"Yama" wrote in message
...

"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
...
He also seems to have left out the ESM system which is quite elaborate
in the F-22. It can take an AMRAAM shot with it without even using
it's main radar. Also he was incorrect on the F-22's speed. The mach
1.7 he lists in in dry thrust and it wasn't even max military power.
Paul Metz stated on a Discovery special that the maximum speed of the
F-22 is classified but that it will go Mach 2.5. To quote him ". .
.it's fast, I mean it's REALLY fast. It's top speed is classifed but
it will do Mach 2.5" This suggests that the top speed in afterburner
is over Mach 2.5. Paul Metz is the chief test pilot of the F-22
program.

I am sceptical. Doesn't F-22 have fixed intakes? Speeds over mach 2.0 are
pretty much impossible to attain with fixed intakes. Besides, such speeds
require some special materials in radome, canopy etc. which tend to be
more
expensive, may not be compatible with stealth requirements etc.

What I've seen for F-22 speeds as in combat configuration are mach 1.4-1.5
with supercruise, and 1.8 to 2.0 with afterburner. YF-23 was said to be
faster, especially with F120 engines.


The F-104 was a 50's design with fixed intakes, and was able to achieve well
over M 2.0, so Mach 2+ is doable with fixed intakes. With 40+ more years of
intake design development, even more *should* be possible.

KB