F-22 Raptor to Receive Another Upgrade

[Kim Munguk, Researcher, Aviation Guidance Research Team 2, Defense Technology Quality Institute] The U.S. Air Force has announced plans to begin the latest modernization program for Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jet. The program is called the ARES (Advanced Raptor Enhancement and Sustainment) project.

According to the summary of the pre-solicitation posted on the government procurement website (beta.sam.gov) on the 19th of last month, the F-22 program office plans to sign an exclusive contract with Lockheed Martin for future performance upgrades of the 5th generation fighter jet. However, specific modernization work plans and contract amounts related to the ARES program were not disclosed.

According to Janes' global air force data, since its introduction in 2003, the F-22 fighter jet has continuously pursued performance improvements such as avionics upgrades, life support system modernization, and new air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The Raptor fighter can carry customized weapon packages for air-to-air or air-to-ground operations in its internal weapons bay.

Representative air combat mission weapons include six Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and two Raytheon AIM-9M/X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles internally mounted. The air-to-ground attack package weapons include two Boeing JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition), two AIM-120 missiles, and two AIM-9 missiles housed in the internal weapons bay. For long-range air combat, six AIM-120 missiles and two AIM-9 missiles are internally mounted, with an additional four air-to-air missiles attached to underwing weapon pylons along with a pair of external fuel tanks. The F-22 also carries eight Boeing GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) internally and is armed with General Dynamics' M61A2 20mm cannon.

Additionally, the F-22 is equipped with Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-77 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, capable of air-to-air search and tracking multiple targets. It also features advanced electronic systems to counter Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) threats. The F-22 is designed to fly 8,000 hours over its operational life and, with modernization support, is expected to remain in service until the early 2050s.

The F-22 fighter jet is a state-of-the-art aircraft that guarantees U.S. Air Force air superiority and boasts retaliatory strike capabilities. The first of 195 planned fighters was delivered in 2003, and full operational capability was declared in December 2007.

The final fighter was delivered in May 2012. Due to losses during training and shortened production operations, the U.S. Air Force currently operates 185 of these aircraft.