Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
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The F-22 Raptor is a fighter aircraft made by Lockheed Martin. It first flew in 1990 and entered service in the United States Air Force in 2005. Because it is very expensive and dogfighting isn't common today, there aren't as many of them as other fighter planes. It is a stealth plane, which means it is very hard to see on radar. It can hold 6 radar-guided medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and 2 heat-seeking, short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, but there are other payloads it can hold. It's top speed is 1,500 miles per hour, which is 2.2 times the speed of sound. It features thrust vectoring, where the plane's thrust nozzles turn to help turn it faster. Thrust vectoring is very useful in dogfights.
The F-22 Raptor is a 5th generation fighter and is a very expensive plane to produce. In order to protect the F-22 Raptor's stealth technology and other secrets, the U.S. has not sold the F-22 Raptor to other countries, even to it's closest allies. If they do, they will be export versions and not as powerful as the ones used by the U.S.
Similar airplanes
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Media
Organizational patch for the ATF SPO
Udział poszczególnych koncernów w konstrukcji F-22 Raptor
Two F-22s during flight testing, the upper one being the first EMD F-22, Raptor 4001
Two F-22As in close trail formation
A Block 30 F-22A, serial 06-4132, of the 411th Flight Test Squadron test-fires an AIM-9X in 2015.
F-22 flight demonstration video
F-22 flying with its Pratt & Whitney F119 engines on full afterburner during testing
For stealth, the F-22 carries weapons in internal bays. The doors for the center and side bays are open; the six LAU-142/A AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launchers (AVEL) are visible.
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