2 PW F119 engines
~ 35,000 lbs. thrust each
The F-22 is having a modernization moment
How RTX is helping the Raptor stay ready to dominate the skies
It was 2 a.m. when the blast of the Klaxon rattled the halls of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, outside Anchorage, Alaska.
Unidentified aircraft had approached U.S. airspace over the North Pole, and U.S. Air Force pilot John “Schlem” Rogers – unsure whether it was real or a drill – had minutes to suit up, jump in his F-22 Raptor and investigate.
Hear a Klaxon
Rogers can’t divulge exactly what happened that night years ago, but he did say the F-22’s low observability, high maneuverability and superior situational awareness gave him the advantage.
“Gear matters, engineering matters, quality matters,” said Rogers, now associate director of Advanced Fighter Aircraft Avionics for Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. “Knowing that the systems onboard that F-22 were going to work allowed me to take the aircraft over the most extreme parts of our planet to keep our airspace safe.”
Rogers’ story shows the power of the F-22 Raptor. At times overlooked, this combat-proven, fifth-generation fighter jet is taking on new importance as the U.S. Air Force considers enhancements that could keep it ready and relevant for years to come.
“The relationship between a fighter pilot and their jet is like that of a cowboy and their horse. Before every flight, I would place my hand on the nose of the aircraft as I walked up to it, much like how a cowboy touches their horse before they step into the saddle. For me, it was a routine showing respect for what we were about to go do, and something that connected me to the ‘beast.’ In a way I was saying, let’s work as a team to get the job done today.”
In his words
Retired Lt. Col. John “Schlem” Rogers | Former F-22 pilot
Advanced Fighter Aircraft Avionics | Collins Aerospace
The F-22 Raptor
Multi-role fighter
Known for its speed,
stealth, sensor fusion
and maneuverability
In service since 2005
A Raptor renaissance
Why the renewed interest? In short, the U.S. Air Force needs to supplement its F-35 fleet while plans for a new generation of fighter jet take shape.
And the F-22’s capabilities – many of which come by way of RTX products and services – can meet that need.
“The Air Force and government see the F-22 as its primary stealth fighter,” said Jake Ullrich, senior program director for Advanced Products and Solutions at Raytheon, an RTX business. “All systems on the F-22 are meant to complement each other – to maximize both the intel coming in and the actions being taken.”
And better data coming in means pilots will need more sophisticated ways to see, process and act on that information. It’s why teams across RTX continue to advance cockpit technologies for the F-22 to help pilots stay ahead of the threat when a mission is changing rapidly and unfolding across several domains.
Here’s a look at some of the RTX advancements that are helping the F-22 stay future-ready.
The definition of air dominance
Achieving air dominance means controlling the skies against enemy threats. In this role, the F-22 is often in a support position, carrying the right munitions to meet the needs of the particular mission. One of the most powerful weapons onboard is the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.
John “Clyde” Thayer is a 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran and former F-15C pilot who now serves as director of Air Dominance Requirements & Capabilities for Raytheon. He explained why the weapons delivery capability of the F-22, along with its ability to fly fast and high, has helped earn the AMRAAM missile a reputation as the premier air dominance weapon around the world for nearly 30 years.
“When the pilot fires a missile, it is a very quick timeline for the doors to open, the missile to eject from the aircraft and the rocket motor to fire,” he said. “At that point, the aircraft can immediately maneuver as needed to defend itself – without being detected.”
The AMRAAM missile, equipped with its own guidance system, takes over from there.
Thayer said recent upgrades, as part of the U.S. Air Force’s F3R (Form, Fit, Function Refresh), will bring even more processing power to the air-to-air AMRAAM guidance sections. This, in turn, will enable software improvements to take performance even higher. In particular, it will allow operators to extend the missile’s time of flight.
“We know the missile flies a lot farther than it was originally designed to,” Thayer added. “The F3R improvements – perfectly fitted to the F-22 platform – will help us get the most out of the AMRAAM missile in the air dominance role.”
The Raytheon team is ramping up production to 1,200 AMRAAM missiles a year, which will ensure the F-22 stays mission-ready.
In air-to-air missions, the F-22 carries:
“We know the missile flies a lot farther than it was originally designed to. The F3R improvements – perfectly fitted to the F-22 platform – will help us get the most out of the AMRAAM missile in the air dominance role.”
Retired Lt. Col. John “Clyde” Thayer
Former F-15C pilot | Air Dominance Requirements & Capabilities | Raytheon
Unlocking engine potential
“The F-22, when it starts up, has been described as a big muscle car,” said former F-22 pilot Rogers. “It’s loud, it vibrates. As it gets into the air, it turns into a bit of a Ferrari. It’s smoother, it kind of growls. It has its own personality.”
Hear an F-22 in flight
A lot of that personality comes from the two Pratt & Whitney F119 engines that power the F-22, each packing 35,000 pounds of thrust.
Decades after the F119 laid the foundation for the F135, the programs continue to benefit from one another, said Sam Smith, who oversees the program at Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business.
“We’re looking to capitalize on the learnings from both our fifth-generation engine programs, as well as other technology, to provide even more capability to the F-22 as it continues to modernize over the next couple of decades,” Smith said.
Recent software upgrades have brought more thrust capabilities, and Pratt engineers are now using advanced engineering algorithms to better predict timelines for the maintenance and replacement of engine parts – insights that can bring more time on-wing and more cost savings for customers.
Fast facts
“Supercruise” mode
Supersonic without afterburning
2 thrust-vectoring nozzles
Adjusts +/- 20 degrees
Adjusts +/- 20 degrees
900,000+
Engine flight hours
Engine flight hours
Two decades after the engine first entered service, the team behind it is taking pride in the milestone and working to keep it worthy of the F-22.
“Pratt & Whitney and the F119 will keep pace with whatever the U.S. Air Force has in mind,” Smith said. “And we’ll do that while continuing to provide the same safe, reliable and ready engines that still make this platform the most maneuverable and lethal fighter in the world.”
Designed to win
While the efforts across RTX to modernize the F-22 are meant to keep it ready for tomorrow's fight, they also reflect the original vision for the aircraft: to be not just relevant, but dominant.
"The F-22 was not designed to win 51-49," Rogers said. "It was designed to win 100 to zero."
