With three months to go, and only one of 10 criteria ticked off, the US Air Force and Lockheed Martin/Boeing remain confident of meeting the milestones required for approval of low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the F-22 Raptor.
Of the Congressionally mandated criteria scheduled for approval by the US Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) at a meeting on 21 December, the only one completed is initial high angle-of-attack testing with weapons bay doors open.
Despite this, F-22 programme general manager Bob Rearden says the programme is "on track" and ready for low-rate production. Testing of the critical Block 3.0 avionics software began on 1 September in the Boeing 757 flying testbed, one month ahead of schedule, and flight tests in the F-22 are still anticipated before the DAB meeting. Three more F-22s must fly before the year-end to meet the criteria.
Aircraft 4004 and 4005 are being prepared at Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Georgia, plant and 4006 is expected to fly in December. They will be flown uncoated. Still to be completed are: mating of aircraft 4008; static testing (14 of 19 tests completed); missile separation demonstrations (AIM-9 accomplished, AIM-120 down for November); air vehicle final production readiness review and Block 3.1 software critical design review. The F-22 team must also achieve milestones in engine qualification, fatigue testing and radar cross-section flight trials.
Source: Flight International
