http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/13458528.htm
  Posted on Wed, Dec. 21, 2005

  Pilots say new U.S. stealth fighter has no equal

  MELISSA NELSON  Associated Press

   TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force's new F-22A Raptor is such a  dominant fighter jet that in mock dogfights its pilots typically take on six F-15  Eagles at once.

   Despite the favorable odds, the F-15s, still one of the world's most capable  fighters, are no contest for the fastest radar-evading stealth jet ever built.

   "The F-15 pilots, they are the world's best pilots," said Lt. Col. David  Krumm, an F-22A instructor pilot. "When you take them flying against anyone else  in the world, they are going to wipe the floor with them. It's a startling  moment for them to come down here and get waylaid."

   The F-22A officially became ready for combat this month with a squadron of 12  Raptors on standby for worldwide deployment at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

   Those who know the Raptor best say it represents a major leap in U.S.  warfighting abilities. At this Florida Panhandle base, where all Raptor pilots are trained, instructors say the jet's stealth, speed and ability to electronically scan the battlefield from the air are far superior to any other fighter.

   "This is what's next," Krumm said. "The stuff that we have is great and it's  capable, but this is what's next."

   The Raptor, originally designed for air-to-air combat, was expanded to  include a ground attack role. Pilots dropped bombs from Raptors for the first time last weekend in training exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

   One of the challenges is finding pilots for the single-seat Raptors, formerly designated F/A-22 to emphasize its ground attack role. The Air Force looks  for experienced pilots with a background in fighters and bomb dropping, said  Col. Matthew Molloy.

   Raptor pilots are former F-15 pilots who have flown a two-seat version, the  F-15E Strike Eagle, and also have ground attack experience. The F-16 Fighting

  Falcon is the Air Force's only other jet that flies both air-to-air and  air-to-ground missions.

   Eventually, the Air Force plans to take students straight out of pilot  training into the Raptor program, Molloy said.

   Critics say the Raptor is too expensive at a time when the U.S. already  dominates the skies, and that it was designed for a high-tech enemy that no longer  exists - the Soviet Union.

   The Air Force puts the Raptor's price tag at $160 million per plane, but  outside experts estimate they cost more than $350 million each when research and  development expenses are added. So far, the Air Force has 56 Raptors, including  training and test fighters, at Tyndall, Langley, Nellis and Edwards Air Force

  Base, Calif. The current budget plans call for about 180 Raptors, but the Air  Force wants more. Tyndall has the largest contingent at 23.    Military leaders say the plane will ensure American air dominance for years  to come.

   "In any air-to-air fight out there, it is a hopeless mismatch," Krumm said.  "What we are more concerned with are countries that want to deny us air space  by purchasing surface-to-air missiles and that kind of stuff. Those are very  lethal to the way the U.S. deploys."

   The Raptor is designed to be especially proficient at taking out such   ground-launched missiles because of its speed and stealth. That's something military  leaders say could be needed in a fight against potential enemies including  Iran or North Korea.

  "We want to kick the door down so the air space is clear for any (aircraft)  you want to go in," Krumm said. "Someone could come in flying a Cessna 172 with  a pistol if you wanted after we're done."

   The Raptor's dogfighting capability adds a new dimension to the Air Force's  fleet of stealth aircraft. Krumm compared the earlier F-117 Nighthawk and B-2  Spirit to cockroaches.

   "They want to sneak in, drop their bombs, and sneak out again. They have  absolutely no wish for a fight," he said. "They don't have air-to-air missiles,  they cannot maneuver that well or anything else. Our airplane is entirely  offensive. Not only am I stealthy, but I'll also hunt you down and kill you if you  get in my way."  And then there is the Raptor's super cruise capability that lets it fly at  supersonic speed without using fuel-guzzling afterburners as required by other  fighters.

   "That saves us a lot of gas and opens up a whole host of things when you  start talking about dropping bombs," Krumm said. "You can imagine if you are  60,000 feet doing mach 1.9 (about 1,400 mph) and these bombs are flying out of your airplane, the swath of hell you can produce going through a country saying   'I'll take that target, and that target'."

Twelve Raptors will head to Alaska in June for their first routine peacetime  exercise deployment.  In the meantime, the instructors at Tyndall's 325th Fighter Wing will  continue looking for the Air Force's top pilots to fly the world's best fighter jet.   "Langley rapidly needs pilots and we are trying to produce pilots to keep up  with the production of the airplanes," Molloy said.

Krumm said one issue is that the plane is single-seater, which means only the  most experienced fighter pilots, capable of flying such a high-tech plane  solo, will be selected until the program becomes more routine.

  "When you strap on $160 million of taxpayer money, it's by yourself with me  nervously flying alongside you going 'Please don't screw up, please don't screw   up,'" Krumm said.