Happy Birthday to the F-22 Raptor:

What Do You Get a 10-Year Old Who Has Everything?

Originally published on Fightersweep.com (http://fightersweep.com/3519/what-do-you-get-a-10-year-old-with-everything/)

On December 14, 2005 the Commander of Air Combat Command (COMACC), General Ronald Keys declared the F-22A Raptor reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC).[1] In honor of its tenth birthday, I searched for the perfect birthday present for the Raptor. But what do you get for a ten year old that seemingly has everything? It would be easy to say “more siblings,” but let’s be honest: the Raptor production line is highly unlikely to be re-opened, so that is a non-starter. The Raptor already has stealth, supercruise, super-maneuverability, sensor fusion, and a proven record in combat. It seems like a pretty spoiled pre-teen to me. Well, like any ten year old, the Raptor could really use some new toys. The F-22 is already scheduled to receive the Increment 3.2B upgrade over the next five years. Increment 3.2B provides improved geolocation, improved electronic protection and the ability to employ the next evolution of US air-to-air missiles (AAMs): the AIM-120D Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) and the AIM-9X SIDEWINDER.[2] These toys are nice, but to truly compete with the other kids on the playground (the Chinese J-20 and the Russian T-50/PAK-FA), the Raptor needs a new generation of toys. Specifically, Raptor needs upgraded AAMs, new air-to-ground weapons, and improved avionics such as a helmet-mounted display (HMD), a datalink that allows true information sharing with all US and coalition aircraft and an infrared search and track system (IRSTS).

Primary among the Raptor’s needs is a new, long-range AAM to replace the AIM-120. US fighter pilots long thought the AIM-120 to be far superior to any adversary missile, but the AMRAAM is now at risk of being outperformed by emerging AAM technology, chief among them the Chinese PL-15. On September 15th of this year, the Chinese successfully test fired this developmental missile and destroyed an airborne target drone.[3] According to published reports, the PL-15 exceeds the range of its predecessor, the PL-12, which boasts a maximum range of over 100km.[4] A missile that can kill an adversary from 60 miles away presents a deadly threat to all US fighter platforms. No less an authority than the current COMACC, General Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle has recognized the threat posed by the ultra long-range PL-15. At this fall’s Air Force Association conference, General Carlisle pointed out the AMRAAM’s range disadvantage vis-a-vis the PL-15 and declared “out-sticking” the PL-15 was a high priority for the US Air Force.[5] Rapid development, production and deployment of a longer-range successor to the AIM-120D, or a completely new long-range AAM should be a national priority. Ensuring the Raptor has this new toy to play with in its teens and beyond is critical for the F-22 to maintain its unquestioned superiority over all other air superiority fighters.

The Raptor has become much more than the air-to-air fighter is was originally designed to be; it has been provided true multi-role capabilities. In 2012, the F-22 fleet began receiving the Increment 3.1 “Enhanced Air Dominance” upgrade that gave the aircraft an improved capability to geolocate ground radars, added a synthetic aperture radar imagery mode and an electronic attack mode for the APG-77 radar, and allowed the Raptor to carry up to eight Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) which could be dropped against up to four targets.[7] The Department of Defense claimed the Raptor used these capabilities to great effect in Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, the counter-ISIL campaign in Syria and Iraq. However, much like with its air-to-air armament, the Raptor needs some new air-to-ground toys. The F-22’s current air-to-ground arsenal consists of the 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and the SDB. These munitions may not be able survive an attack on modern long-range surface-to-air missiles (SAM) systems like the S-400 (NATO Designator: SA-21 GROWLER), which Russia claims has a greater than 70% single-shot probability of kill against precision-guided munitions.[8] The Raptor needs revolutionary air-to-ground weapons that can defeat modern air defenses. One option is the much talked about, but as yet unfunded, Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile (CHAMP). This missile, which has had at least one successful test, is supposed to disable electronic equipment with bursts of high-frequency electromagnetic energy.[9] This is the type of revolutionary new technology that would be the perfect fit on a stealthy Raptor on a mission to destroy high value military targets, and would be a welcome addition to the Raptor’s arsenal.

Finally, the Raptor could use a new set of sensors designed to improve its employment of all these new toys (weapons) discussed above. Most noticeably, Raptor pilots still lack a helmet-mounted cueing system, which is required to take full advantage of the within visual range capabilities of the AIM-9X missile. Raptor is not scheduled to receive HMDs until 2020 at the earliest.[10] In addition to a helmet-counted cueing system, the F-22 needs an infrared cueing system, which can passively detect adversary fighters at a range of up to 50 kilometers (27 nautical miles [nm]).[11] Finally, Raptor needs one upgrade to facilitate sharing its “overarching situational awareness” with other US and coalition air forces. Currently, the F-22 does not have the capability to pass its sensor data over Link-16, denying other platforms the ability to use Raptor’s battlespace information.[12] One possible solution would be to retrofit the Raptor with the Multifunction Advanced Datalink (MADL), which would allow the Raptor to share data with the F-35 and the B-2.[13] These toys would not only make the Raptor more lethal and more survivable, but also increase effectiveness of other aircraft in a force package with the F-22.

The Raptor has had an eventful first ten years of life. Who could forget the Raptor’s embarrassing Y2K-like glitch when it first tried (unsuccessfully) to cross the International Date Line in 2007?[14] It took nearly nine years before the Raptor was allowed to participate in actual combat operations. But now the F-22 has hit its stride, Air Force and civilian leaders are effusive in their praise for the work the Raptor is doing in the skies over Syria. There is little doubt that the Raptor is the most advanced and deadly fighter aircraft in the world. But much like a child, the Raptor needs to be nurtured and equipped with the tools necessary to be successful later in life. As the Raptor enters its second decade of operational service with the US Air Force, it is absolutely vital the nation continues to equip this fighter with the newest “toys”; weapons and sensors that will optimize the capability of the aircraft for decades to come. Since the Vietnam War the US Air Force has refused to accept a “fair fight”, instead demanding overwhelming technical superiority over potential adversaries. The Raptor is the ultimate expression of this desire to maintain technological superiority over the competition. However, Russia and China are developing new toys for their services and proliferating technology to other nations. Without upgrades described above, the Raptor’s technological superiority is no longer guaranteed. The only way to maintain the Air Dominance capability our nation requires and which the F-22 provides, is to arm Raptor with revolutionary new toys.

Happy Birthday, Raptor, and many more!

Tyson Wetzel is an Air Force officer and a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School where he was also an instructor. Tyson has deployed multiple times in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, and NOBLE EAGLE. The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Air Force.

[1] U.S. Air Force, “F-22A Raptor goes Operational,” 15 Dec 2005. http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/132463/f-22a-raptor-goes-operational.aspx

[2] United States Government Accountability Office, “F-22 MODERNIZATION: Cost and Schedule Transparency Is Improved, Further Visibility into Reliability Efforts Is Needed,” F-22 MODERNIZATION: Cost and Schedule Transparency Is Improved, Further Visibility into Reliability Efforts Is Needed, May 2014. http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/663196.pdf

[3] Lin, Jeffrey and P.W. Singer, “Chinese Air-To-Air Missile Hits Targets, Spooks USAF General: PL-15 is China’s best and baddest aerial weapon yet,” Popular Science, 22 September 2014. http://www.popsci.com/chinese-air-to-air-missile-hits-targets-spooks-usaf-general

[4] Lin and Singer, “Chinese Air-To-Air Missile Hits Targets,” http://www.popsci.com/chinese-air-to-air-missile-hits-targets-spooks-usaf-general

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Majumdar, Dave, Latest F-22 upgrade brings ability to jam enemy radars,” Flight Global, 2 April 2012. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-latest-f-22-upgrade-brings-ability-to-jam-370192/

[8] Air Power Australia, Almaz-Antey 40R6 / S-400 Triumf, updated 27 January 2014, http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-S-400-Triumf.html.

[9] Drew, James, “USAF seeks ‘interim’ CHAMP, longer-range air-to-air missiles,” Flight Global, 16 September 2015. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-seeks-interim-champ-longer-range-air-to-air-416828/

[10] Majumdar, Dave, “America’s F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Is a Killer (But it Can Be Defeated),” National Interest, 15 October 2015. http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/americas-f-22-raptor-stealth-fighter-killer-it-can-be-14088

[11] Leone, Dario, “These may be the only F-22’s Achilles’ heels in a dogfight against 4th gen fighter jets,” The Aviationist, 30 September 2014. http://theaviationist.com/2014/09/30/these-may-be-the-only-f-22s-achilles-heels-in-a-dogfight-against-4th-gen-fighter-jets/

[12] Majumdar, Dave, Latest F-22 upgrade brings ability to jam enemy radars,” https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/in-focus-latest-f-22-upgrade-brings-ability-to-jam-370192/

[13] Ibid.

[14] Defense Industry Daily, “F-22 Squadron Shot Down by the International Date Line,” 1 March 2007. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/f22-squadron-shot-down-by-the-international-date-line-03087/