Latest news with #F22Raptor
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Planespotters gather at airbase as jets arrive
Planespotters have gathered outside an airbase after a dozen jets rarely seen outside of the United States landed. F-22 Raptor fighter jets, which are exclusively flown by the US Air Force (USAF), arrived at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Wednesday night. It comes as at least 30 other US military planes were moved from bases in the United States to Europe over the past few days as Israel and Iran continue to attack each other. A United States defence official said they were unable to provide details about the deployment of aircraft due to "operational security". RAF Lakenheath hosts the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing and is the largest US fighter operation in Europe. The wing employs four combat-ready fighter squadrons of F-15 Strike Eagles and F-35A Lighting II aircraft. Planespotters at RAF Lakenheath reported an increase in activity over the past few days with the F-22 jets' arrival as well as 16 F-35As leaving on Monday. They expressed excitement at being able to see the aircraft but also concern at the reasons for their appearance. John Millard travelled to the viewing area to get a look for himself and said it was often "jam packed" when news of incoming jets breaks. "It's one of their stealth fighter bombers and of course in coming here there's been a lot of interest," he said of the F-22 jets. "Here at Lakenheath they've got the F-15s and F-35s so it's unusual for another fighter bomber to actually arrive." The base is currently closed due to a United States holiday and the jets were expected to be leaving again in the next few days. "Unfortunately we don't know which runway they'll be using, it all depends on the wind," Mr Millard continued. "But yes, I'll come along." Mick Coppin travelled from Lincolnshire to the base to watch the activity. "It's quite exciting for me today hearing that news - we now hope to see some F-22 Raptors because they're awesome planes," he said. "We don't know the reason there here... but just to see one would be spectacular. "It's the sheer power and you don't see them outside the USA, to see them here would be wonderful." Mr Coppin believed the arrival of the F-22s "should concern us all", but he added there was "nothing we can do about it". Steve Huntley came up from Essex and got to the viewing point early. "I've been going to many airshows over the years and never seen one and the fact that 12 (F-22s) arrived here last night is really something," he said. "It's a very rare sight." Mr Huntley did not believe it was something to be worried about. "I think it's more of a deterrent," he added. "They're the best fighter aircraft in the world... they're an amazing aircraft and for an enthusiast it's like Christmas." Tanker aircrafts have also been spotted arriving at nearby RAF Mildenhall. The 352nd Special Operations Wing, based at the site, performs specialised operations and uses advanced aircraft, tactics and air fuelling techniques to transport and resupply military forces. An United States official told the BBC: "Due to operational security, we cannot provide details about the deployment of aircraft, personnel, or capabilities." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. US moves 30 jets as Iran attack speculation grows Trump approves Iran attack plan but has not made final decision, reports say Your questions answered on the Israel-Iran conflict RAF Lakenheath
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
RAF Lakenheath planespotters gather as F-22 fighter jets arrive
Planespotters have gathered outside an airbase after a dozen jets rarely seen outside of the United States landed.F-22 Raptor fighter jets, which are exclusively flown by the US Air Force (USAF), arrived at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Wednesday comes as at least 30 other US military planes were moved from bases in the United States to Europe over the past few days as Israel and Iran continue to attack each other.A United States defence official said they were unable to provide details about the deployment of aircraft due to "operational security". RAF Lakenheath hosts the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing and is the largest US fighter operation in wing employs four combat-ready fighter squadrons of F-15 Strike Eagles and F-35A Lighting II at RAF Lakenheath reported an increase in activity over the past few days with the F-22 jets' arrival as well as 16 F-35As leaving on Monday. They expressed excitement at being able to see the aircraft but also concern at the reasons for their appearance. John Millard travelled to the viewing area to get a look for himself and said it was often "jam packed" when news of incoming jets breaks."It's one of their stealth fighter bombers and of course in coming here there's been a lot of interest," he said of the F-22 jets."Here at Lakenheath they've got the F-15s and F-35s so it's unusual for another fighter bomber to actually arrive."The base is currently closed due to a United States holiday and the jets were expected to be leaving again in the next few days."Unfortunately we don't know which runway they'll be using, it all depends on the wind," Mr Millard continued."But yes, I'll come along." Mick Coppin travelled from Lincolnshire to the base to watch the activity."It's quite exciting for me today hearing that news - we now hope to see some F-22 Raptors because they're awesome planes," he said."We don't know the reason there here... but just to see one would be spectacular."It's the sheer power and you don't see them outside the USA, to see them here would be wonderful."Mr Coppin believed the arrival of the F-22s "should concern us all", but he added there was "nothing we can do about it". Steve Huntley came up from Essex and got to the viewing point early."I've been going to many airshows over the years and never seen one and the fact that 12 (F-22s) arrived here last night is really something," he said."It's a very rare sight."Mr Huntley did not believe it was something to be worried about."I think it's more of a deterrent," he added."They're the best fighter aircraft in the world... they're an amazing aircraft and for an enthusiast it's like Christmas." Tanker aircrafts have also been spotted arriving at nearby RAF 352nd Special Operations Wing, based at the site, performs specialised operations and uses advanced aircraft, tactics and air fuelling techniques to transport and resupply military forces. An United States official told the BBC: "Due to operational security, we cannot provide details about the deployment of aircraft, personnel, or capabilities." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Did The U.S. Air Force Cancel The F-22 Raptor?
It is the absolute apex of air-to-air combat. It rules the skies like a bird of prey, from which it takes its name. It's one of the stealthiest fighter jets in the world. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the pinnacle of what air dominance can be. So ... it was canceled. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Defense decided to end production of the fighter after only 186 planes were produced, significantly less than the original order of 750. What happened? Airpower is supposed to be one of the pillars of America's military strength, so why take its best piece off the board? The answer comes down to the fact that the nature of America's threats change and evolve over time, meaning that an asset that seemed critical in one era seems less so in another. Plus, put simply, the F-22 is wildly expensive, so if it's not an absolute must-have, the cost-benefit analysis just doesn't shake out. Read more: These Are The Worst American Cars Ever Made The F-22 was a revelation when it first flew in 1997. With a top speed of an incredible Mach 2.25 (1,726 miles per hour), supercruise capability (meaning it could fly for extended periods above the speed of sound), and a coat of radar-absorbent material, it was more advanced than any other fighter in the world at the time. It was a spaceship in a world full of paper planes. Ironically enough, that was part of its problem. Because Russia and China had nothing comparable in the first decade of the 21st century, the F-22 almost seemed like overkill. At a massive per-unit cost of $150 million, did America really need something that far beyond any of its competitors? For that matter, America's main adversaries at the time had no airpower at all. With the U.S. embroiled in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq against low-tech insurgent forces, a high-cost air-dominance fighter just didn't fit the country's needs at the time. Since even the Pentagon doesn't have infinite money (though it sure seems like it sometimes), it had to make some tough choices over where to put resources. For the budget-draining War on Terror, the F-22 just didn't have an argument to make. Not helping matters was the fact that Congress restricted use of the F-22 to just the U.S. Air Force. Translation: There would be no sales to foreign allies, which cut off a major revenue stream that could have offset its costs. Of course, since the end of production in 2009, a lot has changed. Russia and particularly China have upped their military capabilities, including in the air. With the benefit of hindsight, should the U.S. have kept the F-22 rolling off the assembly line? Not necessarily. For one thing, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an even newer fighter jet (though it has problems of its own). While slower and less stealthy than the F-22, it has vastly more advanced sensor capabilities. Not only can it gather a huge amount of information about the battlespace, its true party trick is its ability to disseminate that information to other F-35s and to headquarters. Meanwhile, the Air Force has also moved forward by looking backward. The decades-old F-15 airframe has gotten a major update in the form of the F-15EX. For one thing, it's much cheaper than the F-22 (its unit cost is only $94 million), which is appealing as the Pentagon looks to cut overspending. More importantly, the F-15EX can bring a whopping 12 air-to-air missiles to the fray, compared to the F-22's measly eight. The F-15EX was also designed to carry the newest and most advanced ordnance in the Air Force's arsenal, hypersonic missiles. Given all that, you could argue that the F-22 has lost its crown as the best air dominance fighter ... to a much older, and cheaper, plane. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
