The F-22 is having a modernization moment

How RTX is helping the Raptor stay ready to dominate the skies

December 05, 2024

It was 2 a.m. when the blast of the Klaxon rattled the halls of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, outside Anchorage, Alaska.

Unidentified aircraft had approached U.S. airspace over the North Pole, and U.S. Air Force pilot John “Schlem” Rogers – unsure whether it was real or a drill – had minutes to suit up, jump in his F-22 Raptor and investigate.

Hear a Klaxon

Rogers can’t divulge exactly what happened that night years ago, but he did say the F-22’s low observability, high maneuverability and superior situational awareness gave him the advantage.

“Gear matters, engineering matters, quality matters,” said Rogers, now associate director of Advanced Fighter Aircraft Avionics for Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. “Knowing that the systems onboard that F-22 were going to work allowed me to take the aircraft over the most extreme parts of our planet to keep our airspace safe.”

Rogers’ story shows the power of the F-22 Raptor. At times overlooked, this combat-proven, fifth-generation fighter jet is taking on new importance as the U.S. Air Force considers enhancements that could keep it ready and relevant for years to come.

“The relationship between a fighter pilot and their jet is like that of a cowboy and their horse. Before every flight, I would place my hand on the nose of the aircraft as I walked up to it, much like how a cowboy touches their horse before they step into the saddle. For me, it was a routine showing respect for what we were about to go do, and something that connected me to the ‘beast.’ In a way I was saying, let’s work as a team to get the job done today.”

In his words

Retired Lt. Col. John “Schlem” Rogers | Former F-22 pilot

Advanced Fighter Aircraft Avionics | Collins Aerospace

The F-22 Raptor

Multi-role fighter

Known for its speed,
stealth, sensor fusion
and maneuverability

In service since 2005

A Raptor renaissance

Why the renewed interest? In short, the U.S. Air Force needs to supplement its F-35 fleet while plans for a new generation of fighter jet take shape.

And the F-22’s capabilities – many of which come by way of RTX products and services – can meet that need.

“The Air Force and government see the F-22 as its primary stealth fighter,” said Jake Ullrich, senior program director for Advanced Products and Solutions at Raytheon, an RTX business. “All systems on the F-22 are meant to complement each other – to maximize both the intel coming in and the actions being taken.”

And better data coming in means pilots will need more sophisticated ways to see, process and act on that information. It’s why teams across RTX continue to advance cockpit technologies for the F-22 to help pilots stay ahead of the threat when a mission is changing rapidly and unfolding across several domains.

Here’s a look at some of the RTX advancements that are helping the F-22 stay future-ready.

The definition of air dominance

Achieving air dominance means controlling the skies against enemy threats. In this role, the F-22 is often in a support position, carrying the right munitions to meet the needs of the particular mission. One of the most powerful weapons onboard is the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.

John “Clyde” Thayer is a 22-year U.S. Air Force veteran and former F-15C pilot who now serves as director of Air Dominance Requirements & Capabilities for Raytheon. He explained why the weapons delivery capability of the F-22, along with its ability to fly fast and high, has helped earn the AMRAAM missile a reputation as the premier air dominance weapon around the world for nearly 30 years.

“When the pilot fires a missile, it is a very quick timeline for the doors to open, the missile to eject from the aircraft and the rocket motor to fire,” he said. “At that point, the aircraft can immediately maneuver as needed to defend itself – without being detected.”

The AMRAAM missile, equipped with its own guidance system, takes over from there.

Thayer said recent upgrades, as part of the U.S. Air Force’s F3R (Form, Fit, Function Refresh), will bring even more processing power to the air-to-air AMRAAM guidance sections. This, in turn, will enable software improvements to take performance even higher. In particular, it will allow operators to extend the missile’s time of flight.

“We know the missile flies a lot farther than it was originally designed to,” Thayer added. “The F3R improvements – perfectly fitted to the F-22 platform – will help us get the most out of the AMRAAM missile in the air dominance role.”

The Raytheon team is ramping up production to 1,200 AMRAAM missiles a year, which will ensure the F-22 stays mission-ready.

In air-to-air missions, the F-22 carries:

“We know the missile flies a lot farther than it was originally designed to. The F3R improvements – perfectly fitted to the F-22 platform – will help us get the most out of the AMRAAM missile in the air dominance role.”

Retired Lt. Col. John “Clyde” Thayer

Former F-15C pilot | Air Dominance Requirements & Capabilities | Raytheon

Unlocking engine potential

“The F-22, when it starts up, has been described as a big muscle car,” said former F-22 pilot Rogers. “It’s loud, it vibrates. As it gets into the air, it turns into a bit of a Ferrari. It’s smoother, it kind of growls. It has its own personality.”

Hear an F-22 in flight

A lot of that personality comes from the two Pratt & Whitney F119 engines that power the F-22, each packing 35,000 pounds of thrust.

Caroline Cooper, who oversees the F119 program at Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, said the engine’s unique thrust-vectoring capability, and its capacity to fly at supersonic speeds without turning on the afterburners, have contributed to the F-22’s superior maneuverability.

The F119 is the original fifth-generation fighter jet engine, and the direct predecessor of the P&W F135, which powers the F-35 – another fifth-generation fighter.

Cooper credits data gathered over Pratt’s long history supporting these fifth-gen platforms for driving the engine control software update that’s expected to unlock more performance potential for the F-22. The fleet software update is scheduled to begin in 2025.

“A more modern F-22 will need additional mission capacity,” said Cooper. “That's going to require more thrust in certain parts of the design envelope, and this software update provides it.”

Fast facts

Pratt & Whitney F119 engine

2 PW F119 engines
~ 35,000 lbs. thrust each

“Supercruise” mode
Supersonic without afterburning

2 thrust-vectoring nozzles
Adjusts +/- 20 degrees

900,000+
Engine flight hours

Years of F-22 operation have also given Cooper’s team an advantage in predicting maintenance for engine parts: They can use actual, full-flight data to pinpoint when it's time for replacements.

“When we run this data through our advanced engineering algorithms, it gives us insight we can then use to extend the life of our parts,” she said. “This means more time on wing and more cost savings for our customers.”