Advanced Tactical Fighter to F-22 Raptor:; Origins of the 21st Century Air Dominance Fighter

xvii, [1]. 308, [2] pages. Illustrations. References Acronyms. Abbreviations. Bibliography. Index. The Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet fighters under development in the 1980s. Lockheed and Northrop were selected in 1986 to develop the YF-22 and the YF-23 technology demonstrator aircraft. These aircraft were evaluated in 1991 and the Lockheed YF-22 was selected and later developed into the F-22 Raptor. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems. The USAF considers the F-22 unmatched by any known or projected fighter. The Raptor's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness gives the aircraft unprecedented air combat capabilities. A final procurement tally of 187 operational production aircraft was established in 2009, and the last F-22 was delivered to the USAF in 2012. The authors have been intimately involved in the acquisition and development of the advanced tactical fighter programme from its inception through today. This book traces the history of the ATF programme and the evolution of the ATF requirements from the beginning of the program through the start of the engineering and manufacturing development.…