How Lockheed Martin Could Make the F-22 Raptor Even More 'Stealth'
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Lockheed Martin has big plans to make the most capable air superiority fighter ever built even better.
Dave Majumdar [2]
Lockheed Martin and the United States Air Force have been working on improving the performance of the F-22 Raptor’s stealth coatings.
While the Raptor is by far the most capable air superiority fighter ever built, its Achilles’ Heel since it entered service has been maintenance. The F-22’s sensitive radar absorbent coatings have proven to be costly and difficult to repair, but the Air Force and Lockheed have been working on improving the performance. Those efforts are starting to payoff as Lockheed has completed work on the first Raptor to enter the company’s Inlet Coating Repair (ICR) Speedline facility—delivering the aircraft back to the U.S. Air Force ahead of schedule.
“The inlet coatings work, coupled with future improved Low Observable materials and repair improvements, is a critical part of increasing the 325th Fighter Wing’s repair capacity and combat readiness,” said Lt. Col. Argie Moore, Deputy Commander of the 325th Maintenance Group in a statement.
According to Lockheed, the company received a contract to establish the Speedline facility in Marietta, Georgia, in August 2016. Currently, Lockheed is on contract to repair 12 Raptors, but the company expects follow-on contracts as the Air Force will need to continually repair the jets. Thus far, Lockheed is working on two jets at the Speedline in addition to one that was just delivered.
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