Quote:
Originally Posted by wabpilot
The F-22, or any western fighter for that matter, will detect a Russian emitter long before the Russian can detect us. That allows the F-22, to move out of the Su's cone of detection. No fighter radar has a 360 degree sweep. It's usually between 60 and 90 degrees. The smaller the cone, the longer the range. We just move to the flanks or behind. Then once in range, usually 25 nautical miles or so, we launch from a blind spot. Sure, our radar sets off his RWR, but we lock up faster and in his blind spot. With the AIM-120, we can even shut down the aircraft radar as it has a fully active mode. The Su is then in the position of having to turn and fight, or flee. If he turns and fights, he is facing an opponent with the advantage of having shot first and having better position. Fight over before it really begins. The real advantage of stealth is it allows the F-22 to get closer for its shot and a much shorter run time for the missile.
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Zinja, building on what WAB said...
The F-22's AESA is also LPI (Low Probability of Intercept)
Quantifying the Differences in Low Probability of Intercept Radar Waveforms Usin As such the F-22 can use it's radar to lock and launch from medium and long ranges without giving itself away. In fact in exercises the LPI was so good the F-22 was able to use its guns without being detected.
What this means is the F-22 has minutes to detect (RWR) minutes more to interrogate (AESA LPI) and choose how to act in complete stealth.
The Russian's are making big noise abut thier IRST which they probably correctly claim can detect the F-22 between 10-15 km or 1/10-1/20 the range in which they have been under active radar surveillance.
The SU or Mig family has no way to force the Raptor to fight. Even if they can use thier superb agility to dodge 2 out of every three missiles fired at them each Raptor can shoot down 2 aircraft and then fly home without ever entering the SU/Migs IRST range. I do not know how many planes are in a typical Russian aero-regiment 920?) but getting 8 of thier buddies splashed by a flight of 4 Raptors without even seeing thier killers will break any pilots will.
That assassin like ability will even aid American legacy fighters. The USAF and USN are both well known for setting up aerial traps and ambushes. Flankers attempting to counter a conventional strike package then are under extreme pressure to launch from long range and then leave the area as soon as possible to avoid the Raptors they have to assume are in the area.
Vs. anyone with less than 4.5 gen fighters the F-22 can press its attack home and a flight of 4 can potentially destroy a large percentage of any non-great power's air force in a single mission. Even a great power would have trouble absorbing the loss. For example China has 204 modern fighters (remeber the AESA LPI lets the F-22 picks its targets at leisure. If a flight of 4 Raptors can each get 4 kills from 6 missiles (16 kills) the PLAAF just lost of its modern fighter force to just lost about 8% of its total numbers to just 4 American planes which themselves number around 180.
Now to make the future even more dreary for non-US air forces. The USAF is working on a fighter sized laser with 10's of Km of range. Imagine if you will that it is 2020 and the US is facing off against some one who has bought a lot of the modern Russian jets (non-PAK FA). Lets even given them the technology to detect the LPI. If the F-22 ha sa speed of light weapon then the passive receivers and aim the weapon- the LPI can do a quick lock and zap the enemy airframe gets flash boiled and the LPI shuts off all in just 1-2 seconds. On-zap-off, On-zap-off, On-zap-off over and over again.
This ability to not only dominate but intimidate its foes and the promise of beign able to do so for decades is why the F-22 is #1.