[Yang Nak-gyu's Defense video] What is the Role of the F-22 Raptor Demo Team?

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] In 2015, the U.S. Air Force deployed the F-22 Raptor Demo Team (DEMO) from the Air Combat Command (ACC) at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, to South Korea. Officially, the flight was to participate in the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX), but within the military, it was primarily seen as a message directed toward North Korea. The F-22 demonstrated remarkable kill capability during the Northern Edge exercise conducted around Alaska on June 23, 2006, where it defeated 108 simulated enemy aircraft without loss, making it sufficient to serve as a military deterrent to North Korea.

The participation in the airshow also held significance. The F-22 Demo Team's visit was notable as it was the first time they participated in an airshow held in the Asian region. The flight demo team led one F-22 Raptor and performed maneuvering flight demonstrations during the Seoul ADEX event. The F-22 Demo Team visited South Korea again two years later in 2017, accompanied by the F-35B stealth fighter. The simultaneous deployment of the F-22 and F-35B by the U.S. was interpreted as a strong indication of America's resolve to enhance deterrence against North Korea, beyond mere promotional purposes at the exhibition.

The F-22 Raptor is known as the first fifth-generation fighter and the world's best air superiority fighter. Developed under the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter program, the F-22 is equipped with a single M61A2 20mm Vulcan cannon as its basic armament, and can carry eight AIM-120 missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles internally in its weapons bays. Its maximum speed reaches Mach 2, and it is capable of supercruise at Mach 1.5 without afterburners. The maximum flight range is 3,000 km, making it one of the strategic assets deployed by the U.S. military in contingencies on the Korean Peninsula.

Besides participating in airshows, the F-22 Demo Team performs various missions. They have conducted initial flights for F-22 test evaluations. Once the F-22 is produced, it undergoes various tests for verification. Similarly, before the Republic of Korea Air Force introduced the F-35, test evaluations were conducted locally in the U.S. The flight demo involves a U.S. pilot flying the F-35A while the Korean Air Force evaluation team assesses the fighter's key performance through ground-installed equipment. Flight tests involve the evaluation team flying the aircraft directly. At that time, the test evaluation consisted of data evaluation and physical evaluation, verifying 523 detailed items. Among these, military operational suitability evaluations included 243 items such as mission-specific suitability (88 items) and equipment-specific operational suitability (155 items), which were assessed through flight demos (DEMO) and flight tests.