The F-22 is leading U.S. Air Force transformation efforts.

Its ability to penetrate anti-access airspace, while finding, tracking and targeting enemy

air and ground-based threats will ensure freedom to maneuver and freedom from attack for all

joint forces.

The Raptor's unique combination of advanced stealth, supercruise, advanced maneuverability

and integrated avionics will allow it to “kick down the door,” and then follow up with

24-hour stealth operations and freedom of movement for all follow-on forces – fully

leveraging the Raptor's technological advantages.

Two F119 engines, the world's most advanced combat aircraft engines, power the F-22.

These engines, with their unique thrust-vectoring nozzle and integrated stealth characteristics,

give the F-22 the capability to supercruise, or achieve Mach 1.5+ speeds, without the use

of afterburners.

The F-22's all-aspect stealth and high speed/high altitude capability gives U.S. forces and

allies an advantage that will endure well into the future.

By incorporating revolutionary advances in technology, the F-22 is ready to dominate

any and all adversaries from the outset of any conflict.

This capability provides a critical edge to joint force commanders and acts as an effective

deterrent to future adversaries.

Air Dominance: The F-22 is an entirely new way of thinking

about fighter capabilities.

This 5th generation fighter represents a leap in warfighting capabilities for the U.S. Air

Force and coalition forces.

Advanced stealth – enables 24/7 operations while remaining virtually undetected by enemy

forces

Supercruise speeds greater than Mach 1.5 without afterburners – enhance survivability/lethality

Extreme fighter agility – allows outmaneuvering through acceleration and razor-sharp turns

Information fusion – generates 360-degree battlespace awareness for pilot

Joint force enabler – assures future air dominance for joint and coalition forces

Armament: The Raptor has three internal weapons bays:

a large bay on the bottom of the fuselage, and two smaller bays on the sides of the fuselage,

aft of the engine intakes.

The main bay can accommodate six LAU-142/A launchers for beyond-visual-range missiles

and each side bay has an LAU-141/A launcher for short-range missiles.

Four of the launchers in the main bay can be replaced with two bomb racks that can each

carry one 1,000 lb or four 250 lb bombs.

Missile launches require the bay doors to be open for less than a second, during which

hydraulic arms push missiles clear of the aircraft; this is to reduce vulnerability

to detection and to deploy missiles during high speed flight.

The F-22 can also carry air-to-surface weapons such as bombs with Joint Direct Attack Munition

guidance and the Small-Diameter Bomb.

While the F-22 typically carries weapons internally, the wings include four hardpoints, each rated

to handle 5,000 lb.

Each hardpoint can accommodate a pylon that can carry a detachable 600-gallon external

fuel tank or a launcher holding two air-to-air missiles.