bit.ly/1jDtqSY A recent study prepared by the Ponemon Institute and Hewlett-Packard and a recent criminal conviction of a Los Angeles Times reporter that disclosed corporate passwords on a hacker website serve as additional reminders that “malicious insiders” still pose the largest security threat to an organization.

Extracts from Global Conflict Tracker Last updated March 25, 2022

 

Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in early 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea...

 

One month later, in March 2014, Russian troops took control of Ukraine’s Crimea region...

 

Armed conflict in the region quickly broke out between Russian-backed forces and the Ukrainian military...

 

Beginning in February 2015, France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine attempted to kickstart negotiations and broker a cessation in violence through the Minsk Accords...

 

In April 2016, NATO announced that the alliance would deploy four battalions to Eastern Europe, rotating troops through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to deter possible future Russian aggression elsewhere in Europe, particularly in the Baltics...

 

In September 2017, the United States also deployed two U.S. Army tank brigades to Poland to further bolster NATO’s presence in the region...

 

In January 2018, the United States imposed new sanctions on twenty-one individuals–including a number of Russian officials–and nine companies linked to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

 

Ukraine has been the target of thousands of cyberattacks...

 

In October 2021, Russia began moving troops and military equipment near its border with Ukraine, reigniting concerns over a potential invasion...

 

By December, more than one hundred thousand Russian troops were in place near the Russia-Ukraine border and U.S. intelligence officials warned that Russia may be planning an invasion for early 2022. In mid-December 2021, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a set of demands calling for the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to cease any military activity in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to commit against further NATO expansion toward Russia, and to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO in the future. The United States and other NATO allies rejected these demands and warned Russia they would impose severe economic sanctions if Russia invaded Ukraine...

 

Since Russia launched a full-scale military invasion into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, fighting has caused over nine hundred civilian deaths and pushed millions of Ukrainians to flee to neighboring countries—the majority of whom have arrived in Poland, a NATO country where U.S. troops are preparing to offer assistance to refugees.

cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine

 

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

F-22 Raptors at Hickam AFB, Hawaii - Cyber security is strongest when engineered into our systems versus designing cyber security protections later. That is why we design all aircraft, and their supporting systems, to operate in a cyber contested environment.

 

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. 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.[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.

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor's park during their inaugural appearance during "Exercise Resilient Typhoon", at the Francisco C. Ada International Airport, Saipan, April 23, 2019. Units from across Pacific Air Forces are practicing rapid re-deployments in new locations as part of a dispersal exercise called Resilient Typhoon. The Raptors are based out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii and are comprised of Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing and their active-duty counterparts from the 15th Wing.

  

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.[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.

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

Note: this photo was published as an illustration in an Aug 2009 Squidoo blog titled "Discount Laptop Batteries." And it was published in an Aug 13, 2009 blog titled "Laptops werden laufend geklaut." More recently, it was published in a Sep 14, 2009 blog titled "Best Italy Expat Blogs: The Most Helpful Bloggers."

 

Moving into 2010, the photo was published in a Jan 13, 2010 LifeHacker Australia blog titled "Questions To Ask Before Buying Mobile Broadband." And it was published in an Apr 8, 2010 Tech and Gadget Blog with the same title as the caption that I used on this Flickr page. It was also published in a Jun 25, 2010 Lifehacker blog titled "About To Get Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband? Check Lifehacker First." And it was published in a Jul 4, 2010 Fresh Networks blog titled "Social media does not just take place online, and a Jul 9, 2010 Lifehacker blog titled "Planhacker: Complete Australian Postpaid 3G Broadband Guide." It was also published in an Aug 4, 2010 Buy Laptop Guide blog titled "christmas special offer for computers & laptops," as well as an Aug 6, 2010 Buy Laptop Guide blog titled "How do I get my teacher discount from Dell?" And it was published in a Sep 9, 2010 blog titled "5 Great Online Marketing Tools for Small Green Businesses." And it was published in an Oct 11, 2010 blog titled "intnternet Marketing Business Opportunity," as well as an Oct 23, 2010 Nice Online Business Marketing photos blog, with the same title and notes as what I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in an undated (late Oct 2010) blog titled "10 Happiness Tips for Busy People." And it was published in a Nov 8, 2010 blog titled "Viral Internet Marketing Technique – not Using it Could Kill your Online Home Based Business Internet Affiliate Marketing!" It was also published in a Nov 26, 2010 blog titled "Who Else Wants Their Own Internet Home Based Business?" And it was published in an undated (Dec 2010) blog titled "The Ten Commandments of Internet Affiliate Marketing, Thou Shall Read This!", as well as another blog titled "Marketing to International Audiences." It was also published in an undated (mid-Dec 2010) blog titled "Slow Food’s Terra Madre helps local delegates make global connections." It was also published in a Dec 14, 2010 Nice Home-Based Business Australia Photos blog with the same title and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. And it was published in an undated (mid-Dec 2010) blog titled Advocacy Group Seeks Economic Development for State’s Music Business Advocacy Group Seeks Economic Development for State’s Music Business, with the same detailed notes as what I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in a Dec 31, 2010 blog titled "10 Happiness Tips for Busy People | Tiny Buddha."

 

Moving into 2011, the photo was published in an undated (early Jan 2011) blog titled "How to Choose an Internet Affiliate Marketing Program." It was also published in a Jan 13, 2011 "Learn 2 Earn Online" blog, with the same title and detailed notes as what I had written here on this Flickr page. And it was published in a Feb 15, 2011 blog titled "Revenue Potentials Introduced by Internet Marketing Tools." It was also published in a Feb 24, 2011 blog titled "How to Avoid Laptop Repair Errors." And it was published in a Mar 8, 2011 blog titled "The Importance of Focus in Internet Business and Finding Yours." It was also published in a Mar 14, 2011 Funny Games Pictures blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. And it was published in a Mar 24, 2011 blog titled "Wilmington Based Lumina Academy Offers Online Education." It was also published in an undated (early Apr 2011) blog titled "Ten Happiness Tips for Busy People." And it was published in an Apr 30, 2011 blog title "Making 'Introduction to Computers for Arts and Social Sciences' Even More Awesome." It was also published in a May 9, 2011 blog titled "Pessoas como Mídia: Os Novos Modelos de Comunicação." And it was published in a Jun 28, 2011 blog titled "Binnenkort gratis Wi-Fi hotspots door heel de Algarve." It was also published in an Aug 27, 2011 blog titled "Can you rank high in Google with just one page?" And it was published in a Sep 14, 2011 blog titled "6 Signs That a Winning Notification Email Is a Fake." It was also published in a Sep 24, 2011 blog titled "Q&A: WHERE TO ADVERTISE ONLINE FOR FREE YOUR HOME BASED BIZ OPPORTUNITY."

 

Moving into 2012, the photo was published in a Jan 1, 2012 blog titled "Chile lauded for social media development, information technology." And it was published in a Jan 4,2012 blog titled "The Practical Alternatives to Learn to Play Guitar." It was also published in a Mar 1, 2012 Venezuelan blog titled "Ingeniería ambiental: controlando el cuidado del planeta." It was also published in an Apr 23, 2012 Affiliates Money Tools blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written here on this Flickr page. And it was published in a May 21, 2012 blog titled "Different Kinds of Internet Marketing Tools."

 

Moving into 2013, the photo was published in a Jan 28, 2013 blog titled "Nice Social Media Marketing Tips For Small Business photos." And it was published in an undated (mid-Feb 2013) Affiliates Money Tools blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in a Mar 25, 2013 blog titled "Mobile Computer Repair - Getting Started," as well as a Mar 25, 2013 blog titled "NVQ Procurement Simplified." And it was published in an Aug 2, 2013 blog titled "Facebook Enters the Television Age With Video Ads in Timeline," as well as an Aug 5, 2013 blog titled "Banks Survive Cyberattacks: 5 Things to Know for the Week," and an Aug 27, 2013 blog titled "大量の時間を消費するコンテンツから卒業するための荒療治なシステム「Pavlov Poke」."

 

Moving into 2014, the photo was published in an Oct 18, 2014 blog titled "bSaving for an Education."

 

****************************************

 

Back in the spring of this year (2009), I decided to pay a visit to Washington Square Park (pictures of which are available here), having earlier stumbled upon some photos I had taken there 40 years earlier, in the spring of 1969 (photos of which are included in this album). I was surprised to see that the park was undergoing massive renovation, and that the fountain was closed off; but some construction signs promised that it would be open once again in the summer ...

 

So this past weekend, I decided to venture back to the park once again. The renovation was indeed finished; the fountain was operating again, and the warm, sunny weather had attracted throngs of New Yorkers and tourists to spend a pleasant afternoon engaged in all sorts of activities — much of which involved splashing around in the water. But there was also juggling and chess and scrabble, guitar-playing folk-singers and a violinist, two different jazz bands, and an energetic quartet singing old 1950s doo-wop ballads.

 

I spotted tourists and visitors from Japan, Italy, Scandinavia, and various parts of the U.S. People were sunbathing on various patches of grass around the edge of the park. There were children, students, lovers, families, and old hippies; and there were half a dozen dogs, at least a few of which enjoyed the opportunity to splash in the pool. There was an ice-cream cart and a hot dog stand, and if the park was anything like the old days, there probably at least a few places to buy drugs of every conceivable kind. For those who might have wondered what this place really was like in the "old days," there was a cheerful old guy (named Robert Fogelnest, from what I could find on the Internet) peddling copies of a book titled The Streets of Greenwich Village.

 

All in all, there was something for just about everyone. If you've got an afternoon free while it's still summer here in New York City, I highly recommend a stroll through Washington Square Park. Remember: summer won't last forever...

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

An Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, from the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team at Langley AFB, Va., flies in formation with a Chilean F-16 Fighting Falcon over the 2016 International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE) in Santiago, Chile, April 1, 2016, 2016. During the FIDAE Air and Space Trade Show, U.S. Airmen participated in several subject matter expert exchanges with their Chilean counterparts and also hosted static displays and aerial demonstrations to support the air show.

  

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.

   

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron 'Thunderbirds' and Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" Demonstration Team fly over Lake Michigan, June 27, 2019. Since 1953, the Thunderbirds team has served as America’s premier air demonstration squadron, entrusted with the vital mission to recruit, retain and inspire past, present and future Airmen.

  

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.

I passed them on my way downtown and hit the brakes. His mask more or less dictated that I meet them and ask to make a photo. I approached them from behind on my bike and introduced myself. It felt a bit odd (to say the least) to be communicating with him through his mask but I explained my request to take a photo and explained my photo project. He agreed. Meet Robbie.

 

Robbie and his girlfriend Luna were walking along the edge of the park wearing backpacks and a rolled-up sleeping bag. Luna sat down on a nearby park bench and waited while Robbie and I did some photos and chatted. It was an awkward setup for making a portrait - out in the open with bright cloud – but I made the photos and Robbie accommodated my suggestions to do a portrait with the mask, without the mask, and with the mask partially on. When I called over to Luna if she wanted to be in a photo she did come over and I made the double portrait as an afterthought.

 

Robbie said they were from Toronto and Robbie is 31, Luna is 25. Robbie explained that the mask is of Venom, his favorite superhero from Marvel. He told me that if I watch the movie Venom which came out last year, I would know more about the character. (I’ve not watched the movie but a bit of googling told me that Venom started out as a villain but evolved into a more heroic character.) Robbie proudly pointed out his Superman pendant. When I asked Robbie about the meaning of the number tattooed on his wrist (50187) he said it referenced policeman death. After Robbie’s explanation, I remained confused but, as with most people with tattoos, it seemed each of his tats carried a special meaning for him.

 

Robbie’s wish for the future is to work in the cybersecurity field, helping individuals and organizations protect themselves against cybercrime. I suggested he must be very good with computers and he said he is and that he has helped a number of friends deal with cyberattacks on their computers. His advice to his younger self? He laughed and said “Don’t eat yellow snow” (dog pee). He then got more serious and said it would be “Drugs are bad.” He wouldn’t mind winning the lottery. His message to the project? “Treat people the same application you would want to be treated” (a.k.a. the Golden Rule) He elaborated that people should treat one another with respect and if they don’t, you should simply “hold your integrity and walk away.” Luna was more shy than Robbie. When I took the double portrait I asked her if she would describe Robbie in a few words. She was a bit put on the spot but quietly said “Well, he’s pretty awesome.” I couldn’t see his reaction through the Venom mask but that’s a word that would put a smile on any boyfriend.

 

We exchanged contact information and ask they put on their backpacks I pointed to the rolled up sleeping bag and asked “Are you folks sleeping out?” There was a pause, then Robbie said “Sometimes.”

 

I thanked Robbie and Luna for their time and for participating in my Human Family photo project.

 

This is my 829th submission to The Human Family Group on Flickr.

 

You can view more street portraits and stories by visiting The Human Family.

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

"Adapt and conquer."

--

The Reaper is a gift bestowed upon us, a direct upgrade to our increasingly ineffective weaponry, and a sign of rebellion. Calling upon the most unknown of arcana, the Kyxenregan transformed what used to be an ancient combat rifle to an instrument of destruction, ready to work in unison with those who were destined to wield it.

 

The Reaper lives up to her name. Able to cut down enemies afar and up close, there is a reason the weapon is named as such. Designed to mirror the most dominant of the enemies' arsenals, the Reaper can adapt to any enemy and fire accordingly to the situation. By default, it fires 30 tachyonic beams of dark matter and can adapt to fire something completely different.

 

The weapon functions in three stages which alters its way of combat, as if the Reaper is a sentient being or an AI with exponentially growing intelligence. The following three stages are outlined:

 

- Stage one is the default stage and the first stage of the combat cycle. The weapon fires tachyonic dark matter but studies the enemy being attacked for analysis. It relies on combat service and the shooter the most in this stage. After a conclusion is made, the weapon proceeds to stage two.

 

- Stage two is the adaptive stage, where the weapon reacts to a certain threat and adapts its firepower in accordance to the analysis conducted. For example, if the weapon learned of an enemy's vulnerability to fire, it would adapt to fire incendiary dark matter. The shooter is not as relied on anymore, as the Reaper already has adapted enough to both the enemy capabilities and resistances to counter them efficiently. This adaptability goes beyond the firepower and into its tactical prowess, affecting even optical sights to adjust to its needs.

 

- Stage three is the extinction level stage and also the final stage, where the weapon focuses on conquering and annihilating the enemy. Adapting to a point where it would eventually be superior to the enemy, the Reaper reacts by reaching its most aggressive protocol: annihilation. Once it has adapted itself to the enemy, the Reaper will then focus on systematic destruction and dismantling of the enemy, almost acting on its own and doing the work on its own. Once the enemy is wiped out, the weapon reverts back to stage one.

 

As humanity and the Kyxenregan have joined forces to push back the Ntryksis threat, the Reaper has evolved into multiple forms in firefights against said enemies. Some forms required no change in firepower while others required drastic changes. These changes are explained below:

 

- Light armored targets, such as the ones wielding Arcbreaker and Typhoon SMGs, required only the default tachyonic dark matter in order for neutralization. In fact, the tachyonic firepower was designed to mirror the Typhoon's sheer firepower.

 

- Medium armored targets required a more lethal approach. By adjusting the stability of the dark energy associated with the projectiles, the dark matter became more unstable and therefore, more lethal. This was the equivalent of a human-made fragmentation round, able to concuss armored targets and their exoskeletons.

 

- Snipers wielding the Incursion rifle or the Rainmaster rifle faced defeat as well after the Reaper adapted to fire the same baryonic streams that the Rainmaster fires, coupled with the tachyonic properties of its own dark matter. The kinetic energy of the projectile was more than enough to puncture their armor. On a tactical level, it also adapted to fire streams which affected the electromagnetic spectrum, creating an EMP effect which scrambled enemy targeting systems.

 

- Heavy armored targets faced much worse. Using the same concept as the firepower used against medium targets, the stability was lowered further and the Reaper essentially transformed into an AMR. The tachyon streams were so unstable that it punched holes through armor, with the holes being at least 3 feet in diameter. Interestingly enough, the firepower didn't pierce through. Heavy units who were hit were tactically disabled and had to flee before getting obliterated, which was the fate most units faced anyways.

 

- The Ntryksis' second level of weaponry, such as the Imminent Impact Rifle, failed as well. As the main baryonic weapons failed, the Imminent Impact Rifle and its kind were turned to next. The Reaper countered this by mirroring the IIR's firepower and firing it at a much tighter spread. The optical sight changed to have points lock on to a target in which the projectiles would split off and hit each point for ensured damage all over.

 

While the Reaper may seem unstoppable, it has major drawbacks. Firstly, it takes quite a bit of time for the Reaper to "learn" everything about an enemy and doesn't collect information instantly. This is why stage one is heavily dependent on the shooter. An operative whose rifle hasn't met combat yet will not be as adapted as one whose rifle has just returned from a battle. Secondly, it cannot stop weapons of its own caliber, i.e constantly adaptive weaponry. If a Reaper attempted to face off against another, neither would win because both Reapers would counter the efficiency of each other, negating its adapted firepower in response to adapting to certain resistances.

 

Another major issue is the concerns regarding just how powerful the Reaper could end up becoming. As it is infinitely adaptive, concerns about it becoming too powerful rise left and right. Although a radical thought, it's still a concern worth mentioning as one person noted that if the Reaper studied an enemy unit capable of planetary destruction or extinction level events, the Reaper could exceed that power and eventually become a bigger threat. Most reassure that concern by citing its stage one protocol and that its stage 3 protocol is not a malevolent protocol.

 

As mentioned before, the Reaper possesses an optical sight, which also adapts to the enemy. By default, it features a 1.5x zoom with basic information displayed to the shooter. However, it can adapt to become a high zoom scope, a night vision optical sight, an array of information, etc.

 

Aside from a typical combat role, the Reaper has seen service outside its intended role. For example, medical units use the Reaper to adapt to certain biological anomalies and problems and use the rifle to reverse damage done by biological warfare or any other malicious biological affliction. In addition, the Reaper also served as a power conduit and can even reverse damage done from cyberattacks - the former being done with the Reaper converting the barrel to a wire of sorts and the latter being done by firing a USB-like projectile which contained a worm that wiped out the attack and restored lost data.

---

This build started off as a thought I had but the design for it wasn't clear until it became more and more clear through even more thoughts and sometimes dreams.

 

Plus I haven't done a build for this side in a while.

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

049

FORTUNE GLOBAL FORUM

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Monday, October 27, 2025

 

2:25-2:50

THE GLOBAL FORCES RESHAPING FINANCIAL MARKETS

In an ever-increasingly connected world, financial markets play a vital role in ensuring the smooth flow of capital across borders and time zones. For market operators, the rise of digital trading systems and new blockchain technology holds promise for always-on accessibility but comes with potential drawbacks, including gaps in oversight, cyberattacks, and navigating complex regulatory environments. What are the global forces influencing financial markets? How can market operators worldwide advance transparency that enables investors to match their portfolios with environmental and social objectives while reinforcing global market trust? A panel of financial market decision makers share their strategic insights.

 

Eng. Khalid Abdullah Al Hussan, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Tadawul Group

Bonnie Y. Chan, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

Bob McCooey, Vice Chairman, Nasdaq

Moderator: Lee Clifford, Fortune

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett/Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors park during their inaugural appearance during "Exercise Resilient Typhoon", at the Francisco C. Ada International Airport, Saipan, April 23, 2019. Units from across Pacific Air Forces are practicing rapid re-deployments in new locations as part of a dispersal exercise called Resilient Typhoon. The Raptors are based out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii and are comprised of Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing and their active-duty counterparts from the 15th Wing.

  

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.[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.

USA planen wochenlangen Luftkrieg gegen Iran

 

dert.tech/international/270492-usa-planen-wochenlangen-lu...,

18 Feb. 2026, Rainer Rupp,

 

Laut US-Medienberichten ist das Pentagon bereit und wartet nur noch auf Donald Trumps Autorisierung des Angriffs. Viele Analysten warnen dagegen vor tiefgreifenden Risiken, darunter regionale Eskalationen, globales wirtschaftliches Chaos und potenziell katastrophale Schäden an strategischen Zielen der USA

 

Jüngste Entwicklungen im US-Verteidigungsministerium deuten auf intensivierte Vorbereitungen auf einen potenziell mehrere Wochen andauernden brutalen, unprovozierten und völkerrechtswidrigen Bombenkrieg mit vereinzelten Kommandounternehmen gegen Landziele hin. Alles weise auf einen besonders schweren Bombenkrieg hin, so die US-Medien. Die Planungen gingen über kurzfristige Notfallszenarien hinaus und bezögen sich angeblich ausdrücklich auf lang anhaltende Operationen. Eine politische Entscheidung sei zwar noch nicht gefallen, doch die militärischen Szenarien zeigten, dass mit einem komplexen und ausgedehnten Konflikt gerechnet wird.

 

Diese Pläne spielen sich vor dem Hintergrund wachsender Spannungen und Sicherheitsrisiken im Persischen Golf und darüber hinaus in der gesamten Region ab, darunter auch gesteigerte Aktivitäten regionaler Milizen, die vom Iran unterstützt werden, wie z. B. die Hisbollah im Libanon.

 

Nun wäre es nicht das erste Mal, dass die Kriegstreiber in Washington eine erschreckende Drohkulisse gegen Iran in der Region aufgebaut haben – wie zum Beispiel im Jahr 2007 oder in der Krise 2011/12, als unter Präsident Barack Obama das Pentagon drei kampfbereite Flugzeugträger-Schlachtgruppen in Reichweite der iranischen Küste zusammengezogen hatte. Aber auch damals – Irans Verteidigungsfähigkeiten waren noch weitaus schwächer als heute – gab es starken Widerstand innerhalb des Pentagon und der Stabschefs der US-Waffengattungen gegen einen Krieg mit Iran, der den US-Streitkräften und der US-Wirtschaft hohe Verluste versprach.

 

Die aktuelle Angriffsplanung

 

Im Zentrum steht angeblich die Annahme, dass ein Konflikt mit Iran nicht mit schnellen, punktuellen Schlägen beendet wäre, sondern sich über Wochen erstrecken könnte. Vorgesehen sind anhaltende Luft- und Seeoperationen, die darauf abzielen, iranische Raketeninfrastruktur sowie mit der Eliminierung der Führungs- und Kommunikationsstrukturen die iranische Verteidigung zu enthaupten.

 

Gleichzeitig wird mit asymmetrischen Gegenreaktionen Irans gerechnet: Raketenangriffe, Cyberattacken, Angriffe durch Stellvertretermilizen und Störungen des Schiffsverkehrs, u. a. die Blockade der Straße von Hormus, gehören zu den einkalkulierten Szenarien.

 

Zu Vorbereitung des Angriffs hat die aktuell überall erkennbare Verstärkung der US-Truppenpräsenz in der Region stattgefunden, zwei Flugzeugträger-Schlachtgruppen mit Zerstörer und Ladungsschiffen und Hubschrauber für Kommandounternehmen an Land. Hinzu kommt die Verlegung von Langstreckenbombern in die Region sowie die Verstärkung der regionalen Luftwaffenstützpunkte mit tarnkappenfähigen F-35 Kampfjets. Die US-Luftwaffe spielt in den Planspielen des Pentagon ohnehin eine zentrale Rolle, denn sie soll als Drehscheibe für Aufklärung, Überwachung und Präzisionsangriff dienen. Parallel dazu wird die Raketenabwehr gegen iranische Vergeltungsangriff gegen US-Truppen und Verbündete weiter verstärkt.

 

Zielsetzung und regionale wie globale Auswirkungen

 

Laut Medienberichten sehen die Planungen offenbar das übliche abgestufte Vorgehen der Aggression vor. Zunächst sollen Luftabwehr- und Raketenstellungen ausgeschaltet werden, um operative Überlegenheit zu sichern. Danach sollen Kommandozentralen, Logistikeinrichtungen und mit den Revolutionsgarden verbundene Strukturen vernichtet werden. Brav wiederholen die US-Medien auch die inzwischen in Stein gehauene Lüge, dass "ein Regimewechsel" in Teheran laut den Pentagon-Plänen "nicht explizit im Mittelpunkt steht". Vielmehr gehe es um die nachhaltige Schwächung der militärischen Handlungsfähigkeit Irans.

 

Ein länger andauernder Konflikt hätte erhebliche Folgen für Energiemärkte und internationale Handelsrouten, insbesondere im Bereich der Straße von Hormus. Zudem besteht die Gefahr einer Ausweitung durch verbündete Milizen in mehreren Ländern des Nahen Ostens.

 

Wochenlange Kampfhandlungen würden erhebliche logistische und politische Herausforderungen mit sich bringen sowie hohe Anforderungen an Personal, Material und politische Unterstützung stellen. Auch innenpolitisch hätte Trump, der vor seiner Wahl versprochen hatte, Schluss zu machen mit den "endlosen Kriegen" des Tiefen Staates, bei einer längeren militärische Auseinandersetzung Probleme mit seiner eigenen MAGA-Bewegung. Schon jetzt regt sich in der Bewegung offener Widerstand prominenter MAGA-Mitglieder.

 

Nicht die erste Bedrohungskulisse

 

Wie eingangs erwähnt, ist die aktuell von Trump aufgebaute Drohkulisse gegen Iran nicht die erste, allerdings die bisher schwächste.

 

2007

 

Im Februar 2007 waren auf Befehl des damaligen Präsidenten George W. Bush zwei Flugzeugträger-Schlachtgruppen, die Eisenhower und die Stennis, mit ihren Begleitschiffen in den Persischen Golf entsandt worden. Die "Assault (Angriffs)-Gruppe" unter Führung der Batan war ebenfalls auf dem Weg in den Golf, wo bereits eine weitere "Assault-Gruppe" lag. Bei einer Assault-Gruppe handelt es sich um sieben Schiffe mit insgesamt 2.200 Marine-Infanteristen, Kampfhubschraubern, senkrechtstartenden Harrier-Kampfbombern und anderem Gerät zur Erstürmung feindlicher Küsten.

 

Insgesamt hat Washington im Februar 2007 an die 50 Kriegsschiffe im und um den Golf zusammengezogen. Auch britische Minensuchboote, spezialisiert auf flache Gewässer wie in der Straße von Hormus, sind mit von der Partie. Hunderte von US-Kampfflugzeugen standen in der Region bereit: auf den Flugzeugträgern, auf der riesigen US-Base in Katar, in Bahrain, auf den vier großen US-Luftstützpunkten im Irak, auf Diego Garcia im indischen Ozean und in Afghanistan. Sogar auf der US-Basis Incirlik in der Türkei ist Verstärkung eingetroffen, obwohl die türkische Regierung bereits letztes Jahr erklärt hatte, dass türkisches Territorium nicht für einen Angriff auf Iran bereitsteht.

 

2012

 

Anfang 2012, auf dem Höhepunkt einer weiteren erpresserischen US-Forderung gegen Iran, baute Washington erneut eine Drohkulisse auf, diesmal noch größer, mit drei Flugzeugträger-Schlachtgruppen sowie entsprechenden Begleit- und Landungsschiffen für die Marine-Infanterie. Dieser Einsatz erfolgte vor dem Hintergrund eskalierender Spannungen wegen neuer US-Forderungen bezüglich des friedlichen iranischen Atomprogramms und der iranischen Drohung, im Konfliktfall die Straße von Hormus zu sperren. Zur Untermauerung ihrer erpresserischen Forderungen positionierte die US-Marine drei Flugzeugträgerkampfgruppen im nördlichen Arabischen Meer und den angrenzenden Gewässern:

 

Die USS Abraham Lincoln (Carrier Strike Group 9)

 

Die USS Carl Vinson (Carrier Strike Group 1)

 

Die USS John C. Stennis (Carrier Strike Group 3)

 

Irans Präsident zum Jahrestag Islamischer Revolution: Werden uns westlicher Aggression nicht beugen

 

Beim aktuellen Einsatz (Januar 2026) ist bisher nur die Flugzeugträgerkampfgruppe USS Abraham Lincoln mit Begleitschutz im Arabischen Meer angekommen. Und die US-Basen in der Region sind von US-Flugzeugen und -Mannschaften geräumt, weil sie leichte Ziele für iranische Raketen wären. Die aktuelle US-Streitkräfte-Aufstellung in der Region ist also bedeutend schwächer als im Jahr 2007 und 2012, und das zu einem Zeitpunkt, an dem Iran im Vergleich zu den früheren Krisenhöhepunkten dank eigener Entwicklungen sowie mithilfe und durch Zukäufe von Russen und Chinesen ungleich stärker dasteht als zuvor und gute Chancen hat, der US-Flotte einige empfindliche Schläge zu versetzen.

 

Mal sehen, ob Trump und seine Mannschaft ebenso vernünftig sind wie Bush 2007 und Obama 2012 und sich zurückziehen – oder ob sie sich von Zionisten weiter erpressen lassen. Denn wenn Trump sich für einen echten Krieg mit Iran entscheidet, könnte dies eine Krise auslösen, die – anstatt die Islamische Republik Iran zu zerstören – nicht nur seine Präsidentschaft beenden, sondern auch ein für alle Mal einen Strich durch die strategischen Ambitionen Washingtons im Mittleren Osten machen könnte.

 

Mehr zum Thema – Trump, Iran und die Illusion des "schnellen Sieges"

  

Durch die Sperrung von RT zielt die EU darauf ab, eine kritische, nicht prowestliche Informationsquelle zum Schweigen zu bringen. Und dies nicht nur hinsichtlich des Ukraine-Kriegs. Der Zugang zu unserer Website wurde erschwert, mehrere Soziale Medien haben unsere Accounts blockiert. Es liegt nun an uns allen, ob in Deutschland und der EU auch weiterhin ein Journalismus jenseits der Mainstream-Narrative betrieben werden kann. Wenn Euch unsere Artikel gefallen, teilt sie gern überall, wo Ihr aktiv seid. Das ist möglich, denn die EU hat weder unsere Arbeit noch das Lesen und Teilen unserer Artikel verboten. Anmerkung: Allerdings hat Österreich mit der Änderung des "Audiovisuellen Mediendienst-Gesetzes" am 13. April diesbezüglich eine Änderung eingeführt, die möglicherweise auch Privatpersonen betrifft. Deswegen bitten wir Euch bis zur Klärung des Sachverhalts, in Österreich unsere Beiträge vorerst nicht in den Sozialen Medien zu teilen.

 

(c) European Voice

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

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.

The development of technology has improved the efficiency and speed with which global companies conduct day-to-day business in every industry. Technology has impacted core methodology, key analytics, safety, quality and communications. New technology also creates additional vulnerabilities for exploitation of highly confidential data and critical operations. As the cyber-risk profile evolves, regulators are focused on creating and enforcing data security requirements throughout the company, including at executive levels. Panelists explored the role of the general counsel as a strategist in helping the business assess the value and significance of technology with risk mitigation in mind. Panelists addressed best practices for being prepared for a cyberattack, and the role of the legal department in a cross-disciplinary response team. In addition, panelists focused on increased risks for officers and directors and duties associated with reporting to the executive team and the board.

 

Moderator: Stefanie Fogel

Panelists: Denise Jackson, Caroline Krass, Rena Mears and Rena Hozore Reiss

 

DLA Piper | Women's Conference 2018 | Ritz Carlton | Spoon Photo and Design

"Prosecutors Announce More Charges in JPMorgan Cyberattack" by LIZ MOYER via NYT t.co/iq8FBP2M1L (via Twitter twitter.com/felipemassone/status/664141432140210176)

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Denmark) is now also reacting to the drone flight over Copenhagen Airport.-

 

What we witnessed last night is the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date. This says something about the times we live in and what we as a society need to be prepared to handle

- We certainly do not exclude any options regarding who is behind this. And it is clear that this ties into the developments we have observed recently with other drone attacks, airspace violations, and cyberattacks on European airports.

To reveal the truth is to find yourself under attack as WikiLeaks now find itself. Rep. Peter King is pushing for the website to be declared a Foreign Terrorist Organization. It is now clear what the United States is desperately trying to hide from the American People and the world.

 

The WikiLeaks website today said that it was under a forceful internet-based attack with the site inaccessible to users in U.S. and Europe.

 

The site, which just distributed a trove of U.S. diplomatic documents, said in a Twitter message on that it is under a 'distributed denial of service attack,' a method commonly used by hackers to slow down or bring down sites.

 

WikiLeaks was also under attack on Sunday - but the latest assault - believed to come from China - appears to be more powerful.

 

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334232/WikiLeaks-websit...

 

Whistleblower WikiLeaks said today its Web site has been targeted by a massive computer attack, just hours before an expected release of classified U.S. documents.

 

"We are currently under a mass distributed denial of service attack," WikiLeaks said on its Twitter feed. Efforts to reach the page as of this writing were unsuccessful.

 

The site released 75,000 confidential files on the war in Afghanistan in July and defied a series of warnings from the Pentagon and other government officials by releasing nearly 400,000 secret files from the Iraq war last month. In a Twitter post last week, the whistleblower site announced it was preparing to release its largest cache of classified documents.

 

"Next release is 7x the size of the Iraq War Logs. Intense pressure over it for months," WikiLeaks said last week.

 

In a follow-up Twitter post today, WikiLeaks said newspapers such as El Pais, Le Monde, Der Speigel, The Guardian, and the New York Times would post the files, even if its site was inaccessible. (Update at 1:30 p.m. PT: The files have since been released, revealing among other things that the U.S. ordered surveillance of U.N. leaders.)

 

The White House has condemned the leaks, saying they put lives at risk, and conservative commentators argued that Wikileaks.org should be shut down by any means necessary.

 

The WikiLeaks Web site has in the past been proposed as the first public target for a U.S. government cyberattack. One Washington newspaper argued that WikiLeaks' offshore Web site should be attacked and rendered "inoperable" by the U.S. government. A State Department adviser who served under President George W. Bush wrote a column calling on the U.S. military to "electronically assault WikiLeaks and any telecommunications company offering its services to this organization."

 

Bradley Manning, an Army intelligence specialist, is suspected of being a source for the document-sharing Web site and was charged in June with obtaining "more than 150,000 diplomatic cables" from the State Department.

 

Update November 29 at 6:24 a.m. PT: CNN reports that a hacker named "the Jester," who claims to have been involved with U.S. Special Forces, is claiming responsibility for the attack on the Wikileaks site "for attempting to endanger the lives of our troops, 'other assets' & foreign relations."

  

news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20023932-93.html

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.

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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The 31st edition of the 2023 FISU Winter World University Games is set for January 11-22, . The preliminary round will be played in Canton, NY, before moving to Herb Brooks Arena Lake Placid NY 2019 - home of the 1980 Winter Olympics 'Miracle on Ice' . for the medal rounds

 

Unfortunately both Canadian TV networks CBC and CTV will not be televising this event on T.V. to Canadians ?

  

Results from games played at SUNY Canton Roos House

 

Thur Jan 12th - UKR 1 vs Canada 6

Fri Jan 13th - SWE 3 vs Canada 10

Sun Jan 15th - Japan 2 vs Canada 8

Tues Jan 17th - Latvia 0 vs Canada 9

Wed Jan 18th - Czech 0 vs Canada 4

 

Results from Olympic Center Lk Placid : final scores

 

Sat Jan 21,2023 Men's semis KAZ 1 vs Canada 4

 

Jan 21, 2023 Women's Gold medal game Japan 0 vs Canada 5

 

Sun,Jan 22, 2023 Men's bronze medal game KAZ 8 vs Japan 1

 

Sun Jan 22,2023 Men's Gold medal game USA 2 vs Canada 7

  

UNB selections: Winter World University Games

Brady Gilmour Forward UNB Grafton, ON #19

Austen Keating Forward UNB Guelph, ON #9

Adam McCormick Defence UNB Waterville, NB #8

  

AUS selections:

Justin MacPherson Defence SMU East Gwillimbury, ON

Matt Welsh Goaltender SMU Halifax, NS

Andrew Coxhead Forward SMU Bedford,NS

Liam Hawel Forward StFX Arnprior, ON

Matthew Struthers Forward StFX Milton, ON

Kyle Maksimovich Forward UPEI Hamilton, ON

TJ Shea Forward UPEI Tignish, PEI

Matthew Brassard Defence UPEI Barrie, ON

  

Justin Bergeron Defence UQTR Magog, QC

Kyle Bollers Forward Toronto Oshawa, ON

Brett Davis Forward Manitoba Oakbank, MB

Jared Dmytriw Forward Saskatchewan Craven, SK

Kai Edmonds Goaltender TMU Ottawa, ON

Noah King Defence Calgary Winnipeg, MB

Simon Lafrance Forward UQTR Saint-Eustache, QC

Zachary Lavigne Forward UQTR Drummondville, QC

Jacob Paquette Defence Queen’s Ottawa, ON

Roddy Ross Goaltender Saskatchewan Meadow Lake, SK

Scott Walford Defence McGill Coquitlam, BC

Jonathan Yantsis Forward Queen’s

  

.2025 TEAM CANADA FISU MEN'S HOCKEY ROSTER

 

F - Mathieu Bizier, Concordia Stingers

F - Connor Bowie, TMU Bold

F - Benjamin Corbeil, UNB Reds

F - Conor Frenette, UQTR Patriotes

F - Mathieu Gagnon, McGill Rebirds

F - Colson Gengenbach, Calgary Dinos

F - Mikael Huchette, Concordia Stingers

F - Samuel Huo, UBC Thunderbirds

F - Nolan Hutcheson, Queen's Gaels

F - Liam Keeler, Saskatchewan Huskies

F - Simon Lavigne, Concordia Stingers

F - Sasha Mutala, UBC Thunderbirds

F - Kaleb Pearson, UPEI Panthers

F - William Rouleau, McGill Redbirds

 

D - Charlie Callaghan, StFX X-Men

D - Jack Duff - Queen's Gaels

D - Kurtis Henry, UPEI Panthers

D - Jake Lee, UBC Thunderbirds

D - Kale McCallumn, UNB Reds

D - Loris Rafanomezantsoa, UQTR Patriote

 

G - Kai Edmonds, TMU Bold

G - Francesco Lapenna, Ottawa Gee-Gees

G - Samuel Richard, UNB Reds

  

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Nov 19th, 2023 Grey Cup Sunday in Hamilton, Ontario :

 

CBC has televised an unknown American variety show while the historic 109th Grey Cup Game was being played in Canada on Grey Cup Sunday and so many Canadians were unable to watch the famous game ? It seems odd that Canada's taxpayer owned State Media would distance itself from such a beloved Canadian sports extravaganza that is identifiable to so many Canadians ? Should a law be passed to make it compulsory for the Canadian taxpayer owned CBC to broadcast the Grey Cup game ?

  

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Some relevant School news clippings,

  

Feb 24, 2022 - Wolfville, N.S. Acadia University. The Acadia University Professors strike enters its 4th week ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51901774104

 

Sept 30th 2022 - AI comes to the hockey game - - Acadia Axeman hockey at Andrew H. McCain Arena goes paperless ? The Official paper program is no longer handed out to the paying customer ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52395343477

 

January 22, 2024 - Canada sets two-year cap on foreign students. The cap will result in a decrease of 35% in approved study permits.

www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68059996

 

International student fallout hits the bottom line.. Atlantic universities depend on international students for about 30 per cent of their enrollment.

universityaffairs.ca/news/international-student-fallout-h...

 

May 11th 2023 - A new policy has been announced at Acadia where almost half of seats for a new Course will be set aside and reserved only for members of certain racial or ethnic groups as specified by the University ? The PC Government announced that a new nursing program is to be offered at Acadia University where approximately 50 percent of the seats are reserved only for African, Mi'kmaq and Indigenous students. The total number of annual seats set to increase to 63 ? When bearing in mind the current health care worker crisis and an urgent need for nursing grads, is it really wise or responsible to install race or ethnic restrictions that could eliminate many of those wanting to apply ? www2.acadiau.ca/about-acadia/newsroom/news-reader-page/ac...

 

Dec 27, 2021 - Playing the race card ? The Liberal Provincial Government could be on a slippery slope by choosing to use race to determine which applicants will get preferental treatment during a short supply emergency situation in an international health crisis ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51782360402/in/album-7...

 

The Supreme Court says colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission,

www.cnn.com/2023/06/29/politics/affirmative-action-suprem...

 

Free University for some ? B.C. university waives tuition for local First Nation students,

bc.ctvnews.ca/that-s-reconciliation-b-c-university-waives...

 

Aug 2023 - A new physician assistant program at Dalhousie U open to 24 students per year with preference given to applicants from Nova Scotia, atlantic.ctvnews.ca/n-s-invests-5-6-million-for-first-phy...

 

Oct 10, 2025 - R-Studio plays the race card ?

R-Studio, a local Halifax gym, executes an exclusive low price membership charge determined by what race you are ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsHpxm3yb7c&t=20s

 

June 11, 2025 - Maritime students struggling to find scarce summer jobs in Canada,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/mission-impossible-mariti...

 

Tim Horton's appears to use racial profiling in its hiring policies ? Why aren't the Liberals upset over this inequality ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54605482350/in/album-7...

 

Canada's Gen Z can't find jobs,, www.cbc.ca/news/business/youth-unemployment-rate-1.7549979

 

The Koncerned Kentvillian must ask, " why is it every time you gas up at Milne Court Petro-Can, New Minas Ultramar, KVille Ultramar and now the Big Stop, or go to the KFC for chicken, or Mary Browns, or the Burger King, or Subway, or all of the 3 Timmies for coffee, or Walmart, oe Needs, or receive a parcel from amazon, or attend the cash register post to pay a bill at many other stores, it feels like you're suddenly in a foreign country ? " What has happened to all of the friendly locals that used to hold these positions and were one of the main reasons that we all frequented these establishments ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54418705157/

 

Kody Bloise . Liberal Party

 

Is an identity crisis looming in Kentville ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52094330358/in/album-7...

 

Canada's post-secondary industry predicts storm ahead, as budget cuts shrink courses, staff,

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/post-secondary-cuts-1.7387175

 

July 1, 2021 - the Prime Minister of Canada will not be celebrating Canada Day this year claiming that for some Canada Day isn't a day to celebrate." Wha-a-a-a-t -t-t ??? www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-day-political-reaction-1....

 

U of T Toronto, Jun 27, 2023 - " She Sung it her Way "

Jully Black makes up her own personalized and politicized, 'our home on native land' version of the Canadian National anthem in her performance at Toronto university graduation. Black was asked to perform her way of singing Canada's national anthem to reflect the core values of the U of T law program ? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jully-black-tmu-law-school...

 

Dec 16th 2023 - O Canada is sung in Punjabi at the NHL Jets hockey game in Winnipeg Manitoba,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKifMtbbyJg

 

March 18, 2025 - Professors, students say Nova Scotia university bill threatens academic freedoms,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/professors-st...

 

March 4th, 2025 - Trump issues a ban on 'illegal' college protests as he threatens students with arrest and deportation,

www.lbc.co.uk/usa/politics/trump-issues-ban-on-illegal-co...

 

April 9, 2025 - Trump administration freezes $1 billion in funding for Cornell University, $790 million for Northwestern University ,,

www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/us/cornell-northwestern-federal-fu...

 

Jan 20,2026 - Trump hates the wind turbines ? ‘so pathetic and so bad .. You might notice that China makes and sells these things but they will never use them ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wkHCSbSwkw

 

5th Mar 5th, 2025 - U.S. funding freeze affecting both American and international exchange students and major US scholarship funders

monitor.icef.com/2025/03/us-funding-freeze-affecting-both...

 

Trump protecting historic statues - enacts 10 years in jail penalty for harming or defacing historical statues,, www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-signs-executive-order-enactin...

 

February 10, 2025 - Acadia University announces permanent pool closure, discontinues varsity swim team - will close its swimming pool on June 15, 2025,

Students chose Acadia because of the swim team and many parents got calls “from their kids – in tears – devastated.”

Acadia Aquatics,

recreation.acadiau.ca/aquatics.html

 

How not to park at Hennigers farm Market Greenwich,

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54788130883

 

April 13, 2025 - Eight programs suspended at P.E.I. college over drop in international students,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/prince-edward-island/article/pei-...

 

Sept 13th, 2025 - Acadia Axemen and Dal Tigers hockey teams cross the Dal strikers picket line to play an Exhibition game at Dalhousie University ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54784598896/in/photost...

 

Town of Wolfville breaking the law, obstructing traffic, while creating a safety hazard ? And making trip to and from hockey games a real challenge ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54710009955/in/photost...

 

Sep 29, 2025 - Wolfville now studying ways to solve their traffic congestion along Main Street ?

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/wolfville-nova-scotia-...

 

Gambling in amateur Sport ? CBC has introduced gambling into its Olympic games coverage ? In a groundbreaking move and for the first time ever, CBC has introduced and included gambling in the Olympic games ?

Paris Olympics - It appears that CBC has partnered with one particular online Casino company and BetRivers is running sports betting ads during the televising of live Olympic sporting events ? Is the inclusion of a Casino and Sports betting parlor running sports betting during Olympic events appropriate to the principles and high moral standard exemplified by the Olympic Games ?

 

Are University student loans being gambled away ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54775209530/in/photost...

 

Targeting youth for gambling ! gambling ads - The aggressive marketing of a highly addictive social vice to sports fans both young and old ? www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/sports-betting-gambling-adver...

 

CBC news · Sep 08, 2025 - Targeting youth for gambling ! Young people are being inundated with sports betting ads that doctors warn can be harmful . Canadian Medical Association Journal editorial calls for ads to be restricted during sports broadcasts,

www.cbc.ca/news/health/youth-sports-betting-advertisement...

 

Feb 4th 2025, Bell Let's Talk ? Abandoning your Unionized Maritimes telephone workers, refusing to talk to them and leaving them out on the Street for 5 Months does not contribute to good mental health ? U Ottawa Scotty suggests that the internet, mobile phones and Social media are taking a heavy toll on the mental health and overall mental well being of today's society ? And so maybe there's some hypocrisy shown by the giant media mogul Bell Canada who might just be the biggest contributor and profit taker from a national crisis ? www.youtube.com/shorts/31f3sZndK6w

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51844732131/in/album-7...

 

This year Canadian Taxpayers will pay $1.5 billion dollars to subsidize the CBC ?

site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/impact-and-accountabil...

 

June 28,2021, O Canada at Stanley Cup Finals ? CBC plays an unflattering version of the National Anthem on the World stage ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51829474529/in/album-7...

 

January 11-22, 2023 - CBC doesn't seem to be in a hurry to broadcast, promote or publicize male gender hockey like the AHL, ECHL, WHL, U Sports University level Men's hockey or the Canadian Men's Junior hockey ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52640201721/in/datepos...

 

Halifax, Canada Jan 2023 - This time around the IIHF men's World Juniors hockey tournament will be held in Canada. No games were shown on CBC T.V. and many Canadians were unable to watch Canada's finest male gender Junior hockey players incl Connor Badard play in their home Country and win Gold for Canada ?

However, although CBC ignored and failed to televise all IIHF Men's junior hockey games played, they were certain to make daily news reports and give loads of air time that focused on an alleged past scandal involving a previous Men's IIHF Junior hockey team ? cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-...

 

Justin says Goodbye Don't cry for me O my Canada.

Jan 06, 2025 - Trudeau resigns as prime minister, Prorogues Parliament until March 24 2025,

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54385355629/

 

Caste system in Canada ? 2023 NDP caste system Leadership Convention - Is it really Canada ? It seems the NDP Party has adopted a caste system ( like the system they use over in India ) ? Delegates here must wear caste identifiable yellow or white tags ? Master, Mistress, person or whatever of Ceremonies instructs those who declare themselves as white and male gender to get to the back of the line ? Other identities, or those with yellow tags can go to the front of the line and speak first ?

 

Playing a race card ? Apr 3, 2026 - NDP Leadership Convention uses 'racial equity cards' to identify and to separate people by their race and color ? black and red before white after yellow or green etc, etc ????

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMtHsUTBrt8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDV7ImXwTPI

 

2026 NDP Leadership Convention - Looks like Hitler's hairdresser was here ? Some pretty weird stuff going on,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqhIBsaHzCg

  

Lost in Space________Episode # 1_______Death to Deniers !

 

Danger - Will Robinson, Danger !

 

These fine ladies want prison sentences handed down to individuals who dare to be themselves and to think differently while calling anyone with a different opinion from theirs to be a denier or hater ?

No one denies the existence of residential schools. And so why are Leah Gazan (NDP), Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP), Nahanni Fontaine (NDP) and Kimberley Murray (Liberal Government investigator) so dissatisfied and why are they trying to force their own radical and ego-driven personal viewpoints based on hearsay and as yet unproven allegations on everyone else ? Why do they want you to think the way they think, believe what they believe, and be forced ( by law ) to accept their unique, extreme left wing, selfish and self-serving narrative, (that they get paid for) as being Gods' truth, and,, if you were to dare resist then you are to be labelled hater or denier and become a criminal that could be sent to jail for up to life in prison under the law enshrined in Bill C-63 or C-9 that they are all pushing for ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZU7NEzs3Gk

  

Sep 27, 2024 - Leah Gazan wants you think like her and be like her ?

NDP narcissistic MP Leah Gazan introduces her bill in Parliament where she wants to charge those who ‘deny’ her own and as yet unproven personal narrative of genocide and the gruesome discovery of 215 child bodies being found in a well hidden mass grave in Kamloops, with a crime ? Her Bill C-413 will charge those who commit, what she calls promoting hate against Indigenous peoples by challenging, questioning, denying, or downplaying her theories, with committing a hate crime ?

www.lifesitenews.com/news/new-democrat-mp-introduces-bill...

  

What Is Truth ?

"If you are strictly one-sided with any opinion, you’re incredibly ignorant".

UBC Jan 22, 2026 - An entire generation of students that grew up attending the Canadian public school system during the Trudeau Liberal era ( 2015 thru 2025 ) have reached post secondary age and are arriving at University in a heavily indoctrinated state of mind with extremely one-sided only, uni-opinion attitudes expressed in a coercive and even threatening way ? Violent gangs of young masked and gagged orange shirted student protestors, tribalism, mind control, far left radical activism and propaganda posters hanging in an Authoritarian environment where free will, open debate or speaking your truth has become a crime was seen recently at the U of B.C. ? This might sound Orwellian, but it's actually the University of B.C. in Vancouver that is a Canadian institute of higher learning that gets over a billion dollars in public funding per year ? Frances Widdowson, "Without truth and without freedom, our Universities will die." www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihsLPodE9R0

 

Ace CBC reporter Jordan Tucker ? In her interview assignment for CBC with Professor Widdowson, Jordan Tucker says that around 6000 child bodies have been found so far at first nation reservation schools, and that to her, the truth is not really a top priority ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ik61NGwXas&t=58s

 

Residential schools. Following three years of searching for bodies at a massive cost to taxpayers of $216.5 million not a single set of human remains has been found ?

The 12 million given to kamloops has disappeared with nothing to show for it ? thecatholicherald.com/article/failure-to-find-bodies-ends...

 

U of Vic claims 215 but Frances and Dallas say Zero ?

What Is Truth ?

Dec 3rd 2025, Frances and Dallas visit the U of Vic in Victoria B.C. and discover a mass indoctrination of impressionable young minds ? They learn that challenging what is taught here can get you abused or even carted off to jail ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53G5WBpVmc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSRn8BzpvLc

 

May 28th, 2026 - If we believe in these massive untruths that are told then our democracies will collapse,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2pd8-F2p0A&t=17s

 

Feb 24th, 2026 - Lethbridge, "You're not f'n welcome here !" Welcome to the University of Lethbridge where manners are ignored, etiquette is absent, and where students use threats of bodily harm, chant ancient tribal war cries and bang out continuous monotone loud drumming noise to drown out the opposition during debate ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Moi7VM7xI

 

Apr 26th, 2026 - A whited sepulchre University set in the windy city of Lethbridge - Following yet another arrest and another trip in the paddy wagon, Frances Widdowson pleads with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to help re-enforce the basic rule of truth based on free and independent thinking in our public schools once again ? "Without truth and without freedom, our Universities will die."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfPix14aMIc

 

UBC Jan 22,2026 - Counter viewpoint reporters attacked and must run for their lives ?

 

UBC zombie apocalypse, Jan 22,2026

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfIpTnyH_Zg

 

2021, Major Canadian Party leader Jagmeet Singh attacks his own Country calling it a genocidal nation ? Jag says that 215 bodies have been found in hidden unmarked mass graves in Kamloops and this clearly shows that Canada is a genocidal nation ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQb3GZx_ZR0

 

2021 - Dr. Timothy Rahilly, the President of Mt. Royal College - When learning of a story that unmarked graves may have been found at a Kamloops B.C. residential school the President has immediately turned on his University PA system to make the official announcement to the entire student body that 215 children have just been found buried in a mass unmarked grave at the Kamloops B.C. residential school and that a shaken, shameful and perhaps genocidal nation is now in mourning ? One of the senior teachers at his University has asked for evidence to support such a monumental and newly discovered allegation and he has fired her ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGhB3uNHwA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGhB3uNHwA

 

Mar 23,2026 - Mt. Royal College, " my spider sense is tingling "

Is Mt. Royal College in Calgary making the kids Crazy ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPQNM063-lY

 

"What are they doing to our kids" ? Many Parents contribute for years into Registered Education Savings Plans that are to be turned over to Universities on behalf of their Children,

www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/education-sa...

 

Apr 29, 2026 - Vancouver School Board to introduce the Orwellian concept of 'unlearning' into their system ? They are also re-naming schools from their historical English names to instead Indigenous names that cannot be pronounced and use letters not found on a standard keyboard ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrC4GB4wURI

 

Vancouver March 12, 2026 - Have Liberal backroom land transfer deals with first nations already transpired as the Eby provincial NDP government pretended to look the other way ? The Indians may now own property rights in and around Vancouver ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2DqPzulos

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/musqueam-rights-r...

 

March 12, 2026 - treachery or treason ? B.C.'s Eby Government may have been giving Canada away while insulting veterans who fought to secure and retain the Country ? Led by Spencer Herbert it seems the NDP party in B.C. want to give Canada away without first asking Canadians for permission ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVTzJWE86go

 

March 12, 2026 - What NDP Spencer Herbert is trying to do in B.C. was recently defeated in a fellow Province's Highest Court ? New Brunswick's supreme court ruled that Aboriginal Title Cannot Co-Exist with Fee Simple Title,, www.fasken.com/en/knowledge/2026/01/new-brunswick-court-o...

 

2025 Election Overturned - Double crossers deny democracy in Canada ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55228615842

 

March 09, 2026, Canada’s Bill C-3 "An Act to amend the Citizenship Act" - New Liberal legislation allows Canadian citizenship to be passed down over multiple generations back to as far as caveman days, and means many millions of unvetted individuals are now eligible to automatically be Canadian ? www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7120945

 

March 30, 2026, Millions of Americans now eligible for Canadian citizenship and many are applying ‘just in case’

www.cnn.com/2026/03/30/travel/canadian-citizenship-by-des...

 

March 14, 2026 - Completely contrary to Canada, the country of Italy has restricted Italian citizenship for anyone born abroad. Italy has enacted a ruling that tells millions with Italian roots that they have lost the right to their citizenship,

www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/italy-ruling-tells-millions-...

 

March 12, 2026 - Acadia University reducing staff levels amid ‘financial pressures’? 31 Acadia positions eliminated. University monetary chaos affecting not only the institutions but also the broader economy. Financial difficulties stem from capped international student enrollments, increased costs of high-end employment, and draconian funding cuts by provincial government. These have all led to job cuts, program reductions, and even campus closures. The financial strain on universities is expected to continue, with further announcements of layoffs and program cuts are likely to come soon. www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/acadia-univer...

 

Mar 4th, 2026 - Canada grants $100 million in scholarships for students in India ? This comes on the heels of PM Carney's trip to India.

www.youtube.com/post/Ugkx1VHElLBjsSwpz5-CK3P4SsNdrZmGdelS

 

feb 25, 2026 - Drastic University cuts have been implemented in latest Nova Scotia Provincial budget. Tim Houston's PC government is reducing funding for all Universities incl the PhD programs in education at Acadia,

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Grant-R...

 

February 26, 2026 - Vulnerable hard hit starving Nova Scotia university students who struggle daily with the high cost of living in Nova Scotia prepare for a week-long strike to protest the provincial education cut, the cuts to advanced education grants, and they are demanding tuition reductions and divestment from fossil fuel dollars,

globalnews.ca/video/11708934/n-s-university-students-prep...

 

March 15, 2026 - Dalhousie University students vote to join the Nova Scotia student strike, www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/dalhousie-uni...

  

May 29th, 2026 Kentville Memorial Park ABF Friday night concert, ( Can the good ole days of dollar dogs and bargain Big 8 drinks be over) ? High level security to guard the 20 dollar burgers and kids bouncy castles ? ( must have taken up most of their budget at the sacrifice of bringing in some quality outside live entertainment acts ) ? Town brings in outside police to assist the local Kentville force, cordons off the ground zero event perimeter with road blocks, sets street barricades and places manned guard posts to establish maximum protective traffic control that unfortunately forces patrons including seniors, the handicapped and mothers carrying babies to park and walk a fair distance away from the park gates ? Also, in the past years this concert had always featured special invited guest rock bands, interesting games, demonstrations, displays and a visit from the Queen Annapolisa Royal party following the prestigious coronation ceremony in Wolfville, But the popular concert appears to have deteriorated into some kind of a Children's outdoor romper room type family show featuring food trucks, inflatable air bouncy castles and a local band as the featured star main stage performing act ? Not much to do or see for those above elementary grade school level other than to maybe purchase some food from a food truck charging upscale restaurant prices and to then dine on a paper plate with plastic utensils while standing up in a crowd of unruly kids being lustfully observed by nearby hungry saliva drooling pet dogs leashed to their owners ? However, thanks to the heightened crowd and traffic control there was a report of a parking violator being successfully apprehended and a runaway pet was also captured and returned to its owner ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54558198569/in/photost...

  

A cultural genocide is going on in Kentville ?

Why always Kentville ? Now it's the library ? First came the loss of the Railway and Day-liner service back in 1989, then Kings council expropriated the local Airport and evicted all the other established aviation schools and businesses, then they had tried to take Grand street parade away from Kentville in 2017, and then we lost the famous Cornwallis Inn logo and the 88 yrs old statue in Halifax was torn down, they then terminated Apple Blossom Princess Kentville and ended the 87 consecutive years of the Queen Annapolisa pageant and Kentville lost a massive amount of diversity that had always been provided by the multiple villages that always attended the Festivals, as well as the elimination of Princess teas, the Coronation, and cancellation of all mid-week public outdoor entertainment always normally held at Memorial Park during ABF week ? And now they appear to be after the popular long time Kentville Library ?

After the Town has proceeded with termination after termination while never offering replacements, and, as Kentville gradually approaches cultural ghost town status, we notice that the downtown business core (in which the Mayor has a major private business interest ) has been renovated and restored to pristine condition by way of a massive Town expenditure budgeted for a complete 100 % total beautification makeover program complete with new installations of street paving, street paint, new double sidewalks on both sides, new driveway entrances, new curb and gutter both sides, signage and flower pots ? And the other three surrounding streets making up this downtown business block have also been totally upgraded including Aberdeen Street, Cornwallis Street and Main Street ?

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/annapolis-valley-libra...

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/video/2026/06/02/funding-cuts-lea...

 

May 09, 2026 A cyberattack has hit universities worldwide, including top Canadian schools. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canvas-cyber-attack-canadian-unive...

 

CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2026 - Boys now falling behind the girls in school. A new Quebec report says boys are systemically disadvantaged in the school system ? The high school dropout rate for boys is 27.1 per cent, while for girls it's 19.9 per cent.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boys-falling-behind-in-school-9.71...

 

An ongoing deterioration of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival in Kentville ? Bring back Eddies Basement to Memorial Park, and 'honey they shrunk the stage' ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55295377420/in/photost...

 

George Orwell's dark prediction has just come true.

London England, Apr 22,2026 - A new UK Parliamentary bill will instal a form of Orwellian Totalitarianism upon English society where the Government places statutory social restrictions on all fetuses and babies being born, and also requires that they be Government monitored for the rest of their natural lives for the legal personal probationary order attached to them ? Rob Cunningham and his Cancer Society are crusading for residents of his home country of Canada to be forced into this compulsory social control ? www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/uk-agrees-ban-on-cigarette-s...

 

Dec 13th, 2025 - this is a bit rich ? A doctor advertising smoking for the liquor store ? Dr. Robert Strang Chief Medical Officer of Health and top doctor for Nova Scotia now appearing in TV ads that endorse the (safe) smoking of pot on behalf of Provincially owned liquor stores ? It's also a bit rich that Rob Cunningham and his Cancer Society do not appear to have a problem with this smoking ad ?

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4190201767960744

  

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Some relevant main media news clippings,

 

PWHL - CBC sponsors the new Pro Women's Hockey League with their full media support, massive blocs of air time, TV advertising, coast to coast live game broadcasts, player bios and a game each week that are complete with hosting and analysis,, "CBC/Radio-Canada is the official broadcaster of the Professional Women's Hockey League". However, CBC has shown a completely different attitude when it comes to supporting or televising pro sporting events played by male gender athletes such as the Grey Cup, the Calgary Stampede, FIFA, Copa America international men's soccer football and men's IIHF World Juniors and so many Canadians were unable to watch pro athletes like Acadia Axemen footballer Bailey Feltmate in the Grey Cup, or Nova Scotia's Jacob Shaffelburg in the Copa international Men's soccer tournament or Connor Badard in the IIHF World Men's Juniors hockey tournament ?

cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-... cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-...

 

CBC doesn't seem to want to televise Men's soccer or Men's CFL pro football on T.V. ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52512969092/in/album-7...

 

Jun 11, 2024 - CBC fully sponsoring the new Women's Pro soccer league Halifax Tides. - CBC providing media support and all game coverage for the brand new start-up Women's gender Pro soccer league. CBC will broadcast eight regular-season matches. A "Game of the Week" will co-stream simultaneously on CBC Gem and NSL.ca,

www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree...

Thanks to CBC, fans will now be able to follow female Acadia University athletes like Mya Harnish, who has just turned Pro . www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54482565652/in/photost...

 

This year the Canadian Taxpayer will pay out $1.5 billion dollars to subsidize CBC ?

site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/impact-and-accountabil...

 

Breathtaking salaries at CBC/Radio-Canada ? CBC President and CEO Catherine Tait had a base salary range of $390,300 to $459,100 in 2019 ? Why should someone who is actually a public servant whose salary is paid by taxpayers make more than the Prime Minister of Canada ? tnc.news/2022/01/26/cbc-salaries-include-125-senior-direc...

 

Apr 04, 2025 - Mark Carney pledges a $150M boost to the 'underfunded' CBC ? And says a new Liberal government will make CBC funding statutory ? Last year CBC received an all time record 1.4 billion in taxpayer funding and their CEO Catherine Tait, made more than the Prime Minister ?

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mark-carney-cbc-funding-1.7501902

 

February 20th 2023 Jully " I Sung it My Way" Black makes headlines when changing the lyrics and singing her own personal 'our home on native land' politicized version of the Canadian National anthem at the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah ?

www.iheartradio.ca/news/jully-black-sings-o-canada-with-s...

 

Calgary Stampede O Canada - the original "in all thy Sons command" National anthem before they changed it sung at the 2023 Calgary Stampede, www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53044391089

 

July 2023 - Katherine Henderson is appointed to take over and thereby become the first female CEO and President of Hockey Canada ,

www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/katherine-henderson-hockey-canad...

 

No more hockey fighting : This league now plans to ban them dailyhive.com/vancouver/hockey-fights-ban-qmjhl

 

Skate Canada Dec 13, 2022 - Canada is about to totally revolutionize international Sport ? Canadian trail blazers led by President Karen Butcher push to change historic Ice dancing rules from the separate male and female gender roles ?

theprovince.com/sports/other-sports/skate-canada-redefine...

 

A Federal audit has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds for legal settlements.

discoverhumboldIcom/articles/federal-audit-finds-hockey-...

 

NHL moves away from Pride jerseys - advocates are disappointed, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nhl-special-jersey-announcement-re...

 

Nov 20th, Grey Cup 2022 - Many Canadian households were unable to watch the Toronto Argos win the 2022 Grey Cup game by a score of 24 to 23 because both CBC/Radio-Canada and the Bell media owned CTV did not (and never do) schedule or televise this iconic purely Canadian event for national T. V. viewing ? CBC had instead scheduled an unknown variety show being held in the USA for this Grey Cup Sunday night time slot ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52512969092/in/photost...

 

CBC quits Twitter when Twitter calls them, "a government-funded media" ?

www.cbc.ca/news/world/cbc-twitter-government-funded-media...

 

Apr 27th 2023 , Bill C-11 - A controversial bill to regulate online streaming becomes law. Bill C-11, which will force streaming platforms to contribute to funding Canadian content. Critics say the bill is too ambiguous, with many issues unresolved.

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/c11-online-streaming-1.6824314

 

Nov 11th, 2023 - The Liberal Government has ordered Canadian Military not to use or recite Christian prayers like the Lord's Prayer at this year's Remembrance Day ceremonies ? No such order has been given to all the other religious denominations in the forces ?

www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/gunter-we-will-always-pray-f...

 

The Grey Cup Nov 19th 2023, Hamilton Canada - Why aren't both Canadian major media moguls CTV and CBC broadcasting the 2023 Grey Cup game on T.V. for Canadians to view on this Grey Cup Sunday in Canada ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53338415225

 

Religious intolerance ? Have a very Merry Christmas Canada ? The Canadian Human Rights Commission ( fully funded by the federal Liberal Government) declares that the celebration of Christmas is evidence of Canada’s colonialist religious intolerance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmuDidYTiY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmuDidYTiY

 

Dec 31 2023 - Question to the CBC about this year's New Years Eve celebrations ? Do they now view New Years Eve as a public holiday that has become inappropriate to celebrate in Canada ? For the first time ever in memory, CBC will not broadcast the traditional New Years Eve 2024 Party, the stage show or the countdown ? CBC says they can't afford it ? www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/other/cbc-to-skip-new-yea...

  

Bell Canada is a proud Canadian media mogul ? It's time for the Super Bowl LVIII in the USA and prior to the big game CTV has been flooding North American airways with Superbowl ads promoting full CTV coverage of the upcoming game in Las Vegas Nevada. They then broadcast 10 straight hours of prime time uninterrupted live T.V. coverage of the American sporting event to Canadians from the United States ? However, on the other hand, back home in their home country of Canada, they don't broadcast anything at all, nothing (zero) blanco, zilch, silencio, not even 1 minute of TV coverage of their own 2024 Canadian Grey Cup game for fellow Canadians to enjoy ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53523500175/in/datepos...

 

Bell media placing the citizens of Atlantic Canada in jeopardy after choosing cost cutting over public safety ?

Feb 2024 - Halifax Nova Scotia, Bell media and CTV have eliminated many of the crucial hours needed for local and community news reporting in Atlantic Canada ?

Recent Bell Canada Corporate decisions have left many Maritimers in a weakened and vulnerable position ? The East Coast Provinces of Canada appear to have been the target of severe Bell media local prime time news cancellations that will leave many Maritimers without their eagerly awaited crucial daily Noon hour news updates normally broadcast each and everyday during the week ? ATV viewers will now be forced to tune into the other station where CBC tends mainly to run world international news and a small select choice of Provincial news, and also lengthy live news conferences put on by the PM or other members of the Liberal party ?

Aside from terminating all weekday ATV Noon hour news shows, CTV has also downsized in half the very popular and iconic, 'ATV live at five' 5 P.M. local community news program, (prompting long time popular host Jason Baxter to seek early retirement) ? Adding to the devastating loss, Bell has also terminated all weekend Saturday and Sunday local news reports that currently run on ATV ? The cancellation and elimination of so much of the local news normally broadcast in Atlantic Canada will surely threaten the safety and security especially now that there will be a 24 hour local news blackout for 2 full days each and every weekend and as much as 3 consecutive days every holiday long weekend ? And so it seems that arch rival CBC has taken over the major share of prime time live local news programming in the Maritimes ? Meanwhile, Bell is blaming the Liberal Government's new Bill C-18 for having to slash many prime time hours of local and Provincial news coverage in the Maritimes ?

broadcastdialogue.com/most-noon-local-ctv-newscasts-cance...

 

Halifax, Feb 1st 2024 - Bell Canada blames Liberal Government Bill C-18 for them having to slash so many hours of critical local and Provincial news coverage in the Maritime area ?

broadcastdialogue.com/most-noon-local-ctv-newscasts-cance...

 

the Junos 2024, Halifax, Mar 24th - CBC and the new Heritage Minister seem more interested in CBC politics than in Canadian music ? itsthe4thquarter.blogspot.com/2024/03/junos-2024-halifax-...

Angry Canadian - Canadian juno awards ? where ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNieEg-_d1k

 

Is this a A Stanley Cup cruel joke ? Edmonton, June 2nd, 2024 ? Fans are upset after CBC broadcasts the first 5 games of the Men's NHL Dallas vs Oilers series, and then, without warning and for no logical reason, CBC blacked out the critical and most important climactic final game that saw Edmonton win and gain entry into the Stanley Cup finals ? It remains unclear why CBC would do this ? Was it arrogance, or was it to be mean spirited, or was it a gender bias issue due to this being Men's pro hockey, or was it maybe a lesson given out to remind Canadians just who is running this Countries main media and who controls the programming ? www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&rct=j&url=...

 

The Koncerned Kentvillian must ask, "What kind of a Country would ever show sad and upsetting images of itself when playing their National Anthem on the World stage in front of an international audience ?" www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/44424045874/

 

July 5th, 2024 Jacob Shaffelburg (Pt Williams Nova Scotia) Men's soccer - Unfortunately, CBC doesn't seem to broadcast or sponsor men's soccer and will not televise the Men's Copa soccer tournament ? However, you can still enjoy women's gender soccer on CBC as they will be giving support and full television coverage to the Women's National team and the new Women's pro soccer league and soon to the new Women's pro basketball league ? www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree... ? -

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53839077022/in/photost...;

 

June 29th, 2024 - Bailey Feltmate (Acadia U, Wolfville N.S.) - CBC doesn't appear to support men's football anymore, and so most Canadians won't be able to watch graduating male gender university athletes like Bailey perform in the pros ? However, fans will be able to watch the graduating female gender athletes perform as CBC will provide cross Canada media support and live coverage of the new start-up Women's pro soccer league, and the new Women's pro hockey league, and also the upcoming Women's pro basketball league ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53855066488/in/datepos...

 

Jun 11, 2024 - Mya Harnish (Acadia U, Wolfville N.S.) joins the Halifax Tides. CBC is to provide full media support and full coverage for the brand new start-up Women's Pro soccer league. CBC will broadcast eight regular-season matches. A "Game of the Week" will co-stream simultaneously on CBC Gem and NSL.ca,

www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree...

Thanks to CBC, fans will now be able to follow female gender University athletes like Mya Harnish after they turn Pro . www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54482565652/in/photost...

 

2024 Paris Olympics - CBC's Olympic coverage seems to favor the female gender when giving full game coverage to female team events while the male gender athletes receive only limited coverage with short clips from their events ?

www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/olympic-games-paris-2024

 

Jul 25, the 2024 Paris Olympics - CBC airs the entire start to finish Women's team soccer games, the Women's beach-ball games, Women's rugby games, Women's basketball games, water polo and more ? Watch CBC live full game coverage of Womems team sports from St-Etienne, France heavy.com/sports/olympics/canada-soccer-bev-priestman-dro...

 

Grey Cup Nov 17th 2024 - Everyone else is here, but where's CBC ?

Once again this year CBC has distanced itself from a long running popular nation uniting Canadian sports tradition and will not cover or live broadcast the Grey Cup game to Canadians ? However, CBC has instead covered a relatively unknown Women's tennis sports event named after the Battle of Sexes winner and Women in sports advocate Billie Jean King that is being held overseas ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54147303159/in/album-7...

 

Aug 22 2024, While NHL heros past and present like Wayne Gretzky, Austin Matthews and Connor McDavid can be found in TV gambling commercials, online gambling ads and huge billboards endorsing and promoting sports gambling, the Minister of hypocrisy, oops, I mean the Libral Minister of Health Mark Holland and his Government pass legislation to open up access to massive gambling in Canada ? But Holland seems to be more worried about Zonnic, a smoking cessation product that is currently sold only to those over 19 and always kept hidden away from view under the counter in stores ? Holland attacks and bans the sale of Zonnic as he proclaims in a reherence to Zonnic, that "All the stuff that's clearly designed to target youth — it's over !" ?

Targeting our youngsters to gamble ? Fans are confused ? After Connor McDavid and other NHL Superstar heroes play starring roles in glamorous new bet MGM ads that promote gambling numerous complaints were filed. And so they eased away from this image of a Sports hero who encourages and participates in gambling although McDavid's image itself was never seperated from the gambling vice or the lucrative gambling industry ? A new corrected version now shows Connor as an ambassador for safe and responsible gambling when you gamble ? But isn't it still gambling ? see news article, "Connor McDavid's latest gambling ad with Bet MGM sparks outrage among his fans,"

www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-disgusted-started-gamblin...

  

March 30th Vancouver B.C. - Michael Bublé plugs his own private business products when hosting CBC's 2025 Juno Awards ? Is it appropriate for CBC to allow a salaried MC paid for by the taxpayer to take advantage of free advertising of his own personal outside businesses ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54607761592/in/album-7...

 

2025 Calgary Stampede - CBC's refusal to cover the 2025 world famous Calgary Stampede ? CBC doesn't T.V. broadcast stampede events including the Parade ? You'll have to subscribe to a specialty channel if you are interested in this famous Canadian standard ? www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/sports/watch-calgary-stam...

July 13th 2025 - Pro Rodeo and chuckwagon fans left out ? CBC Sports programming does not include this years fifty thousand dollar rodeo finals of the world famous Calgary Stampede ?

 

Jul 13, 2025 - Men's World Cup soccer us not broadcast on CBC T.V. ? FIFA Club World Cup Jun 15, 2025 – Jul 13, 2025 - Chelsea beats PSG 3-0 to win 2025 Club World Cup Coldplay and Trump and 81,000 attend the final but it is not scheduled for broadcast by CBC ?

apnews.com/live/psg-chelsea-club-world-cup-updates

 

May 18th, 2026 - CBC speak with forked tongue ? CBC lures unsuspecting RCMP members into a trap set by First Nations ? Ambushed by the CBC and First Nations, a music video ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvZX06xmslA

 

May 20, 2026 - CBC suddenly pauses production on its satirical Indigenous show called Northland Tales ?

www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/northland-tales-production-...

 

May 13, 2026 - Womens pro hockey to expand, PWHL is adding more teams in Hamilton and Las Vegas ahead of next season. No team expansions planned in Men's pro hockey ? www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-expansion-hamilton-veg...

 

2025 Canadian Election - Democracy denied by double crossers ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55228615842

 

CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2026 - Boys are falling behind the girls in school. New Quebec report says boys are systemically disadvantaged in the school system ? The high school dropout rate for boys is 27.1 per cent while for girls it's 19.9 per cent.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boys-falling-behind-in-school-9.71...

 

June 20th, 2026 following the firing of Don Cherry a few years back, CBC is now going to cancel the entire NHL Hockey night in Canada show after a 74 year Saturday night run ? Is CBC shifting its focus to women's gender sports ? Does CBC plan to move the current weekly broadcast of Womens's PWHL games on Saturday afternoon to the newly vacated Saturday evening time slot ?

www.msn.com/en-ca/news/insight/cbc-ends-nhl-broadcasts-sh...

   

"Slawa Ukraini"- und Taurus-Orgie am Brandenburger Tor:

Deutschland liefert nun der Ukraine nicht nur alles, was nötig ist, wie es früher hieß. Es teilt mit der Ukraine das gleiche Schicksal. Aber was passiert mit unserem Land, wenn die Ukraine untergeht? Wohin die regierende Klasse Deutschland führt, wurde im Zuge einer Kundgebung deutlich.

(Foto dort: Banderistische schwarz-rote Fahne und Plakate bei der proukrainischen Kundgebung am Brandenburger Tor am 24. Februar 2026.)

 

Von Wladislaw Sankin, 26 Feb. 2026, freedert.online/meinung/271310-slawa-ukraini-und-taurus-o...

 

Wie steht es mit der politischen und gesellschaftlichen Unterstützung der Ukraine wirklich? Davon konnte man sich am 24. Februar auf den zentralen Plätzen deutscher Großstädte ein Bild machen. Die größte und am prominentesten besetzte Kundgebung fand an diesem Tag in Berlin statt. Hier pflegt der Regierende Bürgermeister Kai Wegner (CDU) ein sehr gutes Verhältnis zum Ukraine-Verein Vitsche und nimmt selbst an dessen Aktionen teil. Auch die diesjährige Kundgebung war von Vitsche organisiert.

 

Eines der Zeichen, dass Berlin die Hauptstadt auch in Sachen Ukraine-Unterstützung ist, war die Umwidmung des Kulturzentrums "Café Moskau" in "Cafe Kyiv" im Jahre 2023. Seitdem ist das KAS-unterstützte Projekt "Cafe Kyiv" Tummelplatz des deutsch-ukrainischen russophoben Establishments. Fast über jede antirussische Aktion in Berlin hält die Stadtregierung ihre schützende oder gar tätige Hand.

 

Café Moskau, Café Kyiv – eine Berliner Farce

 

Die proukrainische Aktion am vierten Jahrestag der Militäroperation war dreigeteilt. Die Auftaktkundgebung begann am Fuße des Berliner Doms um 18 Uhr. Zwei Moderatorinnen von Vitsche setzten laut schreiend die Hauptmotive des Abends: Militärische Unterstützung der Ukraine verstärken, keinen "Diktatfrieden" zulassen, Russland bestrafen. Im Fokus der zahlreichen Fotografen und Kameraleute stand eine Kette ganz junger Demoteilnehmer im Schul- oder Studentenalter, die Banner und Plakate in der Hand hielten. Allerlei Anti-Putin-Slogans sowie Forderungen nach "Taurus" und der Rückführung der angeblich entführten 35.000 Kinder waren das hauptsächliche Thema.

 

Immer wieder ertönte der banderistische Spruch, der für Bühnenredner an diesem Abend zu einer Art Codewort zum Betreten und Verlassen der Bühne wurde: "Slawa Ukraini" – Gerojam Slawa". Geroji – "die Helden" – sind in diesem Kontext im sogenannten Unabhängigkeitskampf gefallene Kämpfer. Zu diesem Kampf gehörte auch die blutige Kollaboration mit Hitler-Deutschland, aber auch zuvor schon faschistisches Treiben seit Ende der 1930er Jahre. Auch das laute "Slawa WSU" ("Ruhm den ukrainischen Streitkräften") war immer wieder zu hören sowie "Taurus jetzt!". Während des Marsches über den Boulevard Unter den Linden und später bei der Hauptkundgebung am Brandenburger Tor kamen mehrmals Soldaten und Fronthelfer zu Wort. Aufs Neue wurde bestätigt: Militarismus ist und bleibt das wichtigste Merkmal einer Ukraine-Kundgebung.

 

Auch das zweite Merkmal, ideologische Verbrämung, trat besonders deutlich hervor. Unzählige Male wiederholte mehr als ein Dutzend Redner aus Politik und Gesellschaft Begriffe wie "Freiheit", "Demokratie", "europäische Werte". Viele Variationen ein und desselben Postulats, das der Bundestag in Form einer am nächsten Tag verabschiedeten Resolution zu Protokoll gab: Die Bundesregierung müsse deutlich machen, dass die Solidarität mit der Ukraine auch deshalb notwendig sei, um Frieden und Freiheit in Deutschland, ganz Europa und der Welt zu schützen. "Es muss deutlich werden, dass die Verteidigung der ukrainischen Souveränität zugleich die Verteidigung unserer gemeinsamen Werte und Sicherheit ist."

 

Der an diesem Abend ausnahmsweise mal nicht Tennis spielende Bürgermeister Kai Wegner versicherte dem ukrainischen Botschafter, dass "wir" an der Seite der Ukraine stünden. Er betonte: "Wir werden alles unternehmen, dass wir die Ukraine weiter unterstützen können für ihren Kampf für Freiheit, für unseren Kampf für eine gemeinsame Zukunft." Das sagte Wegner nicht im Rausch der Gefühle. Seine Rede trug die Handschrift des Kanzlers, der früher an diesem Tag auf X prägte: "Das Schicksal der Ukraine ist unser Schicksal." Vor zwei Monaten sagte er das Gleiche, nur in Bezug auf Europa.

 

"Slawa Ukraini" am Brandenburger Tor: Marode Hauptstadt in den Fängen der Faschisten

 

Wegner nannte außerdem Putin einen Diktator und Kriegsverbrecher, der bestraft werden müsse, und teilte die Absage an einen sogenannten Diktatfrieden. "Was nicht sein darf, ist ein Diktatfrieden." Es gehe um Werte, Freiheit und Völkerrecht. Dieser abstrakt gesetzte Rahmen kann den Krieg in eine Endlosschleife verwandeln. Denn im Krieg um die richtige Gesinnung ist der Feind das absolut Böse, ist er derjenige, der um jeden Preis liquidiert werden muss, denn solange er existiert, verkörpert er Werte, die "uns" immer bedrohen. Das ist der Grund, warum so viel Häme und Hass beispielsweise in der deutschen kirchlichen Presse dem Oberhaupt der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche Patriarch Kirill zuteilwerden. Die zwei gehässigsten Pappbilder des Düsseldorfers Wagenbauers Jacques Tilly sind neben Putin auch ihm gewidmet.

 

Der Botschafter der Ukraine, Alexei Makejew, war in seiner Rede noch unmissverständlicher. "Wir Demokraten, wir müssen alles dafür tun, dass Autokraten und Imperien nicht mehr existieren, nicht mehr unsere Freiheit bedrohen." Der Kampf läuft also im banderistischen Modus: entweder wir oder die. Die Ukraine stehe an der Frontlinie des Kampfes gegen das Böse. Er pries Deutschland als wichtigsten Unterstützer der Ukraine und lobte vor allem die nunmehr vertiefte Kriegskooperation. Er teilte mit: "Im letzten Jahr haben wir zum ersten Mal deutsche Investitionen in die ukrainische Rüstungsindustrie bekommen, und wir bauen Drohnen, die Ziele tief im russischen Territorium erreichen, auch dank deutscher Unterstützung."

 

Auch das Hightech-Unternehmen Helsing erwähnte er. Es produziert für die Ukraine KI-gestützte Angriffsdrohnen. Und worauf Makejew nun besonders stolz sein darf, ist die Entsendung ukrainischer Soldaten und Offiziere nach Deutschland als Instrukteure – als "unser Beitrag zur Wehrhaftigkeit Deutschlands". Als der Botschafter redete, stand hinter ihm ein Dutzend EU-Abgeordneter als menschliche Wand und applaudierte. Ihre Anwesenheit sollte die Forderung nach dem beschleunigten EU-Beitritt der Ukraine verdeutlichen. Von den Deutschen forderte der Botschafter, nach Worten der Unterstützung "mehr Taten" folgen zu lassen und die "Führungsrolle zu übernehmen".

  

Ein weiterer Redner hielt eine aufrüttelnde Rede. Der 22-jährige deutsche Militärsanitäter Ruben Mawick wirkte auf die Zuschauer besonders glaubwürdig, weil er nach seinen Angaben in den vergangenen zweieinhalb Jahren in der Ukraine 150 verwundete Soldaten vom Kampffeld holte. Wie sehr er dabei sein eigenes Leben riskierte, zeigt das Schicksal seiner Kollegin Savita Wagner, die im Januar 2024 bei einem Beschuss starb und nun ihren posthumen Ausstellungsplatz in einem Museum hat. Er erwies sich als ausgewiesener Russlandhasser.

 

So leugnete er, dass es auf russischer Seite auch zivile Verluste gibt. Allein im Donbass-Krieg 2014 bis 2022 starben mehr als 3.000 Zivilisten, die meisten durch ukrainische Waffen. Mittlerweile ist diese Zahl auf mehr als 7.000 gestiegen. Er sagte: "Der einzige Verlust sind russische Soldaten, und in Russland haben diese Soldaten keinen Wert. Nicht im Vergleich zu dem Land, das sie angegriffen haben." Der Sanitäter betonte: "Dieser Krieg endet erst, wenn Russland militärisch besiegt wurde." Zum Schluss rief er zum obligatorischen Schlachtruf "Slawa Ukraini" auch "F..ck Russia", was die Menge zum Jubeln brachte.

  

Screenshot aus der Anhörung im Bundestag.

Ruben Mawick ist nicht irgendein Sanitäter. In den letzten Monaten wird er zunehmend von der Bundeswehr als Vortragsredner eingespannt, zuletzt hielt er bei einer Anhörung im Bundestag den Impulsvortrag "Als Sanitäter in der Ukraine – Fronterfahrung und Verwundung". Über seinen Einsatz berichteten der Bundeswehrverband, Euronews, Bild und weitere Medien. Der 22-Jährige, der sogar eine professionell gestaltete eigene Webseite betreibt, wirkt wie ein perfektes Vorbild: jung, entschlossen und ideologisch robust, unerschütterlich proukrainisch und konsequent antirussisch. Und das Wichtigste: Er geht an die Front!

 

Erwähnenswert waren auch die Reden der zwei Grünen-Größen. Die Bundesvorsitzende der Grünen Franziska Brantner forderte emotional aufgewühlt die sofortige Taurus-Lieferung an die Ukraine, "damit die Drohnen aufhören auf Kiew und Odessa zu fliegen". "Taurus jetzt", rief sie in die Menge. Ihr Vorgänger auf diesem Posten und jetziger Vize-Präsident des Bundestages Omid Nouripour warf Russland "Geschichtslügen" vor und sprach dem Land den Anspruch auf das mittelalterliche Fürstentum-Konglomerat Kiewer Rus ab. Dieser Anspruch ist geschichtswissenschaftlicher Standard. Neben der Nowgoroder Rus gilt die Kiewer Rus als Geburtsstätte russischer Staatlichkeit. Der Grüne Politiker hat sich also für "alternative Geschichte" entschieden und cancelte in einer Rede einen Teil der Geschichte und der Identität der Russen.

  

Auch verband der Deutsch-Iraner Nouripour den vermeintlichen Kampf um die Freiheit der Ukraine mit dem Kampf gegen das "Mullah-Regime" in Iran. Wie viele andere Redner des Tages teilte auch er die Welt in die helle Welt der Demokraten und die finstere Welt der freiheitshassenden Diktaturen, zu denen für ihn neben der DVR Korea auch China, Iran und Russland gehören. Eine derart ideologische Selbstbeweihräucherung der Redner und des Publikums und die Betonung des Militärischen sehen nach einer geistlichen Mobilisierung vor einem bevorstehenden Krieg aus.

 

Zu den skurrilsten Momenten zählte der Auftritt des jungen EU-Abgeordneten Lothar Sieper von der "Partei des Fortschritts", der sich ein albernes Ruf-Spiel mit dem Publikum mit banderistischen Slogans lieferte. Auch eine in der Ukraine übliche Ehrung der gefallenen Soldaten, die immer wieder als Verteidiger europäischer Freiheit gerühmt wurden, fand statt. Zu der Ehrung gehörte auch das in der Ukraine übliche Niederknien-Ritual. Die wenigen anwesenden Deutschen taten sich schwer damit, sich auf den Boden zu knien, und senkten einfach den Kopf. Zum Hymne-Singen nach dem dreistündigen Rede-Marathon waren dann nur noch wenige Hundert Menschen auf dem Platz geblieben.

  

Und ja, fast vergessen: Der Chef der Kampagnen-Organisation Campact, die nach eigenen Angaben für soziale Gerechtigkeit und Klimaschutz eintritt und die Politik bewegen will, Christoph Bautz, lieferte überraschenderweise die längste Rede des Abends. Er, seines Zeichens "progressiver Linker" und "Antifaschist", schwärmte vom blühenden, von fossilen Energien befreiten, vereinten Europa, das aber – selbst bis an die Zähne bewaffnet – obendrein noch mehr Waffen an die Ukraine liefert als bisher.

 

Die Demonstration und die Kundgebung am vierten Jahrestag der russischen Militäroperation, die nicht – wie vom Westen behauptet – vom Himmel fiel, sondern über Jahrzehnte provoziert wurde, stach weder bei der Anzahl der Teilnehmer noch beim Inhalt der Reden und Forderungen im Vergleich zu den Vorjahren besonders hervor. Gekommen waren 6.000 bis 7.000 Aktivisten, Stunde für Stunde löste sich die Menschentraube immer mehr auf. In diesem Jahr wurden auch immer mehr Reden ohne Übersetzung ins Ukrainische gehalten, was dafür spricht, dass der Spracherwerb bei den meisten hier anwesenden Ukrainern ziemlich fortgeschritten ist. Viele von ihnen waren noch sehr jung.

 

"Schwer zu ertragen"

 

Waren Deutsche bei der Demo denn überhaupt dabei? Nur ein Bruchteil der Anwesenden, zehn, vielleicht fünfzehn Prozent. Das ist angesichts der Allgegenwärtigkeit der Propaganda, die die Leute für die ukrainische Sache eigentlich vereinnahmt und mobilisiert haben müsste, ein sehr mageres Ergebnis. Man kann sagen, viel eher blieb an diesem späten Februar-Abend eine vom Volk abgeschottete politische Kaste unter sich. Begleitet war sie von Claqueuren aus dem ukrainischen Aktivisten-Netzwerk, das sie durch ihre parteieigenen Strukturen wie KAS oder LibMod selbst auch noch fördert. So erweist sich die "Freundschaft" des Berliner Senats mit Vitsche als gutes Politgeschäft. Wären deutsche Berliner zur Demo gekommen, hätte der so unwiderstehlich dem Tennis geneigte Kai Wegner nach seinen geo- und wertepolitischen Ausführungen viel eher mit Buh-Rufen oder Schlimmerem – und zwar auf Deutsch – anstelle des ukrainischen "Gerojam Slawa" rechnen müssen.

 

Sonderoperation in der Ukraine – Russland geduldete sich lange vor einem Gegenschlag

Analyse

Sonderoperation in der Ukraine – Russland geduldete sich lange vor einem Gegenschlag

Denn selbst in der durchaus woken Hauptstadt ist für viele Berliner ihr in blau-gelb angestrahltes Wahrzeichen keine Selbstverständlichkeit, sondern nur Zeichen einer auf den Kopf gestellten Politik. Vereinzelt waren auch spontane Besucher dabei, die die Szenerie als skurrile Geschichte zur Schau in ihrem Bekanntenkreis filmten. Wie eine Frau mit Fahrradhelm, die bei der Rede von Kai Wegner den Kopf schüttelte. Weitere Zeichen des Unmuts durfte sie sich nicht erlauben, sonst hätte sie als Störerin von Ordnern oder der Polizei vom Platz geführt werden können. Die Regel gilt für alle Demos, egal welcher politischen Richtung.

 

Die Frau fuhr mit dem Fahrrad vorbei und wurde neugierig auf die Kundgebung. Dass sie hier geplant war, wusste sie nicht. Sie sei politisch interessiert und gehe selbst gerne zu Demos, aber zu den anderen, die nicht mehr Waffen und Krieg um vermeintliche "Werte" fordern, sondern einen Frieden, der auch Frieden mit Russland einschließt. Sie seien leider nicht besonders zahlreich, beklagte sie in unserem kurzen Gespräch. Die Russophobie Kai Wegners und weiterer Redner sei schwer zu ertragen. Lange konnte sie nicht bleiben und fuhr weiter nach Hause.

 

Wahnsinn in Berlin

 

So bleibt diese Demo in Berlin, aber auch Veranstaltungen in anderen Großstädten wie Köln oder Hamburg, ein wichtiges Zeitzeichen Stand Ende Februar 2026. Es markiert das langsame, aber unaufhaltsame Abgleiten Deutschlands in einen heißen Krieg gegen Russland. Pathetisch-moralistisch, unversöhnlich russophob und auch sonst ideologisch verbohrt erscheinen die gleichlautenden Positionen der Mitte-Parteien. Es ist bei Weitem nicht so, dass die Bevölkerung von dieser massiven Propaganda nicht beeinflusst worden wäre. Aber eine allgemeine Begeisterung der Deutschen für diesen Kurs ist nicht zu vernehmen. In zahlreichen kleineren Städten fanden an diesem Jahrestag zum ersten Mal kaum noch Demos zur Unterstützung der Ukraine statt, und in größeren bleiben ukrainische Aktivisten meist unter sich. Ein gewisser Ukraine-Überdruss ist da schon deutlich zu spüren.

 

So stand die bundesdeutsche Politprominenz am Brandenburger Tor nur von einem professionell mobilisierten ukrainischen Aktivisten-Netzwerk umgeben. Dabei geht das Thema ihrer Reden Deutschland direkt an. Die ultranationalistische Militärdiktatur Ukraine und ein von einem Parteikartell regiertes Deutschland verschmelzen militärisch, eine Waffen-Bruderschaft ist im Entstehen. Die neue Devise des Kanzlers über das gemeinsame Schicksal beider Völker sollte den Deutschen Angst machen.

 

Beerdigt in Kiew, gewürdigt in Bonn: Kult um deutsche Ukraine-Kämpferin im Haus der Geschichte

Analyse

Beerdigt in Kiew, gewürdigt in Bonn: Kult um deutsche Ukraine-Kämpferin im Haus der Geschichte

Mit der Übernahme banderistischer Denkweisen holt die unselige deutsche Vergangenheit die heutige Bundesrepublik wieder ein. Die Ukraine, aus dem gesamtrussischen Volkskörper per Spaltung abgetrennt, ist mittels psychologischer Kriegsführung zu einem Anti-Russland geworden und damit innerhalb weniger Jahrzehnte zum absoluten Antagonisten seiner nachbarschaftlichen Bruderstaaten mutiert. Die wesentlichen Schritte in diese Richtung – allen voran der blutige Maidan-Umsturz – fanden noch lange vor Beginn der Invasion Russlands statt. Nun ist es wahr, dass Russland diesen Zustand nicht mehr duldet und darauf abzielt, diese aggressive Form der ukrainischen Staatlichkeit zu zerschlagen. Das Regime in Kiew mit Selenskij an der Spitze führt gegen Russland ebenso eine Art Endkampf. Von ideologischen Motiven abgesehen, ist für Selenskij dieser Krieg ein lukratives Geschäftsmodell und eine Möglichkeit, an der Macht zu bleiben, solange der Krieg andauert.

 

Dass Deutschland sein Schicksal mit diesem korrupten und von Extremismus geleiteten Regime verbindet, ist unmoralisch und geschichtsvergessen. Dass dieses Regime von einem atomar stark bewaffneten Staat bekämpft wird, macht die Sache auch noch wahnsinnig. Gleichzeitig läuft die Aufrüstung in Deutschland für einen künftigen russisch-europäischen Krieg, und die Lust an diesem Krieg wächst, bislang allerdings nur in Teilen des Partei- und Expertenkartells und dem ihm ergebenen Offizierskorps. Das berühmte tschechowsche Gewehr hängt an der Wand. Spätestens seit gestern ist es für alle gut sichtbar.

 

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Whistleblower veröffentlicht kirchliche Kriegsvorbereitungen

 

14 Mär. 2026 21:17 Uhr

 

Dass die beiden deutschen Großkirchen sich auf die Seelsorge im Kriegsfall vorbereiten, ist schon länger bekannt. Nun kam erstmals ein wichtiger Bestandteil des sogenannten "Geistlichen Operationsplans Deutschland" an die Öffentlichkeit.

 

Die Kirchen in Deutschland - sie haben damals mitgemacht und machen heute wieder mit. Blick auf einen Kirchturm.

Von Astrid Sigena

 

Die Bundeswehr bastelt bekanntlich an einem sogenannten "Operationsplan Deutschland". Natürlich ist der "OPLAN DEU" abgekürzte Schmöker streng geheim. Das sagenumwobene Textstück soll mittlerweile über 1400 Seiten umfassen und immer noch weiter anwachsen. Nur ab und zu kommen beängstigende Details an die Medien, etwa dass die Zivilbevölkerung im Ernstfall nicht mehr mit einer funktionierenden Gesundheitsversorgung rechnen kann.

 

Es war klar, dass andere Institutionen nachziehen würden. So verfassten auch die katholische und die evangelische Kirche ihren eigenen "Operationsplan", genannt "Geistlicher Operationsplan Deutschland", abgekürzt GOD. Der offizielle Titel des internen Arbeitspapiers lautet "Ökumenisches Rahmenkonzept Seelsorge und Akutintervention im Spannungs-, Bündnis- und Verteidigungsfall". Bisher war es – wie der OPLAN DEU auch – geheim, von einigen Verlautbarungen von Kirchenvertretern in den Medien abgesehen.

 

Seit vergangenem Sonntag kann man das 26-seitige Konzept jedoch auf einer antimilitaristischen christlichen Webseite herunterladen. Wer sich durch die Lektüre die Aufdeckung großartiger militärischer Geheimnisse erhofft hatte, dürfte sich getäuscht sehen. Vielmehr geht es hauptsächlich um das Vermeiden bürokratischen Kompetenzgerangels.

 

Schulstreiker: Leben in Frieden kann nur gegen die Bundesregierung

durchgesetzt werden!"

 

Dennoch lassen sich einige wichtige Feststellungen aus dem geleakten Text treffen. Erstens: Es gibt eine innerkirchliche Opposition gegen den Kriegstüchtigkeitskurs der beiden Großkirchen. So hatte sich die frühere EKD-Ratsvorsitzende Margot Käßmann schon im Jahr 2024 gegen den GOD gewandt (RT DE berichtete). Auch der EKD-Friedensbeauftragte Friedrich Kramer übte deutliche Kritik an der Friedensdenkschrift seiner Kirche, die auch eine nukleare Teilhabe für ethisch begründbar hält.

 

Wie verbittert friedensbewegte kirchliche Kreise auf den militaristischen Kurs der kirchlichen Führung reagieren, zeigt die Äußerung der "Ökumenischen Initiative zur Abschaffung/Reform der Militärseelsorge". Sie schreibt auf ihrer Homepage: "Im Kriegsfall sollen wir Todesnachrichten überbringen, uns um die Witwen und Waisen kümmern, mit dem Militär zusammenarbeiten und ansonsten für 'Ruhe und Ordnung' sorgen."

 

Und ein sich dem Frieden verpflichtet fühlender Christ äußerte auf seinem Facebook-Account ebenfalls vehemente Kritik am GOD: "In dem Papier steht aber NICHT, dass wir im Kriegsfall Deserteure unterstützen sollen. Da steht nicht, dass wir im Kriegsfall für einen Waffenstillstand, Verhandlungen und Abrüstung demonstrieren sollen. Zusammenfassung: Die Bischöfe haben mit der Bundeswehr ein Mistpapier entwickelt." Schließlich beweist schon allein die Tatsache, dass GOD geleakt wurde, die Existenz eines klerikalen Widerstands.

 

Wofür arbeiten die Deutschen? Wie die Bevölkerung belogen und betrogen wird

 

Als zweite Erkenntnis folgt aus der Lektüre: Schon allein die Existenz des GOD zeigt, dass Militärseelsorge, Kirchen und Bundeswehr die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines in Bälde eintretenden kriegerischen Konflikts für hoch halten. Die genannten Krisenstäbe, Kontaktketten und Fortbildungen sowohl für hauptamtliche als auch für ehrenamtliche Seelsorger würden die Kirchen nicht einrichten, gingen sie nicht davon aus, dass sie sie bald einsetzen müssten.

 

Und der künftige Kriegsgegner wird Russland sein. Das wird aus folgender Erklärung klar: "Wir erleben nicht nur einen Krieg in Europa, genauer in der Ukraine. Deutschland und seine europäischen Nachbarn sind jetzt schon Angriffsziel: Hybride Bedrohungen, Angriffe auf die kritische Infrastruktur, Cyberattacken sind nur einige Stichpunkte. Alle relevanten Akteure aus Militär, Nachrichtendiensten und Wissenschaft warnen davor, dass Russland bereits vor Ende dieses Jahrzehnts in der Lage sein könnte, NATO-Gebiet anzugreifen.“

 

Dabei rechnen die kirchlichen Verfasser des GOD nicht mit einem russischen Überfall auf Deutschland. Auch Kämpfe auf deutschem Gebiet halten sie für unwahrscheinlich. Sie gehen vielmehr vom Bündnisfall aus, in dem Deutschland als logistische Drehscheibe fungieren wird. Waffen, Material und Soldaten würden dann durch die BRD an die Front gebracht, außerdem stünden Deutschland "Fluchtbewegungen von Ost nach West" bevor, ebenso der Rücktransport von Verwundeten und Gefallenen.

 

Und deren Anzahl wird hoch sein, meinen die Autoren (ab Zeile 129): "Aufgrund der Erfahrungen aus dem Angriffskrieg Russlands gegen die Ukraine sollte von einer hohen Anzahl an Verwundeten und Gefallenen ausgegangen werden." Auf das deutsche Kerngebiet kämen vermutlich – abgesehen von den oben schon genannten Belastungen – "Angriffe auf die kritische Infrastruktur, Cyberattacken, Sabotage und Terrorakte" zu.

 

Deutscher General zum Krieg mit Russland: Europa wird unvorstellbare Dinge erleiden

 

Die Kaltschnäuzigkeit, mit der die Ersteller des GOD einen Krieg mit hohen Verlusten erwarten und eine möglichst effiziente geistliche Betreuung seiner Opfer und Hinterbliebenen planen, erschreckt. Die hohe Verlustzahl stimmt allerdings mit Planungen der Bundeswehr überein, die bereits im Jahr 2019 von einer täglichen Verlustrate von vier Prozent ausging.

 

Umso zynischer wirkt die Haltung der am GOD beteiligten Geistlichen. Ihrer Kenntnis nach würde die deutsche Zivilbevölkerung durch einen kriegerischen Konflikt erheblich in Mitleidenschaft gezogen werden. Für den Bündnisfall setzen sie "Sabotage- und Terrorakte" voraus, bei denen mit einer hohen Opferzahl unter der Zivilbevölkerung und mit "Massentraumatisierungen" zu rechnen sei. Auch seien dann die gewohnten Standards der Gesundheitsversorgung nicht mehr zu gewährleisten.

 

Bereits während der Truppentransporte im Spannungsfall (ab Zeile 181) rechnet das Rahmenpapier mit "Einschränkungen in bisher unbekanntem Ausmaß" für die Zivilbevölkerung. Die Geistlichen konstatieren, dass die Einschränkungen "zu großer Verunsicherung führen und auch hier Betreuungsbedarf generieren" würden.

 

Europa gesteht, wieso es keinen Frieden in der Ukraine will

 

Letzteres lässt darauf schließen, dass eine Bevölkerung, die sich angesichts einer vermeidbaren Notsituation aufbegehrend fühlt, geistlich ruhiggestellt werden soll. Auch die Ausarbeitung einer "erweiterten liturgischen Sprachfähigkeit" (ab Zeile 467), die dazu beitragen soll, "Sicherheit zu finden, die neue Alltagssituation zu benennen und anzunehmen sowie im Licht des Evangeliums eine Perspektive zu finden", klingt danach.

 

Der geleakte Text macht immer wieder deutlich, dass die Verantwortlichen Wert auf die Steuerung und Koordinierung der öffentlichen kirchlichen Verlautbarungen legen (Zeile 303). Womöglich fürchtet man Abweichler aus den eigenen Reihen, die gegen den Kriegskurs aufbegehren könnten. Dabei sehen sich die Verfasser selbst nicht als Kriegstreiber.

 

Im Gegenteil, sie schlagen sogar vor, für die Zivilbevölkerung "besondere Gottesdienste und Veranstaltungen" anzubieten, die sich "auf das Leid der Schöpfung" und Fürbitten für die Soldaten fokussieren könnten (ab Zeile 477). Diese Gottesdienste sollten "Aspekte von Friedensarbeit" aufgreifen. Gerade letzteres erinnert unangenehm an den Adventsgottesdienst in Rukla, wo die vorgeblichen Pazifisten in Uniform die Hymne der Friedensbewegung "We shall overcome" für sich vereinnahmten.

 

Die Kirchenleitungen sollen im Krisenfall die Gemeinden mit "gesicherten Informationen" versorgen (Zeile 424). Hier kommt einem unwillkürlich die fragwürdige Impf-Agitation der Kirchen während der Corona-Zeit in den Sinn. Damals lautete der Slogan "Impfen = Nächstenliebe". Sind etwa wieder Geistliche als Infokrieger eingeplant? Überhaupt dient im GOD das kirchliche Vorgehen aus der Corona-Pandemie als Blaupause. Man könne auf bewährte Strukturen aus dieser Zeit zurückgreifen, heißt es. Auch aus den Erfahrungen aus den Flüchtlingsjahren 2015 und 2022 ließe sich lernen, wenn es um große Fluchtbewegungen ginge.

 

Ein großer Fokus liegt auf den Beerdigungen von zivilen oder militärischen Opfern. Die Kirchen bereiten sich bereits jetzt darauf vor und entwickeln "für diese besonderen Gottesdienste" "Hilfen zur Vorbereitung" (ab Zeile 493). Für die Gefallenen ist nach Möglichkeit eine Bestattung im Kreise der Familie vorgesehen. Es könnte allerdings sein, dass die Zahl der Gefallenen sehr hoch sein wird, sodass "ein Transport in die Heimat nicht mehr möglich ist". Hierfür liegen dann "Liturgien und Hilfen für Trauerfeiern und Bestattungen mit einer größeren Anzahl von Gefallenen" vor (ab Zeile 697). Auch in der Betreuung der Trauernden und Angehörigen von Vermissten sieht der GOD eine Aufgabe für die Kirchen.

 

Für alles ist vorgesorgt, alles ist eingeplant. Nur das Wichtigste fehlt: Sich widersetzen gegen die Logik des Krieges. Sich als Geistlicher nicht zum Rädchen innerhalb der klerikalen Kriegsmaschinerie machen lassen. Oder, noch wichtiger: Es erst gar nicht zum Krieg kommen lassen.

 

Mehr zum Thema – "Slawa Ukraini"- und Taurus-Orgie am Brandenburger Tor

  

Quelle: meinungsfreiheit.rtde.life/meinung/272878-whistleblower-v...

 

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Nov 19th, 2023 Grey Cup Sunday in Hamilton, Ontario :

 

CBC has televised an unknown American variety show while the historic 109th Grey Cup Game was being played in Canada on Grey Cup Sunday and so many Canadians were unable to watch the famous game ? It seems odd that Canada's taxpayer owned State Media would distance itself from such a beloved Canadian sports extravaganza that is identifiable to so many Canadians ? Should a law be passed to make it compulsory for the Canadian taxpayer owned CBC to broadcast the Grey Cup game ?

  

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Some relevant School news clippings,

  

Feb 24, 2022 - Wolfville, N.S. Acadia University. The Acadia University Professors strike enters its 4th week ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51901774104

 

Sept 30th 2022 - AI comes to the hockey game - - Acadia Axeman hockey at Andrew H. McCain Arena goes paperless ? The Official paper program is no longer handed out to the paying customer ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52395343477

 

January 22, 2024 - Canada sets two-year cap on foreign students. The cap will result in a decrease of 35% in approved study permits.

www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68059996

 

International student fallout hits the bottom line.. Atlantic universities depend on international students for about 30 per cent of their enrollment.

universityaffairs.ca/news/international-student-fallout-h...

 

May 11th 2023 - A new policy has been announced at Acadia where almost half of seats for a new Course will be set aside and reserved only for members of certain racial or ethnic groups as specified by the University ? The PC Government announced that a new nursing program is to be offered at Acadia University where approximately 50 percent of the seats are reserved only for African, Mi'kmaq and Indigenous students. The total number of annual seats set to increase to 63 ? When bearing in mind the current health care worker crisis and an urgent need for nursing grads, is it really wise or responsible to install race or ethnic restrictions that could eliminate many of those wanting to apply ? www2.acadiau.ca/about-acadia/newsroom/news-reader-page/ac...

 

Dec 27, 2021 - Playing the race card ? The Liberal Provincial Government could be on a slippery slope by choosing to use race to determine which applicants will get preferental treatment during a short supply emergency situation in an international health crisis ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51782360402/in/album-7...

 

The Supreme Court says colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration as a specific basis for granting admission,

www.cnn.com/2023/06/29/politics/affirmative-action-suprem...

 

Free University for some ? B.C. university waives tuition for local First Nation students,

bc.ctvnews.ca/that-s-reconciliation-b-c-university-waives...

 

Aug 2023 - A new physician assistant program at Dalhousie U open to 24 students per year with preference given to applicants from Nova Scotia, atlantic.ctvnews.ca/n-s-invests-5-6-million-for-first-phy...

 

Oct 10, 2025 - R-Studio plays the race card ?

R-Studio, a local Halifax gym, executes an exclusive low price membership charge determined by what race you are ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsHpxm3yb7c&t=20s

 

June 11, 2025 - Maritime students struggling to find scarce summer jobs in Canada,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/mission-impossible-mariti...

 

Tim Horton's appears to use racial profiling in its hiring policies ? Why aren't the Liberals upset over this inequality ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54605482350/in/album-7...

 

Canada's Gen Z can't find jobs,, www.cbc.ca/news/business/youth-unemployment-rate-1.7549979

 

The Koncerned Kentvillian must ask, " why is it every time you gas up at Milne Court Petro-Can, New Minas Ultramar, KVille Ultramar and now the Big Stop, or go to the KFC for chicken, or Mary Browns, or the Burger King, or Subway, or all of the 3 Timmies for coffee, or Walmart, oe Needs, or receive a parcel from amazon, or attend the cash register post to pay a bill at many other stores, it feels like you're suddenly in a foreign country ? " What has happened to all of the friendly locals that used to hold these positions and were one of the main reasons that we all frequented these establishments ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54418705157/

 

Kody Bloise . Liberal Party

 

Is an identity crisis looming in Kentville ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52094330358/in/album-7...

 

Canada's post-secondary industry predicts storm ahead, as budget cuts shrink courses, staff,

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/post-secondary-cuts-1.7387175

 

July 1, 2021 - the Prime Minister of Canada will not be celebrating Canada Day this year claiming that for some Canada Day isn't a day to celebrate." Wha-a-a-a-t -t-t ??? www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-day-political-reaction-1....

 

U of T Toronto, Jun 27, 2023 - " She Sung it her Way "

Jully Black makes up her own personalized and politicized, 'our home on native land' version of the Canadian National anthem in her performance at Toronto university graduation. Black was asked to perform her way of singing Canada's national anthem to reflect the core values of the U of T law program ? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jully-black-tmu-law-school...

 

Dec 16th 2023 - O Canada is sung in Punjabi at the NHL Jets hockey game in Winnipeg Manitoba,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKifMtbbyJg

 

March 18, 2025 - Professors, students say Nova Scotia university bill threatens academic freedoms,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/professors-st...

 

March 4th, 2025 - Trump issues a ban on 'illegal' college protests as he threatens students with arrest and deportation,

www.lbc.co.uk/usa/politics/trump-issues-ban-on-illegal-co...

 

April 9, 2025 - Trump administration freezes $1 billion in funding for Cornell University, $790 million for Northwestern University ,,

www.cnn.com/2025/04/09/us/cornell-northwestern-federal-fu...

 

Jan 20,2026 - Trump hates the wind turbines ? ‘so pathetic and so bad .. You might notice that China makes and sells these things but they will never use them ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wkHCSbSwkw

 

5th Mar 5th, 2025 - U.S. funding freeze affecting both American and international exchange students and major US scholarship funders

monitor.icef.com/2025/03/us-funding-freeze-affecting-both...

 

Trump protecting historic statues - enacts 10 years in jail penalty for harming or defacing historical statues,, www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-signs-executive-order-enactin...

 

February 10, 2025 - Acadia University announces permanent pool closure, discontinues varsity swim team - will close its swimming pool on June 15, 2025,

Students chose Acadia because of the swim team and many parents got calls “from their kids – in tears – devastated.”

Acadia Aquatics,

recreation.acadiau.ca/aquatics.html

 

How not to park at Hennigers farm Market Greenwich,

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54788130883

 

April 13, 2025 - Eight programs suspended at P.E.I. college over drop in international students,

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/prince-edward-island/article/pei-...

 

Sept 13th, 2025 - Acadia Axemen and Dal Tigers hockey teams cross the Dal strikers picket line to play an Exhibition game at Dalhousie University ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54784598896/in/photost...

 

Town of Wolfville breaking the law, obstructing traffic, while creating a safety hazard ? And making trip to and from hockey games a real challenge ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54710009955/in/photost...

 

Sep 29, 2025 - Wolfville now studying ways to solve their traffic congestion along Main Street ?

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/wolfville-nova-scotia-...

 

Gambling in amateur Sport ? CBC has introduced gambling into its Olympic games coverage ? In a groundbreaking move and for the first time ever, CBC has introduced and included gambling in the Olympic games ?

Paris Olympics - It appears that CBC has partnered with one particular online Casino company and BetRivers is running sports betting ads during the televising of live Olympic sporting events ? Is the inclusion of a Casino and Sports betting parlor running sports betting during Olympic events appropriate to the principles and high moral standard exemplified by the Olympic Games ?

 

Are University student loans being gambled away ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54775209530/in/photost...

 

Targeting youth for gambling ! gambling ads - The aggressive marketing of a highly addictive social vice to sports fans both young and old ? www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/sports-betting-gambling-adver...

 

CBC news · Sep 08, 2025 - Targeting youth for gambling ! Young people are being inundated with sports betting ads that doctors warn can be harmful . Canadian Medical Association Journal editorial calls for ads to be restricted during sports broadcasts,

www.cbc.ca/news/health/youth-sports-betting-advertisement...

 

Feb 4th 2025, Bell Let's Talk ? Abandoning your Unionized Maritimes telephone workers, refusing to talk to them and leaving them out on the Street for 5 Months does not contribute to good mental health ? U Ottawa Scotty suggests that the internet, mobile phones and Social media are taking a heavy toll on the mental health and overall mental well being of today's society ? And so maybe there's some hypocrisy shown by the giant media mogul Bell Canada who might just be the biggest contributor and profit taker from a national crisis ? www.youtube.com/shorts/31f3sZndK6w

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51844732131/in/album-7...

 

This year Canadian Taxpayers will pay $1.5 billion dollars to subsidize the CBC ?

site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/impact-and-accountabil...

 

June 28,2021, O Canada at Stanley Cup Finals ? CBC plays an unflattering version of the National Anthem on the World stage ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/51829474529/in/album-7...

 

January 11-22, 2023 - CBC doesn't seem to be in a hurry to broadcast, promote or publicize male gender hockey like the AHL, ECHL, WHL, U Sports University level Men's hockey or the Canadian Men's Junior hockey ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52640201721/in/datepos...

 

Halifax, Canada Jan 2023 - This time around the IIHF men's World Juniors hockey tournament will be held in Canada. No games were shown on CBC T.V. and many Canadians were unable to watch Canada's finest male gender Junior hockey players incl Connor Badard play in their home Country and win Gold for Canada ?

However, although CBC ignored and failed to televise all IIHF Men's junior hockey games played, they were certain to make daily news reports and give loads of air time that focused on an alleged past scandal involving a previous Men's IIHF Junior hockey team ? cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-...

 

Justin says Goodbye Don't cry for me O my Canada.

Jan 06, 2025 - Trudeau resigns as prime minister, Prorogues Parliament until March 24 2025,

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54385355629/

 

Caste system in Canada ? 2023 NDP caste system Leadership Convention - Is it really Canada ? It seems the NDP Party has adopted a caste system ( like the system they use over in India ) ? Delegates here must wear caste identifiable yellow or white tags ? Master, Mistress, person or whatever of Ceremonies instructs those who declare themselves as white and male gender to get to the back of the line ? Other identities, or those with yellow tags can go to the front of the line and speak first ?

 

Playing a race card ? Apr 3, 2026 - NDP Leadership Convention uses 'racial equity cards' to identify and to separate people by their race and color ? black and red before white after yellow or green etc, etc ????

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMtHsUTBrt8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDV7ImXwTPI

 

2026 NDP Leadership Convention - Looks like Hitler's hairdresser was here ? Some pretty weird stuff going on,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqhIBsaHzCg

  

Lost in Space________Episode # 1_______Death to Deniers !

 

Danger - Will Robinson, Danger !

 

These fine ladies want prison sentences handed down to individuals who dare to be themselves and to think differently while calling anyone with a different opinion from theirs to be a denier or hater ?

No one denies the existence of residential schools. And so why are Leah Gazan (NDP), Lindsay Mathyssen (NDP), Nahanni Fontaine (NDP) and Kimberley Murray (Liberal Government investigator) so dissatisfied and why are they trying to force their own radical and ego-driven personal viewpoints based on hearsay and as yet unproven allegations on everyone else ? Why do they want you to think the way they think, believe what they believe, and be forced ( by law ) to accept their unique, extreme left wing, selfish and self-serving narrative, (that they get paid for) as being Gods' truth, and,, if you were to dare resist then you are to be labelled hater or denier and become a criminal that could be sent to jail for up to life in prison under the law enshrined in Bill C-63 or C-9 that they are all pushing for ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZU7NEzs3Gk

  

Sep 27, 2024 - Leah Gazan wants you think like her and be like her ?

NDP narcissistic MP Leah Gazan introduces her bill in Parliament where she wants to charge those who ‘deny’ her own and as yet unproven personal narrative of genocide and the gruesome discovery of 215 child bodies being found in a well hidden mass grave in Kamloops, with a crime ? Her Bill C-413 will charge those who commit, what she calls promoting hate against Indigenous peoples by challenging, questioning, denying, or downplaying her theories, with committing a hate crime ?

www.lifesitenews.com/news/new-democrat-mp-introduces-bill...

  

What Is Truth ?

"If you are strictly one-sided with any opinion, you’re incredibly ignorant".

UBC Jan 22, 2026 - An entire generation of students that grew up attending the Canadian public school system during the Trudeau Liberal era ( 2015 thru 2025 ) have reached post secondary age and are arriving at University in a heavily indoctrinated state of mind with extremely one-sided only, uni-opinion attitudes expressed in a coercive and even threatening way ? Violent gangs of young masked and gagged orange shirted student protestors, tribalism, mind control, far left radical activism and propaganda posters hanging in an Authoritarian environment where free will, open debate or speaking your truth has become a crime was seen recently at the U of B.C. ? This might sound Orwellian, but it's actually the University of B.C. in Vancouver that is a Canadian institute of higher learning that gets over a billion dollars in public funding per year ? Frances Widdowson, "Without truth and without freedom, our Universities will die." www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihsLPodE9R0

 

Ace CBC reporter Jordan Tucker ? In her interview assignment for CBC with Professor Widdowson, Jordan Tucker says that around 6000 child bodies have been found so far at first nation reservation schools, and that to her, the truth is not really a top priority ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ik61NGwXas&t=58s

 

Residential schools. Following three years of searching for bodies at a massive cost to taxpayers of $216.5 million not a single set of human remains has been found ?

The 12 million given to kamloops has disappeared with nothing to show for it ? thecatholicherald.com/article/failure-to-find-bodies-ends...

 

U of Vic claims 215 but Frances and Dallas say Zero ?

What Is Truth ?

Dec 3rd 2025, Frances and Dallas visit the U of Vic in Victoria B.C. and discover a mass indoctrination of impressionable young minds ? They learn that challenging what is taught here can get you abused or even carted off to jail ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53G5WBpVmc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSRn8BzpvLc

 

May 28th, 2026 - If we believe in these massive untruths that are told then our democracies will collapse,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2pd8-F2p0A&t=17s

 

Feb 24th, 2026 - Lethbridge, "You're not f'n welcome here !" Welcome to the University of Lethbridge where manners are ignored, etiquette is absent, and where students use threats of bodily harm, chant ancient tribal war cries and bang out continuous monotone loud drumming noise to drown out the opposition during debate ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Moi7VM7xI

 

Apr 26th, 2026 - A whited sepulchre University set in the windy city of Lethbridge - Following yet another arrest and another trip in the paddy wagon, Frances Widdowson pleads with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to help re-enforce the basic rule of truth based on free and independent thinking in our public schools once again ? "Without truth and without freedom, our Universities will die."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfPix14aMIc

 

UBC Jan 22,2026 - Counter viewpoint reporters attacked and must run for their lives ?

 

UBC zombie apocalypse, Jan 22,2026

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfIpTnyH_Zg

 

2021, Major Canadian Party leader Jagmeet Singh attacks his own Country calling it a genocidal nation ? Jag says that 215 bodies have been found in hidden unmarked mass graves in Kamloops and this clearly shows that Canada is a genocidal nation ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQb3GZx_ZR0

 

2021 - Dr. Timothy Rahilly, the President of Mt. Royal College - When learning of a story that unmarked graves may have been found at a Kamloops B.C. residential school the President has immediately turned on his University PA system to make the official announcement to the entire student body that 215 children have just been found buried in a mass unmarked grave at the Kamloops B.C. residential school and that a shaken, shameful and perhaps genocidal nation is now in mourning ? One of the senior teachers at his University has asked for evidence to support such a monumental and newly discovered allegation and he has fired her ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGhB3uNHwA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGhB3uNHwA

 

Mar 23,2026 - Mt. Royal College, " my spider sense is tingling "

Is Mt. Royal College in Calgary making the kids Crazy ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPQNM063-lY

 

"What are they doing to our kids" ? Many Parents contribute for years into Registered Education Savings Plans that are to be turned over to Universities on behalf of their Children,

www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/education-sa...

 

Apr 29, 2026 - Vancouver School Board to introduce the Orwellian concept of 'unlearning' into their system ? They are also re-naming schools from their historical English names to instead Indigenous names that cannot be pronounced and use letters not found on a standard keyboard ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrC4GB4wURI

 

Vancouver March 12, 2026 - Have Liberal backroom land transfer deals with first nations already transpired as the Eby provincial NDP government pretended to look the other way ? The Indians may now own property rights in and around Vancouver ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT2DqPzulos

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/musqueam-rights-r...

 

March 12, 2026 - treachery or treason ? B.C.'s Eby Government may have been giving Canada away while insulting veterans who fought to secure and retain the Country ? Led by Spencer Herbert it seems the NDP party in B.C. want to give Canada away without first asking Canadians for permission ? www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVTzJWE86go

 

March 12, 2026 - What NDP Spencer Herbert is trying to do in B.C. was recently defeated in a fellow Province's Highest Court ? New Brunswick's supreme court ruled that Aboriginal Title Cannot Co-Exist with Fee Simple Title,, www.fasken.com/en/knowledge/2026/01/new-brunswick-court-o...

 

2025 Election Overturned - Double crossers deny democracy in Canada ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55228615842

 

March 09, 2026, Canada’s Bill C-3 "An Act to amend the Citizenship Act" - New Liberal legislation allows Canadian citizenship to be passed down over multiple generations back to as far as caveman days, and means many millions of unvetted individuals are now eligible to automatically be Canadian ? www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7120945

 

March 30, 2026, Millions of Americans now eligible for Canadian citizenship and many are applying ‘just in case’

www.cnn.com/2026/03/30/travel/canadian-citizenship-by-des...

 

March 14, 2026 - Completely contrary to Canada, the country of Italy has restricted Italian citizenship for anyone born abroad. Italy has enacted a ruling that tells millions with Italian roots that they have lost the right to their citizenship,

www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/italy-ruling-tells-millions-...

 

March 12, 2026 - Acadia University reducing staff levels amid ‘financial pressures’? 31 Acadia positions eliminated. University monetary chaos affecting not only the institutions but also the broader economy. Financial difficulties stem from capped international student enrollments, increased costs of high-end employment, and draconian funding cuts by provincial government. These have all led to job cuts, program reductions, and even campus closures. The financial strain on universities is expected to continue, with further announcements of layoffs and program cuts are likely to come soon. www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/acadia-univer...

 

Mar 4th, 2026 - Canada grants $100 million in scholarships for students in India ? This comes on the heels of PM Carney's trip to India.

www.youtube.com/post/Ugkx1VHElLBjsSwpz5-CK3P4SsNdrZmGdelS

 

feb 25, 2026 - Drastic University cuts have been implemented in latest Nova Scotia Provincial budget. Tim Houston's PC government is reducing funding for all Universities incl the PhD programs in education at Acadia,

www.halifaxexaminer.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Grant-R...

 

February 26, 2026 - Vulnerable hard hit starving Nova Scotia university students who struggle daily with the high cost of living in Nova Scotia prepare for a week-long strike to protest the provincial education cut, the cuts to advanced education grants, and they are demanding tuition reductions and divestment from fossil fuel dollars,

globalnews.ca/video/11708934/n-s-university-students-prep...

 

March 15, 2026 - Dalhousie University students vote to join the Nova Scotia student strike, www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/dalhousie-uni...

  

May 29th, 2026 Kentville Memorial Park ABF Friday night concert, ( Can the good ole days of dollar dogs and bargain Big 8 drinks be over) ? High level security to guard the 20 dollar burgers and kids bouncy castles ? ( must have taken up most of their budget at the sacrifice of bringing in some quality outside live entertainment acts ) ? Town brings in outside police to assist the local Kentville force, cordons off the ground zero event perimeter with road blocks, sets street barricades and places manned guard posts to establish maximum protective traffic control that unfortunately forces patrons including seniors, the handicapped and mothers carrying babies to park and walk a fair distance away from the park gates ? Also, in the past years this concert had always featured special invited guest rock bands, interesting games, demonstrations, displays and a visit from the Queen Annapolisa Royal party following the prestigious coronation ceremony in Wolfville, But the popular concert appears to have deteriorated into some kind of a Children's outdoor romper room type family show featuring food trucks, inflatable air bouncy castles and a local band as the featured star main stage performing act ? Not much to do or see for those above elementary grade school level other than to maybe purchase some food from a food truck charging upscale restaurant prices and to then dine on a paper plate with plastic utensils while standing up in a crowd of unruly kids being lustfully observed by nearby hungry saliva drooling pet dogs leashed to their owners ? However, thanks to the heightened crowd and traffic control there was a report of a parking violator being successfully apprehended and a runaway pet was also captured and returned to its owner ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54558198569/in/photost...

  

A cultural genocide is going on in Kentville ?

Why always Kentville ? Now it's the library ? First came the loss of the Railway and Day-liner service back in 1989, then Kings council expropriated the local Airport and evicted all the other established aviation schools and businesses, then they had tried to take Grand street parade away from Kentville in 2017, and then we lost the famous Cornwallis Inn logo and the 88 yrs old statue in Halifax was torn down, they then terminated Apple Blossom Princess Kentville and ended the 87 consecutive years of the Queen Annapolisa pageant and Kentville lost a massive amount of diversity that had always been provided by the multiple villages that always attended the Festivals, as well as the elimination of Princess teas, the Coronation, and cancellation of all mid-week public outdoor entertainment always normally held at Memorial Park during ABF week ? And now they appear to be after the popular long time Kentville Library ?

After the Town has proceeded with termination after termination while never offering replacements, and, as Kentville gradually approaches cultural ghost town status, we notice that the downtown business core (in which the Mayor has a major private business interest ) has been renovated and restored to pristine condition by way of a massive Town expenditure budgeted for a complete 100 % total beautification makeover program complete with new installations of street paving, street paint, new double sidewalks on both sides, new driveway entrances, new curb and gutter both sides, signage and flower pots ? And the other three surrounding streets making up this downtown business block have also been totally upgraded including Aberdeen Street, Cornwallis Street and Main Street ?

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/annapolis-valley-libra...

www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/video/2026/06/02/funding-cuts-lea...

 

May 09, 2026 A cyberattack has hit universities worldwide, including top Canadian schools. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canvas-cyber-attack-canadian-unive...

 

CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2026 - Boys now falling behind the girls in school. A new Quebec report says boys are systemically disadvantaged in the school system ? The high school dropout rate for boys is 27.1 per cent, while for girls it's 19.9 per cent.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boys-falling-behind-in-school-9.71...

 

An ongoing deterioration of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival in Kentville ? Bring back Eddies Basement to Memorial Park, and 'honey they shrunk the stage' ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55295377420/in/photost...

  

George Orwell's dark prediction has just come true.

London England, Apr 22,2026 - The British Parliament has just enacted legislation that will install a form of Orwellian Totalitarian rule into current democratic English society and allow for Government placement of specific social restrictions in the form of mandatory lifetime personal probationary orders to be placed on certain citizens who will then be monitored for as long as they live to insure compliance is met from birth to death ? Rob Cunningham and his Cancer Society are crusading for residents of his home country of Canada to be forced into this compulsory social control ? www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/uk-agrees-ban-on-cigarette-s...

 

Dec 13th, 2025 - this is a bit rich ? A doctor advertising smoking for the liquor store ? Dr. Robert Strang Chief Medical Officer of Health and top doctor for Nova Scotia now appearing in TV ads that endorse the (safe) smoking of pot on behalf of Provincially owned liquor stores ? It's also a bit rich that Rob Cunningham and his Cancer Society do not appear to have a problem with this smoking ad ?

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4190201767960744

  

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Some relevant main media news clippings,

 

PWHL - CBC sponsors the new Pro Women's Hockey League with their full media support, massive blocs of air time, TV advertising, coast to coast live game broadcasts, player bios and a game each week that are complete with hosting and analysis,, "CBC/Radio-Canada is the official broadcaster of the Professional Women's Hockey League". However, CBC has shown a completely different attitude when it comes to supporting or televising pro sporting events played by male gender athletes such as the Grey Cup, the Calgary Stampede, FIFA, Copa America international men's soccer football and men's IIHF World Juniors and so many Canadians were unable to watch pro athletes like Acadia Axemen footballer Bailey Feltmate in the Grey Cup, or Nova Scotia's Jacob Shaffelburg in the Copa international Men's soccer tournament or Connor Badard in the IIHF World Men's Juniors hockey tournament ?

cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-... cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media-centre/official-broadcaster-...

 

CBC doesn't seem to want to televise Men's soccer or Men's CFL pro football on T.V. ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52512969092/in/album-7...

 

Jun 11, 2024 - CBC fully sponsoring the new Women's Pro soccer league Halifax Tides. - CBC providing media support and all game coverage for the brand new start-up Women's gender Pro soccer league. CBC will broadcast eight regular-season matches. A "Game of the Week" will co-stream simultaneously on CBC Gem and NSL.ca,

www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree...

Thanks to CBC, fans will now be able to follow female Acadia University athletes like Mya Harnish, who has just turned Pro . www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54482565652/in/photost...

 

This year the Canadian Taxpayer will pay out $1.5 billion dollars to subsidize CBC ?

site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/impact-and-accountabil...

 

Breathtaking salaries at CBC/Radio-Canada ? CBC President and CEO Catherine Tait had a base salary range of $390,300 to $459,100 in 2019 ? Why should someone who is actually a public servant whose salary is paid by taxpayers make more than the Prime Minister of Canada ? tnc.news/2022/01/26/cbc-salaries-include-125-senior-direc...

 

Apr 04, 2025 - Mark Carney pledges a $150M boost to the 'underfunded' CBC ? And says a new Liberal government will make CBC funding statutory ? Last year CBC received an all time record 1.4 billion in taxpayer funding and their CEO Catherine Tait, made more than the Prime Minister ?

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mark-carney-cbc-funding-1.7501902

 

February 20th 2023 Jully " I Sung it My Way" Black makes headlines when changing the lyrics and singing her own personal 'our home on native land' politicized version of the Canadian National anthem at the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah ?

www.iheartradio.ca/news/jully-black-sings-o-canada-with-s...

 

Calgary Stampede O Canada - the original "in all thy Sons command" National anthem before they changed it sung at the 2023 Calgary Stampede, www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53044391089

 

July 2023 - Katherine Henderson is appointed to take over and thereby become the first female CEO and President of Hockey Canada ,

www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/katherine-henderson-hockey-canad...

 

No more hockey fighting : This league now plans to ban them dailyhive.com/vancouver/hockey-fights-ban-qmjhl

 

Skate Canada Dec 13, 2022 - Canada is about to totally revolutionize international Sport ? Canadian trail blazers led by President Karen Butcher push to change historic Ice dancing rules from the separate male and female gender roles ?

theprovince.com/sports/other-sports/skate-canada-redefine...

 

A Federal audit has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds for legal settlements.

discoverhumboldIcom/articles/federal-audit-finds-hockey-...

 

NHL moves away from Pride jerseys - advocates are disappointed, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nhl-special-jersey-announcement-re...

 

Nov 20th, Grey Cup 2022 - Many Canadian households were unable to watch the Toronto Argos win the 2022 Grey Cup game by a score of 24 to 23 because both CBC/Radio-Canada and the Bell media owned CTV did not (and never do) schedule or televise this iconic purely Canadian event for national T. V. viewing ? CBC had instead scheduled an unknown variety show being held in the USA for this Grey Cup Sunday night time slot ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/52512969092/in/photost...

 

CBC quits Twitter when Twitter calls them, "a government-funded media" ?

www.cbc.ca/news/world/cbc-twitter-government-funded-media...

 

Apr 27th 2023 , Bill C-11 - A controversial bill to regulate online streaming becomes law. Bill C-11, which will force streaming platforms to contribute to funding Canadian content. Critics say the bill is too ambiguous, with many issues unresolved.

www.cbc.ca/news/politics/c11-online-streaming-1.6824314

 

Nov 11th, 2023 - The Liberal Government has ordered Canadian Military not to use or recite Christian prayers like the Lord's Prayer at this year's Remembrance Day ceremonies ? No such order has been given to all the other religious denominations in the forces ?

www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/gunter-we-will-always-pray-f...

 

The Grey Cup Nov 19th 2023, Hamilton Canada - Why aren't both Canadian major media moguls CTV and CBC broadcasting the 2023 Grey Cup game on T.V. for Canadians to view on this Grey Cup Sunday in Canada ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53338415225

 

Religious intolerance ? Have a very Merry Christmas Canada ? The Canadian Human Rights Commission ( fully funded by the federal Liberal Government) declares that the celebration of Christmas is evidence of Canada’s colonialist religious intolerance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmuDidYTiY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWmuDidYTiY

 

Dec 31 2023 - Question to the CBC about this year's New Years Eve celebrations ? Do they now view New Years Eve as a public holiday that has become inappropriate to celebrate in Canada ? For the first time ever in memory, CBC will not broadcast the traditional New Years Eve 2024 Party, the stage show or the countdown ? CBC says they can't afford it ? www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/other/cbc-to-skip-new-yea...

  

Bell Canada is a proud Canadian media mogul ? It's time for the Super Bowl LVIII in the USA and prior to the big game CTV has been flooding North American airways with Superbowl ads promoting full CTV coverage of the upcoming game in Las Vegas Nevada. They then broadcast 10 straight hours of prime time uninterrupted live T.V. coverage of the American sporting event to Canadians from the United States ? However, on the other hand, back home in their home country of Canada, they don't broadcast anything at all, nothing (zero) blanco, zilch, silencio, not even 1 minute of TV coverage of their own 2024 Canadian Grey Cup game for fellow Canadians to enjoy ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53523500175/in/datepos...

 

Bell media placing the citizens of Atlantic Canada in jeopardy after choosing cost cutting over public safety ?

Feb 2024 - Halifax Nova Scotia, Bell media and CTV have eliminated many of the crucial hours needed for local and community news reporting in Atlantic Canada ?

Recent Bell Canada Corporate decisions have left many Maritimers in a weakened and vulnerable position ? The East Coast Provinces of Canada appear to have been the target of severe Bell media local prime time news cancellations that will leave many Maritimers without their eagerly awaited crucial daily Noon hour news updates normally broadcast each and everyday during the week ? ATV viewers will now be forced to tune into the other station where CBC tends mainly to run world international news and a small select choice of Provincial news, and also lengthy live news conferences put on by the PM or other members of the Liberal party ?

Aside from terminating all weekday ATV Noon hour news shows, CTV has also downsized in half the very popular and iconic, 'ATV live at five' 5 P.M. local community news program, (prompting long time popular host Jason Baxter to seek early retirement) ? Adding to the devastating loss, Bell has also terminated all weekend Saturday and Sunday local news reports that currently run on ATV ? The cancellation and elimination of so much of the local news normally broadcast in Atlantic Canada will surely threaten the safety and security especially now that there will be a 24 hour local news blackout for 2 full days each and every weekend and as much as 3 consecutive days every holiday long weekend ? And so it seems that arch rival CBC has taken over the major share of prime time live local news programming in the Maritimes ? Meanwhile, Bell is blaming the Liberal Government's new Bill C-18 for having to slash many prime time hours of local and Provincial news coverage in the Maritimes ?

broadcastdialogue.com/most-noon-local-ctv-newscasts-cance...

 

Halifax, Feb 1st 2024 - Bell Canada blames Liberal Government Bill C-18 for them having to slash so many hours of critical local and Provincial news coverage in the Maritime area ?

broadcastdialogue.com/most-noon-local-ctv-newscasts-cance...

 

the Junos 2024, Halifax, Mar 24th - CBC and the new Heritage Minister seem more interested in CBC politics than in Canadian music ? itsthe4thquarter.blogspot.com/2024/03/junos-2024-halifax-...

Angry Canadian - Canadian juno awards ? where ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNieEg-_d1k

 

Is this a A Stanley Cup cruel joke ? Edmonton, June 2nd, 2024 ? Fans are upset after CBC broadcasts the first 5 games of the Men's NHL Dallas vs Oilers series, and then, without warning and for no logical reason, CBC blacked out the critical and most important climactic final game that saw Edmonton win and gain entry into the Stanley Cup finals ? It remains unclear why CBC would do this ? Was it arrogance, or was it to be mean spirited, or was it a gender bias issue due to this being Men's pro hockey, or was it maybe a lesson given out to remind Canadians just who is running this Countries main media and who controls the programming ? www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&rct=j&url=...

 

The Koncerned Kentvillian must ask, "What kind of a Country would ever show sad and upsetting images of itself when playing their National Anthem on the World stage in front of an international audience ?" www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/44424045874/

 

July 5th, 2024 Jacob Shaffelburg (Pt Williams Nova Scotia) Men's soccer - Unfortunately, CBC doesn't seem to broadcast or sponsor men's soccer and will not televise the Men's Copa soccer tournament ? However, you can still enjoy women's gender soccer on CBC as they will be giving support and full television coverage to the Women's National team and the new Women's pro soccer league and soon to the new Women's pro basketball league ? www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree... ? -

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53839077022/in/photost...;

 

June 29th, 2024 - Bailey Feltmate (Acadia U, Wolfville N.S.) - CBC doesn't appear to support men's football anymore, and so most Canadians won't be able to watch graduating male gender university athletes like Bailey perform in the pros ? However, fans will be able to watch the graduating female gender athletes perform as CBC will provide cross Canada media support and live coverage of the new start-up Women's pro soccer league, and the new Women's pro hockey league, and also the upcoming Women's pro basketball league ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/53855066488/in/datepos...

 

Jun 11, 2024 - Mya Harnish (Acadia U, Wolfville N.S.) joins the Halifax Tides. CBC is to provide full media support and full coverage for the brand new start-up Women's Pro soccer league. CBC will broadcast eight regular-season matches. A "Game of the Week" will co-stream simultaneously on CBC Gem and NSL.ca,

www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/cbc-radio-canada-broadcast-agree...

Thanks to CBC, fans will now be able to follow female gender University athletes like Mya Harnish after they turn Pro . www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54482565652/in/photost...

 

2024 Paris Olympics - CBC's Olympic coverage seems to favor the female gender when giving full game coverage to female team events while the male gender athletes receive only limited coverage with short clips from their events ?

www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/program/olympic-games-paris-2024

 

Jul 25, the 2024 Paris Olympics - CBC airs the entire start to finish Women's team soccer games, the Women's beach-ball games, Women's rugby games, Women's basketball games, water polo and more ? Watch CBC live full game coverage of Womems team sports from St-Etienne, France heavy.com/sports/olympics/canada-soccer-bev-priestman-dro...

 

Grey Cup Nov 17th 2024 - Everyone else is here, but where's CBC ?

Once again this year CBC has distanced itself from a long running popular nation uniting Canadian sports tradition and will not cover or live broadcast the Grey Cup game to Canadians ? However, CBC has instead covered a relatively unknown Women's tennis sports event named after the Battle of Sexes winner and Women in sports advocate Billie Jean King that is being held overseas ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54147303159/in/album-7...

 

Aug 22 2024, While NHL heros past and present like Wayne Gretzky, Austin Matthews and Connor McDavid can be found in TV gambling commercials, online gambling ads and huge billboards endorsing and promoting sports gambling, the Minister of hypocrisy, oops, I mean the Libral Minister of Health Mark Holland and his Government pass legislation to open up access to massive gambling in Canada ? But Holland seems to be more worried about Zonnic, a smoking cessation product that is currently sold only to those over 19 and always kept hidden away from view under the counter in stores ? Holland attacks and bans the sale of Zonnic as he proclaims in a reherence to Zonnic, that "All the stuff that's clearly designed to target youth — it's over !" ?

Targeting our youngsters to gamble ? Fans are confused ? After Connor McDavid and other NHL Superstar heroes play starring roles in glamorous new bet MGM ads that promote gambling numerous complaints were filed. And so they eased away from this image of a Sports hero who encourages and participates in gambling although McDavid's image itself was never seperated from the gambling vice or the lucrative gambling industry ? A new corrected version now shows Connor as an ambassador for safe and responsible gambling when you gamble ? But isn't it still gambling ? see news article, "Connor McDavid's latest gambling ad with Bet MGM sparks outrage among his fans,"

www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-disgusted-started-gamblin...

  

March 30th Vancouver B.C. - Michael Bublé plugs his own private business products when hosting CBC's 2025 Juno Awards ? Is it appropriate for CBC to allow a salaried MC paid for by the taxpayer to take advantage of free advertising of his own personal outside businesses ? www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/54607761592/in/album-7...

 

2025 Calgary Stampede - CBC's refusal to cover the 2025 world famous Calgary Stampede ? CBC doesn't T.V. broadcast stampede events including the Parade ? You'll have to subscribe to a specialty channel if you are interested in this famous Canadian standard ? www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/sports/watch-calgary-stam...

July 13th 2025 - Pro Rodeo and chuckwagon fans left out ? CBC Sports programming does not include this years fifty thousand dollar rodeo finals of the world famous Calgary Stampede ?

 

Jul 13, 2025 - Men's World Cup soccer us not broadcast on CBC T.V. ? FIFA Club World Cup Jun 15, 2025 – Jul 13, 2025 - Chelsea beats PSG 3-0 to win 2025 Club World Cup Coldplay and Trump and 81,000 attend the final but it is not scheduled for broadcast by CBC ?

apnews.com/live/psg-chelsea-club-world-cup-updates

 

May 18th, 2026 - CBC speak with forked tongue ? CBC lures unsuspecting RCMP members into a trap set by First Nations ? Ambushed by the CBC and First Nations, a music video ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvZX06xmslA

 

May 20, 2026 - CBC suddenly pauses production on its satirical Indigenous show called Northland Tales ?

www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/northland-tales-production-...

 

May 13, 2026 - Womens pro hockey to expand, PWHL is adding more teams in Hamilton and Las Vegas ahead of next season. No team expansions planned in Men's pro hockey ? www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/pwhl/pwhl-expansion-hamilton-veg...

 

2025 Canadian Election - Democracy denied by double crossers ?

www.flickr.com/photos/74039487@N02/55228615842

 

CBC News · Posted: May 12, 2026 - Boys are falling behind the girls in school. New Quebec report says boys are systemically disadvantaged in the school system ? The high school dropout rate for boys is 27.1 per cent while for girls it's 19.9 per cent.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boys-falling-behind-in-school-9.71...

 

June 20th, 2026 following the firing of Don Cherry a few years back, CBC is now going to cancel the entire NHL Hockey night in Canada show after a 74 year Saturday night run ? Is CBC shifting its focus to women's gender sports ? Does CBC plan to move the current weekly broadcast of Womens's PWHL games on Saturday afternoon to the newly vacated Saturday evening time slot ?

www.msn.com/en-ca/news/insight/cbc-ends-nhl-broadcasts-sh...

   

What flavour will you be/not getting?

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VcAs2UuotI&ab_channel=IDLES

 

#Oxford-Astrazeneca

#Pfizer-BioNTech

#Moderna

#Johnson/Johnson

#Sinopharm

#Sputnik-V

#Sinovac

#Janssen

#EpiVacCorona

#Covaxin (Bharat Biotech)

#CanSino

 

#TheAlphaSquad

#TheBetaSquad

#TheDeltaSquad

#TheOmegaSquad

#TheSigmaSquad

#BotswanaVariant.Omicron (B.1.1.529)

#BrazilianVariant (P.1)

#ColumbianVariant-Mu (B.1.621)

#IndianVariant (B.1.617.2)

#PeruvianVariant-Lambda (C.37)

#SouthAfricanVariant (B.1.351)

#UnitedKingdomVariant (B.1.1.7)

#USAVariant-Epsilon (B.1.429)

#USAVariant-Kraken (XBB.1.5)

 

In the history of virology there has never ever been a viral mutation that resulted in a virus that was more lethal.

 

As viruses mutate they become more contagious, transmissible but always less lethal.

 

#TheNudgeUnit

#FactsNotFear

#HIV

#Monkeypox

#VariantMutation

#Smallpox

#Shingles

#EnteroVirus

#Hantavirus

#MarburgVirus

#DiedSuddenly

#Covid21

#Corona

#Florona

#Flurona

#MySharona

#TripleCovid

 

10 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Getting The Covid Jab.

 

1: If I get vaccinated can I stop wearing a mask(s)?

 

Government: "NO"

 

2: If I get vaccinated will I be resistant to Covid?

 

Government: "Maybe. We don't know exactly, but probably not."

 

3: If I get vaccinated, at least I won't be contagious to others - right?

 

Government: "NO". The vaccine doesn’t stop transmission."

 

4: If I get vaccinated, how long will the vaccine last?

 

Government: "No one knows. All Covid "vaccines" are still in the experimental stage."

 

5: If I get vaccinated, can I stop social distancing?

 

Government: "NO"

 

6: So what's the benefit of getting vaccinated?

 

Government: "Hoping that the virus won't kill you."

 

7: Are you sure the vaccine won't injure or kill me?

 

Government: "NO"

 

8: If statistically the virus won't kill me (99.7% survival rate), why should I get vaccinated?

 

Government: "To protect others."

 

9: If I get vaccinated, I can protect 100% of people I come in contact with?"

 

Government: "NO"

 

10: If I experience a severe adverse reaction, long term effects (still unknown) or die from the vaccine will I (or my family) be compensated from the vaccine manufacturer or the Government?

 

Government: "NO - the government and vaccine manufacturers have 100% zero liability regarding this experimental drug"

 

In summary, the Covid19 vaccine...

 

•Does not provide immunity.

 

•Does not eliminate the virus.

 

•Does not prevent death.

 

•Does not guarantee you won’t get it.

 

•Does not stop you from passing it on to others.

 

•Does not eliminate the need for travel bans.

 

•Does not eliminate the need for business closures.

 

•Does not eliminate the need for lockdowns.

 

•Does not eliminate the need for masking.

 

If you still believe in the mainstream narrative, I have a few questions and can’t wait for a public enquiry.

 

Explain how the flu disappeared but has been replaced with something which has the EXACT same symptoms.

 

Explain why they downgraded "Covid-19" from a high consequential infectious disease days before they declared a pandemic. March 2020 gov website.

 

Explain how they pulled the coronavirus Act 2020 legislation together in a matter of days, despite the act being several hundred pages long.

 

Explain why they have completely changed normal practice and used criteria like "deaths for a reason within 28 days of a positive test" to classify a Covid-19 death.

 

Explain why they banned autopsies of anyone dying from/with Covid-19.

 

Explain why they changed the law to allow any practitioner to diagnose Covid through observation alone, even if it is done through video consultation.

 

Explain how all cause mortality is at an all time low.

 

Explain how millions of protesters across the globe aren't getting sick with "Covid."

 

Explain how this is the only crisis that needs an advertising campaign paired with a constant barrage of repetitive brainwashing propaganda on the TV and in the streets.

 

Explain how hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of London, Paris, Sydney and Berlin for an afternoon last month but it wasn't once shown on any TV channel or reported in the mainstream press and still continue to do so.

 

Explain how thousands were yelling "shame on you" outside the BBC HQ in both London, Manchester and Cardiff but it wasn't shown on the TV?

 

Explain how the people who are wearing the masks and following the rules are the only ones who are catching "COVID".

 

Explain how the creator of the PCR amplification tool is on record for stating that the PCR was not designed as a test for infectious diseases.

 

Explain why they are using the PCR to diagnose an infectious disease.

 

Explain why the concern has been changed from Covid deaths, to hospitalisations to Covid infections to Covid "cases".

 

Explain how the "anti-vaxxers" are being blamed for the rise in "cases" when the only people who could possibly be contributing to the statistics are the people who are getting the "test" in the first place.

 

Explain why the hospitals were emptier than normal during the height of the "pandemic."

 

Explain why whistleblowers are reporting that the hospitals are now filling up with vaccine adverse reactions but the MSM are not reporting it.

 

Explain why kids need to be vaccinated when, by your own definitions, Covid isn't dangerous to children.

 

Explain, if all the vulnerable people have already been vaccinated, why do all the healthy people need to get vaccinated if you're already protected by your own vaccine and the recovery rate was already 99.96% without the vaccine.

 

Explain why the average age of death with "Covid" (82.4 years) is higher than the average age of death without (81.5 years).

 

Explain how you can get banned from Facebook and Twitter for sharing official government links.

 

Explain why there are several class actions in progress, taking governments across the globe to court for crimes against humanity, but there is zero MSM coverage.

 

Explain why most government leaders are reading from the same script and going to extreme unjust lengths to keep their public at home.

 

Canada, Italy, Israel, Australia and New Zealand are the five countries using the most strictest of measures and demanding proof of double/triple vaccination status, with Austria, Germany, Holland and France to follow suit later in the year. All planned and mapped out so it seems.?

 

Explain how all the things that you were laughing at us for talking about last year are now becoming a reality this year.

 

From laboratory released virus, gain of function research, operation warp speed to vaccine passports and mass surveillance, (via NHS app).

 

Mutation variants from leaky vaccines to constantly keep this shit train on track for at least a couple more years, a new strain of bullshit and third wave of propaganda producing an annual/quarterly covid shot? let's wait and see on that? It would not surprise me in the slightest. Yawn.

 

In my own personal opinion this was never about a virus but everything to do with the vaccination. How long will it take society to turn on the unvaccinated? Or will the human spirit prevail.?

 

Society is so easy to divide when you really think about it. Sex, Identity, Pronoun, Race, Politics, Colour, Religion, Post/Zip Code, Country, Bank Balance, City, Province, Sport, Team, Car, Technology, Holiday Destination, Vaccinated, Even how early you wake up, etc. etc. Too many to list!

 

It is endless and we all collectively fall for it, time, over time again.

 

When the U.K becomes 90% double vaccinated of ages between 16 to 80 that is when you will more than likely see a push for a social divide, I could be wrong? I sometimes am. It is April now, warp speed is in full effect so let's just wait and see what polygon kayfabe clown fear porn is happening come December 2021.

 

(Plan B)

 

Tick tock.........

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GC_X_tI5kA&ab_channel=Dakota...

 

Anti-Vaxxer: Noun, Informal.

 

1. A person who trusts their own immune system more than they trust pharmaceutical companies, career politicians and the corporate media.

 

(See also: critical thinker)

 

Over 25 countries have less than 15% of their population vaccinated. Where are the millions of dead people?

 

Burundi: population 11 million Vaccination rate: 0.1%

 

Congo: population 89 million Vaccination rate: 0.3%

 

Haiti: Population 11 million Vaccination rate: 0.9%

 

Chad: Population 16 million Vaccination rate: 0.9%

 

Yemen: population 29 million Vaccination rate: 1.3%

 

Ethiopia: Population 115 million Vaccination rate: 1.6%

 

South Sudan: Population 11 million Vaccination rate: 2.5%

 

Cameroon: population 26 million: Vaccination rate: 2.6%

 

Papua New Guinea: Pop: 9 million Vaccination rate: 2.7%

 

Nigeria: Population 206 million Vaccination rate: 2.7%

 

Madagascar: Population 26 million. Vaccination rate: 3.4%

 

Tanzania: Population 59 million. Vaccination rate: 3%

 

Mali: population: 20 million Vaccination rate: 3.6%

 

Burkina Faso: population 20 million Vaccination rate: 3.8%

 

Malawi: population 19 million Vaccination rate: 4.2%

 

Niger: population 24 million Vaccination rate: 4.4%

 

Sudan: Population 43 million Vaccination rate: 4.6%

 

Uganda: population 45 million Vaccination rate: 5%

 

Senegal: population 16 million Vaccination rate: 6.2%

 

Algeria: Population 43 million Vaccination rate: 14%

 

Kenya: Population 53 million Vaccination rate: 14%

 

Zambia: Population 18 million Vaccination rate: 10%

 

These countries have a combined population of over 900 million people and over 90% of them are unvaccinated. Where are the mass graves? Most of them didn't even lockdown or have social distancing or mask mandates.

 

The vaccines have nothing to do with Covid or any virus. It is a bio-weapon.

 

Papua New Guinea: Population 9 million Vaccination rate: 2.7% Obesity rate is 30% which is higher than Canada and Europe.

 

In a real pandemic most of the deaths are among children under the age of 5 because they have immature immune systems. Most of these countries have younger populations which means their death rate should be much higher than Europe and North America.

 

They also have relatively poor living conditions which means poor hygiene. Millions and millions of young children should be dead by now if it was a real pandemic.

 

An avalanche of names who are helping destroy humanity.

 

Larry Page, Google.

Bill Gates, Microsoft.

Feike Sijbesma, Philco.

Queen Rania of Jordan.

Al Gore, Environmentalist.

Luis Alberto Moreno, WEF.

Thomas Buberl, CEO, AXA.

Heizo Takenaka, Economist.

Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture.

Mark Schneider, CEO, Nestlé.

Herman Gref, CEO, Sberbank.

L. Rafael Reif, President of MIT.

Arvind Krishna. Chairman of IBM.

Robert Mercer, Renaissance Fund.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook/Meta.

Peter Maurer, President, Red Cross.

Dustin Moskovitz, Open Philanthropy.

Angel Gurría, Secretary General OECD.

Zhu Min, Deputy Managing Director, IMF.

Fabiola Gianotti, Director General, CERN.

Orit Gadiesh, Chairman, Bain & Company.

Laurence Fink, Chairman & CEO, BlackRock.

Mukesh D. Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries.

Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF

Dr.Anthony Fauci. Chief Medical Adviser to POTUS.

André Hoffmann, Vice-Chairman Hoffman-La Roche.

Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank.

Patrice Motsepe, Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals.

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, WEF.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Defense Minister, Singapore.

Marc Benioff, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce.

Jim Hagemann Snabe, Chairman of Siemens and of Maersk.

Paula Ingabire, Minister of Info Communication Tech Rwanda.

 

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees WEF.

 

Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Canada.

 

David M. Rubenstein, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Carlyle Group.

  

www.youtube.com/watch?v=f--QTXpb0QI&ab_channel=Courtn...

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

011

Fortune Global Forum

November 18th, 2019

Paris, France

 

16:15

SECURING THE ALLIANCE

The digital revolution is changing the very nature of warfare. Cyberattacks present grave and complex dangers to everything from global energy grids to fundamental democratic processes. How can NATO, a 70-year-old organization and a bedrock of security for North America and Europe, keep pace with these hybrid threats? And what role does the U.S., a founding member of NATO, have in building trust, preventing conflict, and securing the alliance?

Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Ambassador to NATO

Interviewer: Nina Easton, Co-chair, Fortune Global Forum

16:35

 

Photograph by Stuart Isett for Fortune

so awesome couldn't do to much, just blended some background , and played around with some contrast and color highlights

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