View Full Version : First USAF F22 unit goes operational.
Rakshasa
17th Dec 2005, 10:56
Just got sent this: Defensenews.com F22 (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1413697&C=america)
Came as kind of a suprise. The press have been fairly low key about it, it seems, I was expecting more of a fuss.
Or have I just been reading the wrong papers?
MightyGem
17th Dec 2005, 21:27
Won't the sonic bang when supercruising negate its steath characteristics? Or am I missing something?
Darth Nigel
18th Dec 2005, 00:20
F@ck me rigid... I was working on some of the systems for that thing back in '91 (employee of a sub contractor, doing softwarey sort of stuff).
Still think the YF-23 werra prettier aircraft.
And I always figured that it was stealthy when it hadn't been spotted, and had super-cruise for when it had. Wonder if "Super-Cruise" was named after that Top Gun actor?
MightyGem
The shock wave which produces the sonic bang can only travel at the speed of sound in air. The supersonic aircraft leaves the shock wave behind similar to the bow waves from a ship in water. You can't hear it coming towards you.
By the time you hear the bang on the ground the aircraft is well removed from the position which produced your bang.
The F-22 can obviously produce more bangs for your bucks in the cruise without having to use afterburner/reheat.
MightyGem
18th Dec 2005, 04:30
Well yes, I had thought of that. But it's still announcing it's presence though, albeit a bit late.
Gainesy
18th Dec 2005, 15:16
...and if you are a threat to it, you might not live to hear the sonic bang anyway.