Recently, Gig 601XL Builder posted:

Neil Gould wrote:
Recently, Gig 601XL Builder posted:

Neil Gould wrote:
Are the missions of the F-117 and F-22 all that similar?

Sure the F22 can do what the F117 can do and defend itself. The only
exception is the ability of the 117 to carry a 2K pound bomb.

F22 Load

Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan gatling gun in starboard wing
root, 480 rounds
Air to air loadout:
6× AIM-120 AMRAAM
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air to ground loadout:
2× AIM-120 AMRAAM and
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder and one of the following:
2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) JDAM or
2× Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers (WCMDs) or
8× 250 lb (110 kg) GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs


F117 Load

2× internal weapons bays with one hardpoint each (total of two
weapons) equipped to carry:
Bombs:
BLU-109 hardened penetrator
GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bomb
GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb
GBU-27 Paveway III laser-guided bomb
JDAM INS/GPS guided munition

This doesn't look all that similar to me. The F-117 seems to be a
stealth strike configuration, while the F-22 is also suited to be an
air-to-air fighter, more like a stealthy replacement for the F-16.
What am I overlooking?


As I mentioned the F22 is lacking the ability to drop the 2K pound
bombs that the F117 can but it can drop all of these (plus probably
some stuff that is classified) and in some of the cases it can do it
at speeds above Mach 1. But over all it has the same number of hard
points as the F117.

I had asked about whether the missions were similar. The F-22 appears to
be a replacement for the F-15/16 in that regard, and in that it is a
Mach 1, all-weather, day/night aircraft, it doesn't look like an F-117
replacement to me at all. I suspect that the F-117's mission was made
obsolete by a combination of other technologies.

Best,

Neil