US Route 99
View allAll Photos Tagged Assigning
Assign by the Gray Hills while venturing up the Gros Ventre, Wyoming. Quite honestly my favorite day of last summer. There’s nothing like being able to explore somewhere new.
Our assigned location for the Christmas Bird Count on Sunday was along the Mississippi River, and we had heavy fog for quite a while before it burned off. It made birding tough, but the light was gorgeous. Lewis and Clark State Historic Site (Camp River Dubois)
Currently assigned to Genessee & Wyoming's Marquette Rail, the Chicago & Illinois Midland SD20 81 idles away by the coaling tower in Baldwin, Michigan shortly before a crew would show up to wye the power and build the "Baldwin Eagle" for the trip to Ludington.
7400' of double stacked, 53 foot domestics assigned to train Q CHISTO6 04L trade Chicago's bustling metropolis for the rural farmlands, wind turbines and grain elevators that dot the many miles of this bucolic Illinois landscape, seen here sprinting through small-town Ransom, milepost 79 of the Chillicothe Sub, still within the infant stages of their long, westward journey across the old Santa Fe Transcontinental to California. The front runner on this Sunday edition Chicago-Corwith to Stockton intermodal Q is C44-9W #987, which wears the short lived Heritage 1 livery from BNSF's original corporate image, conjured up following a September 1995 merger between both the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Burlington Northern railroads. This sharp looking H1 scheme features a large orange band running the length of each locomotive marked with company initials and flanked both above and below by thin yellow stripes and dark green paint, brought all together by BNSF's round "Wagon Wheel" logo adorned on the nose. Formerly relegated to trailing service only, the entire fleet of these 900, 1000, and 1100 series General Electric Dash 9's were all recently upgraded with the necessary PTC electrical equipment to become lead qualified out on the mainlines; Today's pictured 987 reaping such benefits.
For a couple of week back in summer 2024, CN assigned GP38-2 7512 to Coteau. I was thrilled to finally work on a 7500-serie unit, the last one having leaved Montreal-area back in 1997 when the hump at Taschereau yard was closed for good.
Since then. many 7500-serie GP38-2 were modified for road switching service even if retaining their long hood forward running configuration and the lack of cow catcher on either side.
GP38-2 7512, built as CN 5547 in 1973, slowly pull empty ties service gons from track Q045 on a sunny September morning while working L538 job.
CN L53821-18
7512 4724
Milepost 46.8 Valleyfield subdivision
Les Coteaux,QC
September 18th 2024
As I recover from shoulder surgery, I have assigned myself a big, major, huge project…and yes it concerns photography! My mission, should I decide to accept it (Mission Impossible reference) is to clean out and organize my 2TB external hard drive…that contains every digital photo that I have retained since 1985. The majority also have the RAW file associated with that photo attached. Files numbering in the tens of thousands that have been filed, misfiled, triple duplicated and thrown into folders as if I were dealing cards. My ADHD and sense of personal embarrassment will simply not allow this craziness to continue.
The blessing of this process is not just the discovery of photos long forgotten, but the memories contained. These files may well prove themselves to be priceless…not just for the memories depicted in the photos, but as a partner as I spent the next five weeks, the hours ahead fighting off my nemesis, boredom!
Here is one from a very good day…
You know that it was a very good day when you can remember everything about that day, the temperature, the warmth of the sun, the smell of a spring pasture and in this case anxiety of having to go to work when your best girl is about to give birth! It was the 13th of May, 2010 and our National Champion (Reserve Color Champion, 2006 AOBA Nationals) girl Rosalita was in labor. Joann and I both went to work to check in and start clearing the days schedule, both securing the day off with bosses and returning to the farm in record time.
A quick switch from work to farm cloths and a short trot to the front pasture found that Rosalita had already lost her mucus plug…her cria would be born anytime now. It was time to grab some lawn chairs, my camera and our birthing kit and just wait for things to progress. In the back of my mind, I prayed for a smooth, natural birth and that I would not have to put on the big gloves ever again and assist.
The next hour provided us with a memory of a lifetime as Giacomo would come into the world! A 19.2-pound male from Legend’s Challenger, at that time one of the top gray males in the country. The beauty of the moment, the cycle of life experience on such a beautiful May day is forever etched into my soul. Joann and I removed the remnants of the birth sack and dried our gift. The name Giacomo was chosen as it was in honor of my father who had passed some four years before. It was his childhood nickname and I know that it would have made him smile…like this photo does for me now as I utilize the editing program Lightroom to bring it to life.
This photo captures the bonding process/moment that alpaca mothers do just after birth. She gently takes her lips and nose and rub it against that of her cria, all the while making a clicking sound that bonds the two together for life. She will also use the same area to help her cria stay steady on its wabbly, minutes old legs.
What a blessing it is to witness not just the new physical body that God had created, but also the pure, palpable, natural love that was immediate between mother and son as well.
I didn’t know it then, but Giacomo would be the last cria born to us at Serene-n-Green Alpacas. In the early fall of 2010, a couple came to the farm and bought our last five alpacas, water buckets, farm name, logos, hay and trailer to start their own turn-key alpaca farm in Ohio.
Today, when anyone asks if I miss raising alpacas my response is immediate and direct. I miss birthing those babies!
Chase experiences, not things!
Assigned to work the LUL41 local, Union Pacific SD40Ns No. 1954 and 1901 bask in the warm afternoon sun in Provo, Utah the afternoon of Feb. 7, 2021. The unit was built EMD SD40-2 No. 3571 for the UP in March 1979.
The local power assigned to CSXT L010 (formerly B731) rests in the former New Haven Readville Yard waiting for the crew to show up later to make their regular weekday turn up to Framingham and back. Six axle power is a bit unusual here these days and normally all you'll find in this small outpost is three GP40-2s, but back in Penn Central and Conrail days it was commonplace when they ran a Selkirk to Readville thru freight. CSXT 8822 is right at home here as she was blt. Sep. 1977 as CR 6413.
Readville is a neighborhood on the very southern edge of the city bordering the tony community of Milton. In fact it is 9.2 miles as the crow flies from this spot to South Station, but it's still technically in Boston! The locos sit almost on the city line and in fact the yard office just south of here out of sight to the left is actually in the down of Dedham.
Readville
Boston, Massachusetts
Wednesday April 12, 2023
The locomotive assigned to Viseu yard pilot duties on 4th October 2016 was 87-0032-0, a 450 hp 1974-built class 'L45H' and originally with the Romanian Railways (C.F.R.) depot at Alba Iulia. It was captured at the throat of the yard positioning cut logs for steam loco use and a flat wagon and fuel tank ready for forming into the following day's production train. The predominance of posts and power lines is unhelpful - it is not a new communications attachment to the loco!
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
Retitled for an assigned song title theme in Civray Photo club.
Assigned Song:
'HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW?'
Original title: RAIN STOPS PLAY
My dog, Foxy, perched on top of an armchair in the lounge, photographed from outside, framed by one of the small window panels, wishing away the rain.
Best viewed full page to see detail.
Taken 21 August 2017
ƒ/5.6; 1/350; ISO 100
All rights reserved
Once assigned to Conrail's priority TV trains, three former CR GP40-2s work for CSX leading Willard to Cleveland, OH freight Q354 at Sterling, OH. Negotiating the crossovers, the train will take the CL&W sub north to Clark Ave yard.
Assigned to 125 ATS / 137 MAW based at Oklahoma City.
Their C-97 Stratofreighters were replaced soon after with the C-124 Globemaster which in turn were replaced in 1972 by C-130E Hercules
I was assigned to C&NW train No. 596 with SD40 No. 876 in the lead, shortly after the sun came up in November 1981. We had a heavy, under powered train with a big block of loaded ballast cars on the head end. Here, the power is east of the I-90 overpass after pulling the train out of the yard to couple to our way car that we left on the main line after arriving on train No. 595.
F-15C Eagles assigned to the 131st Fighter Squadron at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Mass., and the 194th Fighter Squadron at Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif., wait to refuel beside a KC-135 Stratotanker during a Red Flag 16-1 training mission on Feb. 11, 2016. The concept of Red Flag was developed by Maj. Moody Suter to simulate the first 10 combat missions pilots would face. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Burt Traynor)
Assigned to the 436 MAW at Dover Air Force Base Delaware.
She was not retired from service until w/d 28-3-17 to Davis Monthan
This year I was assigned to host our doll club meeting for September. I prepared these handmade gifts to give away to the other 7 members of the club. I had to make them when my baby took her nap during the day or late at night when she’s in bed. For a whole month, I scanned, took pics, photoshopped, prototyped, printed and assembled these paper miniatures. I only made the ones you see in the pictures, and had our club members make the doll boxes as a craft project for the meeting. All effort was worth it seeing how ecstatic our club members were upon seeing their gifts.
I got the idea from Rogier Corbeau’s work during the Barbie Convention. He created this really awesome store diorama for the silent auction which sold for $3,400! Thanks to Jim Taylor too for posting his work on facebook for me to oogle at.
The shelves were made by etsy seller Mihail.
*I do not have plans of selling these as I don't want to get in trouble with mattel, but once I find the time, I am considering uploading some of the graphics so you can make them yourselves.
Inyo National Forest on the east side of Yosemite. 9 images, 1 stop increments, layered in Photmatix Pro 5 (default format), final editing Lightroom CC.
Over Labor Day weekend I posted about working in Yosemite National Park (Disillusioned), now I’d like to let you know what it’s like to live in Yosemite housing. Before I start I’d like to give a little history on myself.
I started working as a paperboy at around 7 years old. My brothers, mom and I would get up before school wrap the newspapers, mom would drive us around in the station wagon. My older brother and I would walk from block to block and mom kept us resupplied. She had my younger brother with her in the car, driving from block to block. Not long after that we moved into the country. I bailed hay, plowed and sprayed fields for farmers. At 12, I started bussing tables and doing dishes, 3rd shift on weekends. At 13. I was pumping gas, fixing tires, then repairing automobiles. I did a little factory work last year of high school and graduated early. After graduation I moved to Texas and did road service. From there I joined the Army to see the world. I entered into a Cohort unit, assigned to US Joint Service Special Operations Command (big title). I did live reconnaissance and loved it. Here I was; young, doing some balls to the walls shit and on top of the world. Then, I met this woman that took my breath away, I know cliché. We got married, had a little girl, then came back to the states. I switched over to animal medicine in order to spend more time with my family. I had to trace across the country to go from one school to another, then advanced schooling. We finally ended in Colorado, and then another school. Once I had that finished I enrolled in night college classes. Then again; not much time for the family. My wife wasn’t happy, she wanted to go home to her native country, we discussed what was best for our daughter and she stayed in the states with me. She was 3 at the time. My ex and I are still friends, keep in touch and our daughter visits her often.
Where was I, oh, sadness, my wife left. Anyway, my daughter was devastated, her and her mother were close. In the many challenges in life; watching my daughter suffer through this, was the one of the most difficult. So, dad hunkered down, story time every night, McD’s on Fridays and Pizza Pizza on Saturdays. I was doing ok, but my daughter wasn’t. I still had a lot of obligations; I was running the US Air Force Academy Veterinary Clinic and a volunteer program for Vet Thechs, at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs. It soon came time to reenlist, my daughter was 5 at the time and she needed me more, so I left the Army. It was a great run, got a butt load of medals, was awarded Non-commissioned Officer of the Year and I was privileged to serve with some of the best men and women from around the world.
So, here we are; my daughter and I, heading back to the Midwest, two dachshunds, a betta fish and a big rental truck, driving across America once again. We had a blast, until Ernie (one of the dachshunds) ate the betta fish along the way. I made good money selling my house in Colorado, took that money and started a business, did very well, got very sick, sold my business and bounced back. Became a manager for a company, got promoted to district manager along the way. The recession hit us hard in 2008, with cut backs I got laid-off, my daughter all grown, I headed back out west. I took my time looking for work, made it to Washington state and headed down the coast.
I found this job in Yosemite online, applied and was hired on the spot. Now, I’ll start letting you know what it’s like to live in Yosemite’s housing. I first moved into a housing unit very close to where I worked. It was a nice building and had to share a room with a person. It was no biggie, did it I the Army. One of the housing managers let me in the room, the guy that lived there was not there at the time and the room looked as if it had not been cleaned in years. The housing manger didn’t say a word, gave me the keys and left. I had to clean everything on my side of the room before unpacking. While doing so, my new roommate came in, didn’t say a word, went to his computer and played games all night, way into the night.
As the days went by my roommate was becoming a real dick. He would stay up late playing games, I had to get up at 4:30 am for work. Also, would make as much noise as possible to wake me, at all hours of the night and morning. I caught him holding a large key chain full of keys, raise it above his head and drop it on his nightstand until I woke up. This guy was vulgar, extremely poor hygiene and down-right nasty. I complained to housing and was ridiculed by housing management. There was an older gentleman that I worked with; told me to be careful and don’t piss off curtain people or they will get you fired. He told me my roommate and others make it difficult for their roommates, so they don’t have to share a room. The person will get tired of the harassment and request another roommate.
I’m the type of person that stands up for myself and it didn’t take long for my roommate to rally a few friends to make my life difficult. That was almost 10 years ago and over the years many in the Yosemite community have perfected Workplace Mobbing and Community Stalking. You can call it what you want; but it’s conspired mobbing and harassment, here in Yosemite National Park there are no boundaries.
I eventually moved into another housing area. The day I moved in, I was being blocked in the hallway as I would bring my belongings in. Several people in my building would step out of their rooms, directly in front of me as I brought things in. Then, there was one woman that would rush into the building and crowd me in the hall on every trip. The effort and assertion these people would put into their skits was remarkable and sometimes quite hilarious. Watching grown men and women act like adolescent children was mind-blowing. I lived there for many years, being harassed daily. These people will wait around for hours for me to step out of my room, go to the bathroom, do laundry or use the kitchen; so, they will have an opportunity to harass me. If I didn’t leave my room (say I was sick), they would harass me in my room. My neighbors would stomp pass my room, pound on walls, floors anything to generate continuous noise. These people love to hate, enjoy harassing people and will go to almost any length to do so, and no one is holding them accountable. I lived in that building for over 7 years.
Now let’s move to the current building I’m in. I moved into this building in December of this year, because the other housing area is being closed and cleared. When I moved into this building I received the same treatment, just more intensified. As I brought my belongings in, there were several people in the hallway, then stepping from rooms and around the corners. I’m not exaggerating folks, it was like dodging tennis balls shot from a soda pop canon (got a little board, so just threw that in). Here I am, a big man, 200 lbs, bringing in my frig, shelves, all kinds of things. I’m thinking to myself, what happen to common courtesy?
I get moved in, am kinda excited because it’s one of the nicer buildings, nice size private room, with an attached bathroom. I had to share the bathroom with the guy in the next room; we had private and locked entrances, so thought it wasn’t too bad. My excitement was short lived, as I knew it would be (remember I’ve been here a while). About two weeks in; I came home from a long day at the Fresno VA, did my grocery shopping (so much cheaper out of the park) and no one was in the hallway. I thought it odd, because it’s usually crowded when I have groceries. I get half way down the hall and I’m overwhelmed from the smell of feces. I open the door to my room and the smell was worse. I sat my groceries down, looked around trying to find out where the smell was coming from. I opened the bathroom door, the floors, four walls, the fixtures, threshold to the tub area, the tub, my rug under the sink, were all covered with splattered feces. My rug was covered in liquid feces, my neighbor was in his room with the TV on. I have a strong stomach, but this was BAD. I knew better than blow my top (that’s exactly what these sickos want), so I called to try and contact the night housing manager. The young woman at the switchboard was great; she made several attempts to get him to show up, explained in detail what had happened. He was too busy to even show up at all, maybe had too much shit to do. She did manage to get a young member of our Elite Security Force to show up, just kidding about the Elite part. This young man took pictures, said he would fill out a report, then asked me if I had cleaning supplies. He is standing in this filth, my neighbor in his room TV on, and this guy is expecting me to clean this. Am I the only one that’s thinking this is way beyond OVER THE TOP? My neighbor, an elf or maybe a bear came into the bathroom, covered it in shit and he’s expecting me to clean it. My neighbor is setting in his room, so you know it wasn’t him. It was him, I’m trying to add a little humor to the Bat-Shit-Stupid, I live in every day. Well, I tell the Elite Security guy; that I wasn’t going to clean that mess. He looks kind of puzzled, then says “we can have housing clean it tomorrow”. It just keeps getting stupider, doesn’t it, but no kidding, it’s the truth. I said “my neighbor is in his room have him clean it up, I need to clean up myself and get ready for work in the morning”. He went over, talked to him, told me he would clean it, said he would file a report and left. My neighbor was in there maybe 15 minutes, then all lights out. It was still filthy; my rug covered in feces was turned around under the sink, the walls, floors and fixtures still covered in areas. I ended cleaning the rest myself after many complaints to housing. After this he would continue to leave feces on fixtures and floors, to which I cleaned. After many more complaints to housing and senior Elite management; my neighbor remained for four more months. He would make a mess, then disappear for weeks, leaving me to clean it. I wish I had a job I could just disappear from for weeks, repeatedly. Still scratching my head on that one, not really, I know better. It wasn’t until a week before my daughter came out to visit, that he moved. Again, am I the only one thinking; WHAT A COENCIDENCE! Don’t worry, we have more, so much more, but first I have to pee. You know, all the talk about my bathroom. I’m back. People using feces and urine to harass someone here in Yosemite is not new; look through my photostream, you can see it impacted feces in my Jeep door handle. I have thousands of other pictures, but will spare the public from this madness for now.
Now, I’d like to cover other daily niceties of living in this building, with my current and rotating neighbors. Each and every day I get the stomping down the hall, with an emphasis at my door and you can throw in a loud cough at my door too. Then, there’s my neighbors setting in their rooms for hours, for a chance to step out and block me in the hall. One neighbor two doors down; 6 times in one day. I know, I know, it was just a coincidence. But, this person did the same thing in the previous building we lived in. That person also rallies my neighbors right outside my room; 5-6 of them, talking and laughing loudly, to the point I can’t watch TV with headphones on. Because I asked them if they could move into the kitchen or TV room; I was called a Dick, or maybe she slurred my name (Rick). That was it, no one in Yosemite would call me a Dick for asking them to be courteous, I mean no one…. Well, that caused hissy-fits, retaliation and vilified their misguided notions of me. Yes, Rick is a Dick, we know this now, we have the justification to make his life a living hell. So, they got to it. I get mobbed every time I go to use the kitchen or the laundry room. I’ve picked random times and it’s the same, the same people over and over. They will get right in my face, block me at every turn, turn burners and ovens off, pour filthy water or something onto your washed dishes or in your dishwater. Again, same acts following from building to building and some of the same people too. When I go to do laundry; the person two rooms down and the guy that cleans the building, will wait in the small bathroom in the hallway, so they can fling the door open at me, as I walk pass to put clothes in dryers or collect. Recently, I had someone put a freshly broken chocolate bar under the agitator, in the washer I was about to use. It could have been a coincidence, you think?
This person living two doors down started setting against my wall, in the hallway. She would talk with the people directly across the hall from me, they played loud music with their door open. This gave the person setting against my wall justification to start hitting my wall with a foot or elbow (in their minds). Again, I asked if they could keep it down and not to pound on the floor or my wall. I was met with a “this is a public area and I can be here if I want”. Here we go again, Rick’s a Dick, hissy-fits, retaliation, stomping, coughing, blocking and someone waiting for me when I come home from a hard day at work; to blow smoke in my face, from a nonsmoking area. Cough, cough. With many complaints to housing and senior management the same harassers and harassment continues day after day, year after year. You thought I was about to finish, no not yet.
A few weeks ago, I come home and find a note on my door to call management. I called and was told; there’s a senior employee that is interested in moving into the room next to you, sharing the bathroom. I was told again it was a senior employee with inflection on senior. Well, great as long as it wasn’t an Elite employee. Then I was told this was a female and she didn’t have problems sharing the bathroom with me. I thought to myself; no woman would have a problem sharing a bathroom with me. Then reality set in, Toxic Yosemite, sharing a bathroom with a woman, what can go wrong. Really, I said “I have a problem with it, as Toxic as this place is and you want me to share a bathroom with a woman, yes I have a big problem with it”. I was told, “well she doesn’t have a problem with it”, that was the end of our conversation.
I’ve led a very full and rewarding life. My proudest, most fulfilling and rewarding accomplishment was raising my daughter. Tears fill my eyes as think of how proud I am of her. She’s had her struggles through life and has become a beautiful, compassionate, considerate, woman. I was both mom and dad,
so, what I’m about to say is not meant to be mean in anyway.
Last week a woman moved into the room next to me. I don’t know this woman and am not faulting her and will refrain from making judgement. I was setting on the toilet, my nice clean toilet, and there was a knock on the bathroom door. I heard a woman’s voice, I asked if she was moving in, she said yes, so I finished and unlocked the door, hoping it didn’t smell like man poop. She had someone help her move things in, stayed a few days then gone for 3. She came back the other night had a couple visitors, that I do know. I don’t have a problem with visitors, but I went to take a shower and the feminine odor was unbearable. Again, not trying to be mean, but it was bad. I had to take my shower because I leave for work early, so I took my shower, then settled into my room. Before I went to bed I needed to use the bathroom, but had to wait for two women to use it before I could. That was a couple nights ago, there’s still an odor in the bathroom and slightly in my room. I haven’t seen here sense, sound familiar? I’m being honest by saying; I’m very uncomfortable with this. This building has about 40 residents and I think only three of us men. What I do know is; having a woman sharing a bathroom with me, is a vindictive act of retaliation from management.
Now as far as my neighbors harassing me day after day; they have no concerns of punishment. They prove this every day. Tuesday, my day off; I was woke at 5:50 am, by someone stomping down the hall and right at my door. I couldn’t go back to sleep, someone was clanging dishes in the kitchen, so I decided to do laundry. I gathered my clothes and headed to the laundry room. The kitchen door was open, another neighbor from across the hall was the one doing dishes, so I closed the kitchen door as I waked by. I put my clothes in the washers and headed back to my room. The kitchen door was open again, so I went to close it. The woman started yelling molester, molester, in Spanish. It didn’t faze me, who knows what kind of crap these people are told. I said people are sleeping, pulled the door stop out and went to my room. As I do my laundry, one of the housing staff keeps walking pass referencing the name of the guy who cleans our building, 4 times. That’s what they do; try to get under your skin. I get my laundry done, set in my room with the door open so my neighbors don’t stomp by and edit photos.
As I edit this image; one of the women from across the hall, stomps up to my room, starts stomping in place, right in front of my door, then starts doing this over the top fake cough. She does this in place stomping, throwing her head back and forth like a two-year-old having a fit. This woman is probably in her mid-forties, but this is acceptable behavior here in Yosemite. Nothing will happen to this woman, or the many that harass me in Yosemite. They will not lose their housing privileges, or jobs, some may even be rewarded. They will continue to harass whomever they are told to, or feel like, year after year.
I’m only midway through the day and decide to gather my camera bag, pack a late lunch and head out. I step out the door, there are 3 housing staff members, 2 neighbors from across the hall and 2 new girls that recently moved in. They were all surrounding my room and I could barely make it through the crowd. One of the new girls rushed ahead of me, one of the housing staff breathing down the back of my neck as I walk down the hall. The girl ahead of me stepped into her room, spun around, stepped right back out and into me. This was an intentional skit, in hopes I would act out in anger and be surrounded by witnesses. These are witnesses that will lie.
What I’ve told you is true; it is based on years of collecting evidence, military training (I didn’t receive 12 medals for smelling flowers), life’s experiences and the illegal and unethical actions of the people here in Yosemite National Park. I’ve tried to add a little humor to the Very Toxic living and working conditions in Yosemite. Over the years I’ve seen many good people come, then go, because of this Toxic place. Because of the stigma, retaliation and overwhelming harassment in the workplace; many are terrified to say a word. Look at what we are doing to each other America; this mobbing and hate needs to stop and it will destroy us all. It will not stop until people are held accountable. Will Yosemite’s Superintendent hold these people accountable?
You can hate me, try to discredit me, but you cannot deny the truth.
What is happening in Yosemite is WRONG!
Yosemite’s current Superintendent is: Michael T Reynolds
Nominated Director National Parks Services is: David Vela
• The truth about Yosemite 2016 to current: www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Yosemite-Chief-Retiring-Ami...
Here is an audio example of Yosemite's Mobbing Community at work: flic.kr/p/2hJ7Rye
Update 4-30-19; after 2 recent detailed letters to Yosemite's Superintendent, the harassment, mobbing, waist, fraud, cover-up and retaliation continues.....
On 6-2-19, the San Fransisco Chronicle published a scathing article about Yosemite; giving insight to how toxic and unethical this place really is.
12-1-19 Update: the harassment and retaliation continues and has increased. The noise campaigns at work and in housing are off the charts. I left work this morning (12-1-19) because of extreme loud music. The lobby music systems was turned way up and on top of that; an employee that also harasses me in housing, along with her husband, had her boom box blaring on top of the Holiday music blaring. You would think it was Military PSYOPS (Psychological Operations). Speaking of; on 11-29-19, I greeted 3 guest and asked how they were doing. The woman looked totally surprised, then a big smile popped on her face. She said Sir, may I ask you a question, I said sure. She asked who ran the operations here? I told her. She then asked; what’s the matter with the employees here? I told her the truth and said nobody here cares. She went on to tell me; yesterday they witnessed employees being rude to guest at one of our other facilities, one even belittling a German couple because of their limited English. She then said; the people here ignored us this morning, one employee just stood there with earphones in his ears, listening to music. She had other complaints that I can’t mention because I will be terminated.
I asked where they were from and found out that all 3 were active duty Marines. They couldn’t get over the behavior of our employees. I apologized again and thanked them for their service. We went on to briefly discuss the continued decline of common courtesy and ethics in America. Is this why we serve today; so Americans and Corporate America can have the right to treat human-beings, worse than their own pets?
6-4-20, Update; Yosemite's leaders continue to allow the hate, mobbing and whistleblower retaliation to flourish.
Thank you for visiting my photostream
My self-assigned daily-photo mission a year ago was to find a raggedy barn I'd never photographed before. My method was to just head south along local backroads until I found something. Eventually I settled for an image of a couple sheds.
Just before I saw the sheds I took the tree-and-farmyard photo I'm using for today's outtake. I like the image, but I've taken hundreds of similar pix.
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When I checked to see what photographs I'd tossed into my Outtakes folder I found this pic and a couple versions of the sheds photo. One was a different crop of the image, with the sheds near the top of the pic and a bit more of the snow-covered field; the other was identical to the photo I posted last year except it was in (dull) color instead of monochrome.
I suppose I thought I'd discuss ways to process photographs. Turns out I don't want to do that today.
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This photograph is an outtake from my 2021 photo-a-day project, 365^4.
Number of project photos taken: 42
Title of folder: Rural Snow
Other photos taken on 2/22/2021: none
This B-25H, BuNo 98-21433, was assigned serial number 43-4432 when it was first accepted by the U.S. Army Air Forces in late December of 1943. As an H model, when it left the factory, it would’ve had a blunt, solid nose fitted with two fixed .50-caliber machine guns and a massive 75mm cannon, essentially the same as the main gun used on several models of the venerable M4 Sherman medium tanks. This example was the 327th B-25H model off the assembly line out of the thousand or so that were built. The airplane served the war in low-key roles as an administrative aircraft stationed at various bases in Washington, Colorado, and California. It was even at one point modified for use as a training aircraft.
The plane was sold as surplus shortly after the war ended in 1945 and changed hands several times over the next 20 years. It was even heavily modified for use as an executive transport. It spent a few years in service of Woolworth’s heiress Barbara Hutton and her husband, Dominican diplomat, race car driver, polo player, and possibly maybe assassin Porfirio Rubirosa. Then, in 1968, after a stint with Long Island Airways, Filmways, Inc. and the legendary Tallmantz Aviation got involved and decided that N10V should be in the motion pictures. As it was for many movie stars of the day, the first step was a nose job. The airplane was given a J-model greenhouse nose section, historically inaccurate but giving it a traditional look that, to some people, makes a B-25, well, a B-25. Tallmantz assembled N10V with 17 other flyable B-25s to begin production on Catch-22, director Mike Nichols’ adaptation of Joseph Heller’s bitter satire about life during WWII.
After the war, she was also one of the few B-25s to have an appearance on the silver screen. Alongside star Alan Arkin and almost every other working actor in Hollywood at the time, this B-25 played two crucial roles in the film: a VIP transport for Orson Welles’ Brig. Gen. Dreedle and a bomber named Berlin Express, complete with nose art that features the Führer Adolf Hitler himself in the middle of the crosshairs. The movie takes place in Italy; however, the scenes with the B-25s were shot at a purpose-built air base in Mexico, the remnants of which still survive today in an area known today unofficially as “Catch-22 Beach.” N10V and the other B-25s logged more than 1,500 hours of flying time during the three-month shoot, generating about 14.5 hours of film. If that ratio—flying more than 100 hours for every hour of film shot—seems remarkable, then consider that, of that 14.5 hours, just 17 minutes ended up being used in the final cut of the picture. Such are the vagaries of Hollywood economics even today.
The film was released in 1970 against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and is considered a classic by some and an acquired taste by others. Regardless, those 17 minutes of B-25 flying, particularly a mass short-interval takeoff sequence, is not to be missed. Once filming finished, Tallmantz sold 13 aircraft at an auction at Orange County airport. An orthodontist, warbird collector, and accomplished air race pilot from Merced, California, Dr. William Sherman Cooper bought N10V in May 1971. Cooper was killed in a crash while practicing aerobatics in his Pitts Special only a year later, and the B-25 was later donated to the EAA Aviation Foundation in Oshkosh, WI.
EAA staff and volunteers fully restored the airplane starting in 1975, removing the airplane’s movie livery and repainted it as the "City of Burlington," including nose art that honored the state of Wisconsin. The aircraft flew in these colors for several years, even hopping rides for visiting VIPs like Sen. Barry Goldwater, until it was damaged after a gear failure on landing. At that point, it underwent a cosmetic restoration and was moved into the EAA Aviation Museum’s Eagle Hangar, remaining there for the next few decades.
Now, fully restored in her movie star markings, Berlin Express is ready for her next mission: joining the B-17, "Aluminum Overcast," in both honoring WWII veterans and helping to inspire a new generation of aviation enthusiasts for years to come.
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www.youtube.com/channel/UCkNYo1uLNy67xCfeyc1h-ZQ?sub_conf... The purpose of creating and assigning 5G networks
Previous generation mobile communication networks had the following purposes and functionality:
1G: Analog Voice Service
2G: Voice over digital network services, low speed data services (GPRS, EDGE)
3G: High-speed data services (HSPA), with the ability to transmit voice over IP, mobile Internet access MBB (Mobile Broadband).
4G: LTE, LTE-A Mobile Broadband MBB, Voice over Voice (VoLTE)
5G networks greatly expand the limited functionality of previous generation mobile networks. The main functional features of 5G networks are as follows:
EMBB Advanced Mobile Broadband (enhanced MBB)
Ultra-Low Latency Reliable Communication (ULLRC) Massive IoT / IIoT, mMTC (massive Machine Type Communication)
Based on these three generalized types of functionality, the whole variety of services and capabilities of IMT2020 (5G) networks is built, the most characteristic of which are shown in the figure below:
The variety of functional capabilities of IMT2020 / 5G networks. Source: Emerging Trends in 5G / IMT2020, 2016, ITU
Gigabytes per second. 5G networks can significantly increase the speed of data transmission through various radio access technologies (RAT), and by using the new 5G NR radio frequency spectra (New Radio). The user gets almost unlimited bandwidth, both for home use of various services, and for the purposes of enterprises (Immersive Telepresence, Industrial IoT, etc.)
Smart House. A wide range of different Internet of Things (IoT) services will be available for the Smart Home and Smart Building solutions: video surveillance, control and automation of household appliances, security systems management, content storage, climate control, etc.
Smart city. The Smart City solution is a horizontal and vertical scaling of the functionality and range of Smart Home services. Main services of Smart City: Safe City, e-Government e-Government, e-Health e-Health, e-Education e-Education, e-Banking e-banking, Smart Meters utilities electronic collection, Smart Grid smart grids, etc. .
New 4K / 8K video services: Volumetric video, ultra-high definition (UHD) screen, presence effect option.
Work in the cloud. The service makes it possible not only to store data in a cloud storage and retrieve it from there, but also to use application programs that work directly from the cloud. Moreover, with the possibility of them but also use applications that work directly from the cloud. Moreover, with the possibility of them
use on any device and from any location. In addition, it is possible to use APIs through which cloud service providers can provide their services to subscribers of a 5G network operator.
Augmented and virtual reality (AR / VR). The virtual reality service VR (Virtual Reality) immerses a person in another world, influencing his senses, especially his vision (VR glasses). Augmented Reality AR (Augmented Reality) service combines a real environment for a user with virtual objects. These services are suitable not only for entertainment, games, virtual communication in the "telepresence" mode, but can also significantly improve the learning process, when students using VR glasses can, for example, visually see the internal structure of a person at a lecture on anatomy, a master in the workshop can study the assembly order of a complex unit, etc.
Industrial Automation. The 5G network, coupled with the technology of the Internet of things IoT, with the help of industrial sensors IIoT (Industrial Internet of things), as well as with the help of artificial intelligence, AI (AI, Artificial Intelligence) can significantly increase the degree of automation of production. At the same time, it becomes possible in real time to analyze large volumes of heterogeneous data (Big Data) both based on the findings (insights) and using machine and deep learning (Machine learning, Deep learning).
Business Critical Applications These applications may include, for example, electronic medicine (e-Health), emergency communications (Mission Critical Communication), tactile Internet (Tactile Internet) and others.
Unmanned vehicles (Driverless Vehicles). Unmanned transport can act as part of the Smart City service, however, it can be provided on its own platform. It includes not only unmanned vehicles (driverless cars), but also unmanned tractors for “smart agriculture” (Smart Agriculture), unmanned trains for the metro and suburban railways, drones and other types of public and special transport. In addition, on the 5G platform, the implementation of ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) driver assistance systems is possible.
It should be emphasized that the figure above shows only some of the services and solutions of the 5G platform. Unlike the networks of previous generations, the range of services of which was strictly limited and somewhat expanded in 4G, the services of the 5G platform are synergistic and scalable, and are not limited to once defined functionality. In fact, 5G plays the role of a platform for the development of new services and DevOps applications, when new functions are created by developers (Development) in close coordination with the teams who are responsible for their implementation and operation (Operation).
In general, we can say that the 5G network incorporates not only mobile, but also fixed communication services, as well as high-speed Internet access with low latency and, in addition, specialized and corporate networks for vertical industries.
5G / IMT2020 platform versatility
Due to the fifth generation networks, it will also be possible to improve the quality of the use of existing services where large volumes of traffic are involved.
Theodore Sizer, vice president of wireless technology at Bell Labs, noted that there will be a wide variety of devices running on 5G networks. Smartphones and tablets will not go anywhere, but besides them, a whole “zoo” of various devices will appear on the network, including CCTV cameras, weather sensors, sensors of “smart” electric networks, “smart” houses and cars.
Ericsson said that 5G will usher in the long-term development of the Networked Society:
South Korean operator SK Telecom, one of the first companies to demonstrate 5G technology in action, at the initial stage of deployment of new generation networks focuses on ordinary users as the main consumers of services, company representatives told TAdviser in February 2016. Thanks to 5G, users can watch 3D-TV without glasses, download in seconds or watch UltraHD video online at high speed.
It will also be possible to use virtual and augmented reality applications at a new level, according to SK Telecom. For example, include elements of augmented reality in the educational process, creating virtual museums and models of the universe in the classrooms.
In the projects of “smart cities” 5G will allow real-time transmission of information from a much larger number of sensors at various objects. Qualcomm's senior director of product management for mobile technology, Sanjeev Athalye, notes that it will be possible to deploy a thousand sensors instead of a hundred, for servicing which there will be a sufficiently smaller number of base stations than with existing networks. These can be, for example, sensors for monitoring the state of housing and communal services objects, sensors for “smart lighting” or sound sensors installed for safety and order in the city. In the latter case, the sensors can detect suspicious or too loud sounds, and this information will be automatically transmitted to law enforcement.
New services using 5G can also be implemented in medicine. For example, to organize remote monitoring of patients. The doctor will be able to quickly receive information from special sensors and monitor the condition of patients around the clock.
Thanks to its very low latency, 5G will also open up more possibilities for remote operations using the robot. Such a service is especially relevant for small settlements where there are no surgeons in the field: controlling the manipulations of the robot, the operation can be performed by a specialist located in a completely different place. Due to 5G, such a service can be deployed in wireless networks.
The low data latency that next-generation networks can provide is also important for the deployment of smart power networks. Using sensors will allow you to instantly detect damage on the power line and block the spread of the consequences of damage further along the line. Thus, damage will affect fewer consumers of electricity.
In large manufacturing companies, in retail, logistics, 5G will make it possible to use more industrial robots that perform various functions instead of people and drones. The latter are already used in some industries, but are most often managed using Wi-Fi networks. 5G will allow you to cover a greater distance than Wi-Fi networks, and due to the low latency - increase the stability of such systems. For example, Amazon has a project to deploy a system for delivering goods using drones.
An example of services for which 5G will have an advantage is urban surveillance systems. 5G will help simplify their deployment and use. Now traffic from thousands of cameras in cities is mainly transmitted via fixed networks. To deploy such an infrastructure is not an easy task, since it is necessary to lay many wires. With 5G, you can receive terabytes of high-quality video
permissions without the use of wires.
Another example is a vehicle monitoring service in companies. Qualcomm’s Sanjeev Atali believes that with the advent of a new generation of networks, operators who provide such a service will be able to reduce its cost. This will be possible due to the fact that the cost of one 5G base station will be lower than the cost of stations for existing networks, and also due to the fact that one base station can simultaneously serve more devices, respectively, less base stations will be required for the service.
Soldiers assigned to the 222nd Chemical Company, New York Army National Guard, and officers with the New York Police Department's COBRA (Chemical Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness) training unit conduct an exercise simulating an urban chemical attack at Rodman's Neck Tactical Village, Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2016. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers and officers with the COBRA training unit used the exercise to share techniques and procedures, as well as enhance their readiness in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Harley Jelis)
An Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" assigned to the 3rd Wing flies over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2018. The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is the U.S. Air Force’s premium fifth-generation fighter asset.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon". Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon" or the newer F-35 "Lightning II", which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G "Growler". Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D. To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF. It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 "Phantom II" that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
The OB garage code assigned to vehicles denotes the Orpington Buses original name of the business, however the little company was more famously known as ROUNDABOUT as displayed proudly on the sides.
The London Transport Service sticker reminds us that operators of vehicles on contract to LRT carried these during the late 80s and early 90s. They were to reassure passengers that the vehicles were still part of a "unified" bus fleet even if branding/company names and even liveries may quiz the impending passengers.
Carlyle Dart DT39 G39 TGW.
Orpington Area Bus Collection.
Airmen assigned to the 95th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., launch Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" aircraft during exercise Combat Archer at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Aug. 18, 2016.
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Military exercises Combat Hammer and Combat Archer ended August 18 at Hill AFB and the Utah Test and Training Range.
During the exercises, Total Force Initiative Airmen assigned to the active-duty 95th and AF Reserve 301st Fighter Squadrons from Tyndall AFB, Fla. tested their ability to build, load, launch and employ munitions, which were dropped and fired from Tyndall Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor aircraft.
“Our Airmen gain a tremendous opportunity to prepare for future combat operations in the F-22 by performing in these exercises,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Lehoski, 95th Fighter Squadron detachment commander. “It builds confidence in our team, aircraft, and munitions through a mission-focused effort.”
The air-to-ground and air-to-air exercises are conducted by the 83rd and 86th Fighter Weapons Squadrons here. Their purpose is to collect and analyze data on the performance of precision weapons, and to measure their suitability for use in combat.
During the exercises, Lehoski noted that Tyndall F-22s dropped 32 precision guided munitions, employed 14 air-to-air missiles, and validated AIM-9X missile employment procedures, a first for Tyndall F-22s. Operations Airmen also flew integration missions with F-35, F-16, and F-15E aircraft, enhancing their ability to provide air dominance for America.
“We are tremendously appreciative of the support we have received from Hill AFB and both the 86th and 83rd FWS for giving the Airmen of Team Tyndall the opportunity to train at Combat Hammer and Combat Archer,” said Lehoski.
Airmen and aircraft, including A-10s from Moody AFB, Ga., F-15Es from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and F-16s from Shaw AFB, S.C., also participated during the past two weeks.
A U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor flies above Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, March 2, 2017. Twelve Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors and approximately 200 U.S. Air Force Airmen participated in the first Enhanced Air Cooperation, an initiative under the Force Posture Agreement between the U.S. and Australia.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon". Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon or the newer F-35 Lightning II, which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G Growler.[60] Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).[66] A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D.[83][84] To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF.[91] It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 Phantom II that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
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Before getting into A, B, and C differences for the F-35, a short primer on how to tell an F-35 from an F-22 may help avoid an even larger fighter faux pas. After all, the F-22 and F-35 look similar as well, especially from certain angles and at a distance. Both the F-22 and F-35 have two intakes, two tails, and similar planforms.
If the two aircraft happen to be parked together, the F-22, however, is noticeably larger. The Raptor is about ten feet longer than a Lightning II. Its wingspan is about ten feet wider than an F-35A’s and F-35B’s, and roughly the same as an F-35C’s.
From behind, the twin, rectangular thrust-vectoring exhaust nozzles on the F-22 are an obvious difference. The F-35 has one round exhaust nozzle for its single engine. The geometry of the engine intakes distinguishes the two aircraft from the top and side. The Raptor’s intakes angle back. On the Lightning II, they point forward. Intake differences are visible from the front view as well. Opposing sides of the F-22’s intakes are parallel. The corners are slightly rounded. The F-35’s intake angles are sharper. A space between the intake and the fuselage, called a diverter, is found only on the Raptor as well. The F-35’s diverterless intake sits flush to the fuselage.
The single- vs. twin-engine difference plays out on the top sides of the two aircraft as well. The F-22 has two humps between the tails. The F-35 has just one. On the underside, the F-22 is much flatter with one main (though split) weapon bay with two doors. The F-35 is more rounded and has two distinct main weapon bays each with two doors. Taxiing, the F-22 sits about a foot lower than an F-35.
Context also matters. If the airplane in question is operating from an aircraft carrier, landing vertically, taking off in a very short distance, or displaying non-USAF markings, it’s not an F-22.
Context And The F-35 Variants
When it comes to distinguishing among F-35 variants, context can provide some tips as well. If the F-35 in question is being catapulted from a carrier, it’s an F-35C. If it’s landing vertically, it’s an F-35B. If it has Royal Air Force markings, it’s an F-35B. If it has international markings that aren’t associated with the RAF, it’s an F-35A (at least until another international air force procures B or C models).
Basic A, B, & C Differences
The A model is most easily distinguished from other F-35 models by the blister on the upper left side for its internal GAU-22/A Gatling-type gun. (B and C models do not have internal guns.) Like the B model, the F-35A has a smaller wing. The A model is the only F-35 variant with a refueling receptacle on its dorsal spine. The receptacle markings are clearly visible from the top view.
The B model is most easily distinguished from other F-35 models by its vertical lift system. The system comes into play at almost every viewing angle of the aircraft. Even in up-and-away (non vertical) flight, the F-35B has visual clues for the vertical lift system. The lift fan door flattens the upper surface of the F-35 just behind the cockpit, giving this model a distinctive hump. The hump is especially noticeable from front and side perspectives. The lift fan itself abbreviates the aft end of the canopy line as well.
Panel lines and markings are associated with the lift system are visible on the top and bottom sides of the F-35B. From above, panel lines for the lift fan door and the auxiliary air inlet are visible. From below, the doors for lift fan exhaust appear just behind the front landing gear doors. The aft end of the lower fuselage also has a seam for the doors that open when the three-bearing swivel duct goes into action in STOVL mode. (The A and C models have a hump in this location where their arresting/barricade tailhooks are stored.) The B model also has a diamond-shaped roll duct on the underside of each wing.
The C model is most easily distinguished from other F-35 models by its larger wing, which provides almost fifty percent more wing area than the A and B models. The hinge line for the wing fold is visible from top and bottom views. The F-35C wing has an additional control surfaces, called ailerons, on the trailing edge as well (two control surfaces on each wing instead of one). The inner control surfaces on the F-35C wing and the ones on the A and B are called flaperons. The landing gear on the F-35C is noticeable beefier. The nose gear has two tires and a launch bar that extends forward and upward from the wheels.
Another Trick: Markings
Markings can also be used to distinguish F-35 variants. US Air Force markings equate to the A model. US Marines to the B or C model. (The Marine Corps is purchasing eighty C models.) And US Navy to the C model only. The Air Force puts the aircraft identification number, or serial number, on the tail (F-35A). The US Marines and Navy put their identification numbers, called Bureau numbers, on the empennage just below the horizontal tails. To make identification somewhat easier, the F-35 variant designation appears just above the bureau number for the US Marine Corps and Navy. Unfortunately, because of their location these markings are not apparent in most photos. International operators have their own specific requirements for markings.
Other Notes
As noted in a previous Code One article, Norwegian F-35s will be distinguishable by a small, aerodynamically clean bump on the upper fuselage between the two vertical tails. The bump contains a dragchute.
Nosebooms are peculiar to flight test F-35s dedicated to flight sciences testing.
The major differences between the X-35 demonstrator aircraft, which are no longer flying, and F-35 were covered in another previous Code One article.
Basic Cheat Sheet
The F-35A has a small wing, full canopy, gun blister on the left upper side, and aerial refueling receptacle markings on its dorsal. It has no panel lines or markings associated with a STOVL lift system.
The F-35B has a small wing, distinctive fuselage hump and abbreviated canopy (thanks to the lift fan), refueling probe on the right side, and numerous markings, panel lines, and actual hardware associated with its vertical lift system.
The F-35C has the big wing, wing folds, ailerons, full canopy, refueling probe on the right side, and a launch bar and two tires on the front landing gear. If the aircraft has Navy markings, it’s an F-35C.