"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
...
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.

The F-104, XF8U-3 and for that matter the Mirage III all had centerbodies in
their inlets to generate a second shock located near the inlet lip. In the
case of the F8U-3, the centerbody was the radome. While I'm with you that
Metz is in the best position to know, I will be fascinated to learn how a
M2.5 inlet with decent pressure recovery works without some sort of second
shock generator in the inlet. The inner wall of the inlet (with the boundary
layer splitter) may form a fixed shock generator since the inlet lip of the
F22 is "swept" back WRT the splitter.