The first F-22 built under the EMD contract was unveiled in a ceremony on April 9, 1997, in Marietta, Ga. The Air Force officially named the plane the F-22 Raptor. "Raptor" means "bird of prey." First flight took place on Sept. 7, 1997. Low-rate initial production is scheduled to begin in late 1998. The Air Force plans to procure 339 F-22s, and production is scheduled to run through 2012.
A combination of improved sensor capability, improved situational awareness and improved weapons provides first-kill opportunity against threats. The F-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite that allows the pilot to track, identify and shoot the threat before it detects the F-22. Significant effort is being placed on cockpit design and avionics fusion to improve the pilot's situational awareness. Advanced avionics technologies allow the F-22 sensors to gather, integrate and display essential information in the most useful format to the pilot.
Boeing began major assembly of the aft, or rear, fuselage for the world's first F-22 air dominance fighter on June 17, 1996, at its Developmental Center in Seattle, Wash. Boeing began the process by loading the left-hand forward boom, a large component that contains fuel and carries structural loads, into the aft fuselage assembly fixture. The aft fuselage houses the two Pratt & Whitney-built F119 engines that power the F-22. It also contains all or part of the aircraft's environmental control system and fuel, electrical, hydraulic and engine subsystems.
