On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 17:44:46 +0200, "Yama"
wrote:


"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.

Maybe you missed that last line. Paul Metz is the chief test pilot, I
think he'd know.


oesn't F-22 have fixed intakes? Speeds over mach 2.0 are
pretty much impossible to attain with fixed intakes.

Despite what much of the media would have you believe fixed inlets
mean zippo. The XF8-U Crusader III's inlet was fixed and it was good
up to Mach three. The highest it got was 2.3 because of the plasic
windshield and they planned to replace it with a glass one shortly
there after but the program ended up getting cancelled. The test
pilots were confident it would have reached 2.9 as it was still
rapidly accelerating at 2.3. It all depends on what speed the inlets
are optimized for. IIRC the Bomarc had fixed inlets too and the B
model was good for well over Mach 3. Come to think of it I'm pretty
sure ASALM had a fixed inlet too and it went well over Mach 5.


esides, such speeds
require some special materials in radome

The YF-12 of the sixties had a radome that was good for at least Mach
3.2


canopy etc.

The F-15 was originally going to be designed to reach Mach 2.7 but
when they decided to go with the acrilyc canopy they had to back it
off to 2.5. I find it difficult to believe that haven't figure out
how to make one a tad better at high speeds in the past 30 years.


hich tend to be more
expensive, may not be compatible with stealth requirements etc.

The canopy has a metallic coating for just this reason which is why it
has the gold look to it.




What I've seen for F-22 speeds as in combat configuration are mach 1.4-1.5
with supercruise,

It's hit 1.7 that they've released.


and 1.8 to 2.0 with afterburner. YF-23 was said to be
faster, especially with F120 engines.

The top speed for the YF-23 is still classified ironically. GE has
estimated that it's non afterburner speed would have likely been over
1.8