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ON THE SHORES OF CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
REFRESHMENT, ANYONE? By Jane Fryar
By some estimates, seven of every ten doctor visits are fatigue-related. That’s a lot of weariness! Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of disease. But fatigue has other sources, too. Long-term stress. Grief. Ongoing frustration. Clinical depression. The list of causes goes on and on. Always, though, fear and worry make weariness worse. Anyone who has laid awake at night stewing about an aging parent, a straying spouse, or a child with autism knows how quickly fear and worry can dig a pit—and how deep and dark that pit can be. Into our darkness the Lord shouts his promise to refresh us. Far more helpful than a splash of cold water on tired eyes, far more effective than two pots of stiff coffee, God’s promise touches our hearts, planting seeds of hope. “I will refresh the weary,” he says.
A tall lemonade on a hot day. That first dive into the pool after the cover comes off in spring. A care package from home during finals week at college. These things refresh us. How much more refreshing, though, to see a friendly face, to hear a loved one’s voice, to receive a hug from someone who cares deeply about us. The presence of those we love during life’s lonely, troubled times—now that’s refreshing! And how much more so when the one who comes to refresh our souls is the Savior, who loved us to death—his own death on the cross! At times we find ourselves as innocent bystanders in the troubles that engulf us. At other times, we have caused the train wreck of our circumstances. (Or, at least, contributed to it.) But always, Jesus comes to forgive and heal, to refresh and satisfy our hearts with his love for us. In the light of his promise, worries melt and fears shrink. Are you “fainting” today from weariness? Are you struggling with an unresolved illness? Are you carrying a burden of guilt or fear or worry? Whatever the cause of your fatigue, pause and invite your Savior to refresh your soul. Lord, you refresh me by your presence and in your promises. Teach me to rely more and more on You, especially. (written by Jane Fryar)
"I WILL refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25
Have a Great Week my very talented friends! And may you be refreshed wherever you find yourself today :)
Sound City Files, Volume 1 - Chapter 5
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< Sound City Files, Volume 1 - Chapter 4
The water poured down with a splash, sheets flowing from her body as it cleansed her body and mind. A shower. She knew the name, but this... this was far better than she expected. Not like the rain, this water made you feel clean... refreshed.
The water clicks off.
"s̷h̷o̷w̷e̷r̷ ̷c̷y̷c̷l̷e̷ ̷c̷o̷m̷p̷l̷e̷t̷e̷"
The voice startles her to jump with a verbal squeak.
"Are you okay?"
His voice calls from the other side of the door.
"I'm fine.. This... thing? just said my shower was over..."
She's standing in the shower with the unit beeping and water dripping from the shower, now off.
He lets out a hearty laugh.
"Sorry for not warning you about that, they limit us to how much water we use. Were you able to finish?"
"Mhmm"
She dries off, squeezes her hair dry, and wraps the towel around her.
"Was there anything that you found would fit me?"
"Well, yes... but... everything I own is for men... definitely not a woman your size. I still had a few things that got confiscated when I was with CorGen and I washed them, but...."
He hesitated.
"It's fine, it can't be any worse than walking around in a towel."
Her legs were covered in goosebumps, rubbing her arms to stay warm. The heat systems at this altitude weren't exactly great. She sticks her arm out the door, cracked open just enough.
"D̴͚̜͓̳͓͈̭̀̓͐͒̇͑̐͜A̴͍͚̦̘̚T̶̨̡̘̬̰̼̪̋͂̓̋̉̒̅̓͜͝A̸͉͐̆͑͊́̾̿̕͠͝ ̸͖͎͗̒ͅÇ̸̠̻̪̦͊͗͛̍̀̃͘̚͝͝Ŏ̵̡͇̻̝̝̯͖̘̌̾R̸̨̲̤͉̣̠̼̣͎͐̈́̀͌Ŗ̴̯̰̂̈̐̽̿̏̔̎̏̐Ṵ̸̪̘̘͍̦͇̜̞̮̎́̀P̵̢̡̫̗̬͍͎͠T̶̖̰̣̲͔̗̜͖͎̪͗̈́͐̎́̃͘͝ ... you didn't really think I wouldn't be expecting you... did you?"
He kicks the ground.
"You know, I didn't even go there looking for him. Nice cover, by the way. But hey, I guess it was just my lucky day right? I owed that motherfnck3r." Vinzer smiles a vicious smile filled with perfectly aligned, perfectly white, perfectly fake teeth.
The four lapdogs surrounding her are all visibly eager. She sizes each one up carefully. One to the left. One to the right. Vinzer in front, with one flanking him on each side. Prioritize close combat targets. She thinks to herself. Remeber what he taught you. Know their next three moves. Then nine. Keep going until they don't.
"Do you give them doggie treats after each mission?"
"Is this /REALLY/ all you had?"
She sighs.
He stammers.
"I... I swear. I can go to a store and find something for you right now. Just give me li-"
"No. It's... fine."
Her face feels like it's on fire. The bodysuit barely covered anything. Confiscated? Of course the confiscated box would be from a strip club. Her body can't help but react, thinking about his eyes on her.
The door opens slowly and she takes a tedious step forward. She tries to be modest, but the tiny bit of cloth covering her made that difficult.
He's sitting on the sofa, focused on the comm in his hand when he looks up to see her. The comm drops to the floor with a dull thud. He stands up slowly, almost instinctively.
The first strike is from the agent to her left. She parries with an elbow and follows it with the muzzle of her pistol right to the female agents chest.
One.
She weaves to avoid the next shot, gunfire from the agent to her right. She swings her arms over her shoulder sending two shell casings clattering as the agent slumps to the ground.
Two.
An open shot. She moves to take down Vinzer, but the slippery rat dodges behind his own teammate to use them as a shield. Good thing it was a full synthetic. Now it's about... two-thirds of one.
Three.
He walks towards her, quiet. His eyes fixed on her. Her thighs press together, as though she can feel his eyes touching everywhere he gazes.
"w-what?" Her voice is weak, why is her heart racing like this?
He just shakes his head.
"I.. you... you're beautiful."
"It's... just this outfit. You put me in something too sexy..."
Her body is aflame. It feels like fire would erupt from her every pore. Hot. Burning.
Now only inches from her, his hand reaches up and tilts her head up by the chin to meet his gaze. So tall. So strong. So... big.
She bites her lip, making it sting slightly.
He moves forward, slowly urging her back towards the wall. It's cold against her skin. Like ice, compared to how hot she feels. She slides her calf against his, wrapping her thigh around his and pressing against him.
His hands move to the straps of her bodysuit, slowly sliding them down until they go past her wrists. They're both breathing heavily, chests heaving. She musters only four words...
"Like what you see?"
A fist slams her jaw, stars dance in her head for a moment.
The last thug grabs her from behind, arm wrapped around her neck. Thunder rings in her ears. A clang. Searing pain.
"How does it feel to take a shotgun point blank? Even your suit can't stop all of the force. I should know, I helped them test the d4mn things."
Vinzer stands holding a tactical shotgun just feet away.
"ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ꜱᴜɪᴛ ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇ.
ʙɪᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅᴀᴍᴀɢᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ:
ꜰʀᴀᴄᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ ɪɴ ʀɪʙꜱ 3, 4, 6, 7, ᴀɴᴅ 12.
ʜᴀɪʀʟɪɴᴇ ꜰʀᴀᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ɪɴ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴏʀᴀᴄɪᴄ ᴠᴇʀᴛᴇʙʀᴀᴇ.
ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ʜᴇᴍᴏʀʀʜᴀɢɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏᴍᴀᴄʜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇꜱᴏᴘʜᴀɢᴜꜱ."
The suits lecture isn't what she needed right now.
"Fnck. You."
The attack had stunned her, and now her guns were at her feet. She tugs at the thugs hold, twisting hard, and another blast roars through the streets.
The thug falls to the ground in a wet splat.
Four.
"Are you fncking serious??"
Vinzer fumes as she stumbles forward to her knees. The thug blocked most of the blast, but her back was almost numb from the pain.
She coughs. She knows now. There was never any chance of turning back. This is her judgement, and Vinzers requiem.
And not she or him could do a d4mn thing to avoid it.
Her hands slide under his shirt, the chest hair running between her fingers. His hands slide down her back, lower... lower... then lifts her up to be face to face.
She giggles softly and wraps her legs around his waist. His deep growls and firm grip send lightning through her body. His breath is warm against her chest as she runs her hands through his hair.
His scent, smooth and cool yet worn and rugged. She pulls his shirt open, buttons clatter to the floor. Feeling his bare skin against hers she leans in and bites his neck gently, letting her tongue run against his skin.
Her hands find his belt buckle and promptly release it. She moans low into his chest feeling him swell against her. He presses her hard against the wall as he drops the bodysuit to the floor.
Imposing. That's how most anyone would describe him. Few people stood taller, and her arms didn't even come close to fitting around his chest. No matter how you looked at him, he was a big man. His hands grip her hips firmly as he pulls her down until she can't go any further. She lets out a sound from her mouth she didn't even know possible. Deep, for her, and growling in ecstasy. A /very/ big man.
He lifts her to her knees by her hair. The back of his hand cracks against her mask.
"Just like good old times, right?"
His fist slams between her eyes and she falls back from the force.
Vinzer tosses a clump of blue hair to the side.
"What was it that came next? I forget... was it a kick to the stomach, or a knee to the head?"
Red mist pumps from the mask as she rolls to her back.
"Fnck it, let's go for double points." The steel toe of his shoe slams into the mask, snapping her head to the side like a whip. Silence. Darkness.
His muscles flex against her, the movements smooth, steady. Her hips roll, as his soft grunts set the rhythm. Her arms wrap under his to hold his shoulders as her legs bounce in the air.
His fingers slide along her neck, his palm pressing against her throat softly. His hand moves up, and to the back of her head while the other arm wraps her waist like a massive python. He leans back, pulling her from the wall and holds her as his arms guide her body. Faster now. She gives in completely. Her body tenses suddenly, then goes limp as she lets out a muffled moan into his neck.
Her mind races as she's filled with warmth, love. His love. Her mind reels in pleasure. Nothing ever felt more right.
She lays on the sofa relaxing, crop top and panties as usual. The door latch clicks. She checks the time.
"Welcome home!" She bounces up from the sofa and does her best to tackle the man.
"Wow. You really put the shine on her, dint ya?" Jessups voice is unmistakable.
"I did nothing of the sort." He's stern, more than usual.
When she realizes, she ducks behind a cabinet. "Hey! Why are you here??" She tries to cover herself.
"Jessup is just helping me bring up some boxes from the storeroom so I didn't have to make 2 trips." He slides the box over and stacks the one from Jessup on top. "Thanks, I'll stop by later so you can check the actuator in my knee. It's been a bit glitchy."
"Ya ya, no freebies this time." Jessup shuffles to the stairs. "Full price!"
"So what have you been up to?" He pulls her close as he shuts the cabinet door she was hiding behind.
"Well, first I went out and sold myself to EVERY guy on the block." She giggles.
"Oh really? Did you make a lot?" He squeezes her.
"Oh lots, but THEN I went and bought all of the expensive clothes I've wanted." She wiggles against him.
"Oh, then I get a fashion show?" His hands sneak lower.
"I don't need new clothes to do that for you..." She looks down and pulls the loose collar of her top off her shoulder, then looks back up to him softly biting her lips as she peers up from under her long eyelashes.
His lips press against her forehead. "So what did you really do?"
"I had an early delivery, then a commute across town to get another in the afternoon. That's about all. Also... I cleaned!" She points at the floors.
"Did said cleaning involve dancing?" He chuckles, knowing the answer.
"Duh, like I would clean and NOT dance." She slithers her body against his.
He spins her around like a ballroom dancer. "I'm glad your day was good."
"Yep! Let's celebrate!" She springs around the apartment, stopping at the sofa and leaning over the back to talk to him.
"I've been here for a month now!"
"Oh, you are absolutely correct. That most definitely /is/ reason to celebrate. So..."
The word echoes in her mind.
"Where are we going?"
They lay back on the bed, content and worn. "I'm sorry... you might need another shower..." His voice is soft from heavy breathing.
She giggles and snuggles into his chest. "Want to share one?" Her voice is seductive and low.
He pulls her close and sighs contently as a moments eternity of peace gives them a tiny taste of respite.
She lays on top of him, both sweaty and panting. "Let's leave."
"What?" He blinks, surprised by the statement, looking down into her eyes.
"Let's leave. This place. It's... rotten. Maybe if there was some order.. or even just... someone that cared. This isn't the place to start a life." She draws patterns on his chest with the tip of her finger as she lays her cheek against him.
"You know I'd go anywhere with you. Just say the word." He brushes her hair back over her ear.
"I just.... I want it to be us. Just us. No CorGen. No thugs. No more operations. What if... one day... you don't come back to me?" A tear wells in her eye and drops onto his skin.
"Ok. Fine. So..."
The word echoes in her mind.
"Where are we going?"
"... *crackle* to *krzzzzz*ie."
.
.
.
"... going to *digital noise*"
.
.
.
"You're going to DIE!"
It's warm, but cold at the same time. She's here, but everywhere also.
"... up."
.
.
.
"get*static*"
She looks where her hand should be. Nothing. Everything is white. There's nothing but... light.
"I knew you'd do something reckless." His voice comes from beside her, behind her, inside her. "You have to get up. If you don't, you're going to die."
"Am I dead?" She tries to look around but there's no left or right, up or down.
"I need you to listen. I wasn't... entirely honest with you. That place... where they kept you. It wasn't just a place to torture you. They did things. Horrible things. Vinzer was taking young girls from the streets and using implants to force them to do what he wanted. Murder, robbery, and... other things. But you... nothing they did would break you. I couldn't do it any more. Chasing you down, dragging you back to that place. Your screams..."
He looks away.
"I left his crew, and the moment I could come get you... I did."
"Why?" She wants to cry. "Why did you lie to me?"
"I didn't want to force you to remember. Any of it. It was wrong. Can you forgive me?"
His words are soft.
"I love you." Her response comes without any will of her own.
"I can't make it right, but I can help you... one more time. All of the VES suits, they're modeled after you. You were subject #000. When I worked on your suit, I linked it to your neural implant..."
His explanation makes little sense.
Her mind interrupts. "You're dead."
"Well, yes... technically. And... technically, so are you." His voice doesn't waver.
"Dead?" She questions.
"Yes. For now." He sighs. "All done. I love you. You don't have to do this. Please. Get out of there. Run. Don't look back. Forget me. Forget the city. Be free. I'll always be watching you, my love."
The white fades to gray. "I love you. My light." Her thought sends vibrations through her reality, shattering it to nothingness. Dark. Quiet.
The apartment is pitch black, the only sound the rain pattering against the windows.
Quiet. Dark.
"D̴̀̓A̴͍̚T̶̋͂A̸͐͠ ̸͗̒C̸͊͘Ŏ̵̌R̸͐̈́R̴̂̈U̸̎́P̵̢͠T̶͗͘???" She calls for him. Silence. Her eyes adjust, and she sees the apartment in shambles.
"D̴̀̓A̴͍̚T̶̋͂A̸͐͠ ̸͗̒C̸͊͘Ŏ̵̌R̸͐̈́R̴̂̈U̸̎́P̵̢͠T̶͗͘?!?!?!?!?!" She calls out again, and again... silence. She flicks the lights, nothing.
She uses the light of her comm to look around frantically. Calling his name, over and over. As she turns the corner to their bedroom she falls to her knees.
Her hands shake as she reaches for his... Cold. She screams in pain. It's so dark. So cold. She can't see his light.
She drags herself close to his still body and lays her head on his chest. "You can't go... you can't leave me..."
The door bangs open suddenly and Jessup rushes in carrying a flashlight. "Is everyone alright? I heard a screa-" He stops abruptly as he sees her. "Oh fnck..."
She turns towards Jessup, eyes cold as the oceans depths. "Jessup..." Tears stream down her face. "My light..." The words barely escape her lips.
"They took him from me."
-------------------------------------------------------
Sound City Files, Volume 1 - Chapter 6 >
😭😭😭😭😭*kicks and punches at the air* Go get em! RAWR!! lol
I love how this shot came out. I always proof my photos before I post them, andthis one was just sooo much fun. I took a backdrop, modified it for use in the city, then used it as a more elaborate backdrop. I think there's probably about 150 lights in that shot. Seriously. There's definitely thousands of particles. I know everyone I've shown previews to has been really amped up about it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did taking it!
Only a couple of chapters left.... are you ready?
EDIT: I'm sorry about the formatting. Flickr feels that they should modify what you enter. I'm not sure why... but they do. I also can't use anything to format it more properly since they ignore or remove the formatting. Please reach out if you know of a way to keep formatting when I post descriptions. Thanks! :)
❤️ Epi!
Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.
Ralph Marston
Refresh Your Summer With RedBull ~ .. !!
Shot .&. Edit
All By Me ^_^
Hope you like it =D
e.7.m
P.s. ؛~ Special ehda2 to
[ вαяσσк яε∂вυιι™~ ]
DONT JUST VIEW !!! . . >.<
Grazie Willa999 per avermi suggerito questo titolo con il commento a Summer colors :-)
_____________
Thank you Willa999 for suggesting this title commenting Summer colors :-)
Amtrak Amfleet II coach 25006 (Budd, 1981-1983) is seen amid a train arriving at Washington Union Station. The car has recently been completely refreshed, as is evidenced by its shiny appearance compared to its neighbors!
Springbok
card
1,000 pieces
24 x 30 in
60.9 x 76.2 cm
TED: "Me an' Donald luvved doin' this Coca Cola pussel but the peeces wuz ever so tite! Yew can see Donald liftin' the corner up to show yew 'ow tite it is!
Mum rewarded us wiv a can of Coke each, fer bein' good bears an' finnishin' the pussel after she got fed up 'ammerin' peeces into place.
I don't fink we'll keep this one, cuz we don't reely collect Krissmussy jigsaws, but it's a nice one if yew can find a copy."
With a new driver 66717 departs York working the 6G40 0007 Belmont Yard - Bowesfield Jct engineering train....
31 10 20
An Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" assigned to the 3rd Wing flies over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2018. The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is the U.S. Air Force’s premium fifth-generation fighter asset.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon". Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 "Eagle" and F-16 "Fighting Falcon" or the newer F-35 "Lightning II", which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G "Growler". Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D. To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 "Raptor" is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF. It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 "Phantom II" that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/Black Lacquer collection/Adele Makeda/Lustrous Silhouette/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Exclusives collection/Jordan Duval/Platinum/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Foundation collection/Jordan Duval/Fire Within/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Glamorous collection/Adele Makeda/Gold Stroke/Hot Topic fashion/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Style du Jour collection/Adele Makeda/Paparazzi Bait/Cover Girl/Jason Wu
As of now, my photostream has been completely cleared and I am starting on a clean slate. There are a few reasons why.
1. I have been super-duper busy for the past few months and I have had almost no time as I am adjusting to a new house and still setting up my new Lego area. I have a few builds, but other than that, it is just pieces and old sets waiting to be sold on Bricklink. I have also had a ton of homework and I had multiple band contests to attend.
2. My old stuff was total garbage. All I posted were stereotypical CB combos and posted no actual builds, so I will be getting into that more as well. I have many new series planned, some will be story-based and others will just be historical builds. I want to get into WW2 and Vietnam era builds. I am also starting a stopmotion and update youtube channel. (link:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlovWZ8wIp2wcKUwl3V0Rw?guided_help_flow=3).
For now, I will post test stopmotions on that channel.
3. I also want to start United up again. The group kinda died out so I will try to fuel the dying fire with some new content.
Friends tagged
Thanks,
Engineer
visit my site - www.blueskyjunction.co.uk
shot with a single portaflash head (336VM), set infront of subject. Used a white backdrop 1 stop above subject with a flash slave clamped onto background. Most ambient light negated. Linked to flash via direct cable from hot shoe and fired via infra red remote.
A little bit of rain to freshen the flowers.
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Macro Week - Day 5
Whenever I see a photo like this it always makes me thirsty...that's prob why those marketing bods do it??