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. 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.

The radomes of many mach 2+ aircraft are exactly the
same sort of construction (materials, etc.) as that
on aircraft from the 1950s. The fiberglass form is
essentially transparent to RF - but nothing which a
special coating (to replace the normal rubber) can't
make stealthy and concealing.

Besides - the F-22 is reputed to be using a large
number of small active arrays (part of the skin)
- in place of a conventional mechanical or
electronically-steered antenna. It's liable to be
a mess of cabling (or waveguide and ferrites) beneath
the skin - but an amazing advance.