas deployment of the F-22. F-22s from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., are deployed to Kadena AB as part of an Air Expeditionary Force rotation.



hi-res

In other news..... all American serviceman at the local bars were claiming to be F-22 pilots since Saturday night, they even have matching uniforms with the correct patches. Japanese women are perplexed at the number of pilots it takes to fly a handful of planes, but they don't ask too many questions and only wish to move to the next stage of international relations.

That boomer had to be shittin' bricks, that's one paint job you don't want to gouge up with some sloppy boom handling.  They used to knock the upper UHF antenna off our F-4s all the time, especially at night.  Banged the hell out of the top of the jet too.  I can only imagine the moaning from the sheetmetal guys when the boomer leaves a present for the CC to find on the BPO.  

Quoted: 2 new US F-22 fighters arrive in Okinawa 2007-2-17

I see they brought some Super Hornets along in case the Raptors canopies got stuck…

Quoted: Quoted: Cool man.  It seems like just yesterday when the stealth fighter was put in service.  A lot of folks don't even realize it's been retired and replaced.  Hey, maybe that's a good thing.   The F-117 HAS NOT been retired yet.  It still has a few years left before it is completely retired.

Ahhh, they have started to retire it.  My bad.

Does this have anything to do with Iran?

Quoted: Does this have anything to do with Iran?

Nah, they're there for wargames with the US Navy, Japanese Military, and probably the Taiwanese and South Korean Military too. Who knows? Maybe they're going to fly into chinese and north korean airspace and see if they can track them. I'm sure they can detect the F-22, but tracking it well enough to shoot it has got to be difficult. We can just tell them it was swamp gas bending light rays from Jupiter.

Quoted: Does this have anything to do with Iran?

Only if they've moved Iran from the Middle East to the Far East…

ANdy

Quoted: Quoted: Does this have anything to do with Iran? Only if they've moved Iran from the Middle East to the Far East… ANdy

Haha

I mean was this a scheduled thing or is this saying, "Hey assholes, these bitches are operational and deployed."

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Does this have anything to do with Iran? Only if they've moved Iran from the Middle East to the Far East… ANdy Haha I mean was this a scheduled thing or is this saying, "Hey assholes, these bitches are operational and deployed."

More to do with putting pressure on Kim Jong Illest and the ChiComs.

Andy

Quoted: hey wait a second, what are those things under the wings.

Didn't you hear? Lockheed Martin is going to sell the USAF 120 KF-22A's with wing mounted refueling pods.

Kills the X-Tanker program, gets more F-22's and now the USAF has a way to refuel Super Hornets for strike missions....

Quoted: Just a curiousity....at what speed would they fly over to Japan?  Would they go supersonic over the ocean, or slower to use less fuel?

They (probably) flight planned to take advantage of any jet stream to conserve fuel at an altitude where the engine would have been most efficent and used a flight profile for max range vs max endurance or best speed.

My take on it anyways.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Cool man.  It seems like just yesterday when the stealth fighter was put in service.  A lot of folks don't even realize it's been retired and replaced.  Hey, maybe that's a good thing.   The F-117 HAS NOT been retired yet.  It still has a few years left before it is completely retired. Ahhh, they have started to retire it.  My bad.

The F-117 is not a fighter either.

You must have on  hell of an ego flying one of those!? That shit is badass!!!

Would love to see em paint ZZ on the tail

2A373 - thanks a ton for that refueling pic!!!

I love that flag folded up by the HUD in the cockpit  

Quoted: Would love to see em paint ZZ on the tail

The tailcodes to come are;

AK
HO
HH

Quoted: 2A373 - thanks a ton for that refueling pic!!! I love that flag folded up by the HUD in the cockpit

One more for ya.




hi-res