Record broken: F-22 Raptor fighter unit loaded and fired 28 missiles

Summary: During a training exercise in September 2022, pilots and crew from the 1st Fighter Wing at Joint Base Langley-Eustis tested the maximum weapons configuration of the F-22 Raptor, firing 28 air-to-air missiles. air from a single unit.

This surpassed the previous record of 22 missiles set in 2014.

The exercise, part of Tyndall Air Force Base's Weapon Systems Evaluation Program, demonstrated the squadron's readiness and teamwork.

By equipping the F-22 with $14 million worth of Sidewinder and AMRAAM missiles, the team demonstrated the aircraft's capability in “Day Three” war scenarios, where maximum stealth is less critical. .

If the F-22 Raptor was upgraded to maximum weapons configuration, what would it look like?

Pilots and crew from two 1st Fighter Wing squadrons based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia decided to find out how many air-to-air missiles the F-22 could fire during training.

While pushing the limits during an exercise, a pilot and ground crew raced to load and fire 28 air-to-air missiles from a single F-22 unit during a weapons test in September 2022.

F-22: explode the previous record

Twenty-eight missiles are more than the record of 22 set in 2014 with an F-22 unit that took off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

The team of pilots and weapons participating in the record-breaking 28-missile action came from two units: the 94th Fighter Squadron and the 94th Fighter Generation Squadron.

These squadrons were part of an exercise called the Weapon Systems Evaluation Program at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

Such a number of missiles is unheard of

Staff Sgt. Edgar Baez-Lopez, an aircraft weapons systems craftsman with the 94th Fighter Generation Squadron, said it shows his team is ready for battle and that competition is a healthy activity for pilots and technicians in weapons and ammunition to simulate combat situations at the top of their form. . But Baez-Lopez admitted that 28 missiles from an F-22 unit was “unheard of.”

Multi-million dollar real shot

Transforming the F-22 unit into an air-to-air missile truck took some creativity on the team's part. They had to use both internal weapons bays and multiple hardpoints to equip the F-22 unit with 28 missiles of the Sidewinder and AMRAAM variety. These munitions were worth $14 million.

The F-22 in beast mode also demonstrated excellence with its six-barrel 20mm Gatling gun and the M61A2 Vulcan.

Excellent teamwork on display

Senior Master Sgt. Jared Robinson said his team has worked hard to maintain high levels of teamwork and flexibility. They were able to ensure increased levels of communication between the operations side and the maintenance side of the squadron.

Ready for the “Third Day” War

One problem the F-22 would have in such a maximum missile configuration is that missiles on the wing hardpoints would increase the radar cross section and possibly decrease the level of stealth. The F-22 could still, in this maximum armament mode, eliminate many enemy aircraft once air dominance is achieved. This is the “third day” of the war after the elimination of enemy anti-aircraft systems, including radars, air defense missiles, gun systems and enemy aircraft. In this scenario, maximum stealth would not be necessary, the F-22 could patrol the skies and escort bombers or search for enemy fighters to destroy relentlessly. The F-22 could rely on its superior air combat skills with numerous air-to-air missiles.

Do they have what it takes?

F-22 squadrons train regularly with munitions, but they don't actually participate in live-fire exercises without prior warning. The Weapon Systems Evaluation Program is an opportunity for crew and pilots to show what they are capable of in a real combat simulation.

The staff also practices safety procedures that would be required in a real-world scenario. These types of exercises and records improve a unit's morale and give it confidence if the F-22 requires additional weight during combat situations. We can be confident that the F-22 is combat ready when the pilot and ground crew are pushed beyond their limits in these types of record-breaking combat exercises. Let's see if Air Force personnel are interested in eclipsing this record with other fighters.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an expert on emerging threats and a former U.S. Army infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in political science and foreign policy/international relations.

All images are Creative Commons.