Lockheed-Martin F/A-22 Raptor: Stealth Fighter (Aerofax) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Jay K. Miller (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Initially referred to as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF), the F-22 was designed to meet a USAF requirement for 750 new fighters to replace the F-15 Eagle. Work began in the early 1980s, and competition selection resulted in orders for flying demonstration prototypes of the YF-22 and the Northrop YF-23. The first of two prototypes was flown on 29th September 1990, and extensive testing and evaluation took place during that decade. In 1993 an air-to-ground attack role using precision-guided munitions was added to the original air superiority role, and the designation has been changed to F/A-22 to reflect this. The F-22 is designed to supercruise at up to Mach 1.5 without use of the afterburner, and its unusual layout is designed for agility as well as to incorporate stealth characteristics. A planned two-seat trainer version, the F-22B was cancelled, but production deliveries are now taking place, with service introduction planned for 2005. Author Jay Miller has followed the program closely to produce an extensively researched and well-illustrated review of this topical new fighter in the well-established and acclaimed Aerofax style and depth.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Midland; 1st edition (August 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185780158X
• ISBN-13: 978-1857801583
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #885,859 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great F/A-22 Raptor book!, July 22, 2005

By	Rich (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews

I am a hugh Raptor supporter. Personally, I feel we need this fighter. This book is a detailed analysis of this great fighter.

When I received my copy, I read it all the way through. The book is written in great detail by Miller. There is a lot of color and b&w photos taken by Miller himself and through Lockheed Martin archives, many never before released. The pics are crystal clear and many of later Raptors based at Nellis and Tyndall AFB. Text is full of details that can be released and each photo have captions for it.

In addition to sections about the YF-23 the proposed naval F-22, adn the FB-22, the book also includes part of the original Aerofax YF-22 text that Miller wrote with Richard Abrams back in the early 1990's to refreash the history of the Raptor back in the ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) competition days. I also have the older YF-22 Aerofax book and the good news here is there is new photos and captions of the YF-22 prototype included in this new book.

My only wish is that this edition included the DIOT&E (Dedicated Initial Operational Test & Evaluation) results and photos of the Raptors based at Langley AFB, VA that were starting to be delivered in June 2005 Both events started after this book was printed . It would have been great to include some of the results and pilot and maintainer perspectives from the results of these tests (it is reported that the F/A-22 Raptor kicked everyone's A$$ that dared go up against it). Perhaps Miller or another great aviation author Bill Sweetman will include this section and photos in their next Raptor book. Regardless, a great book and highly recommended to add to your aviation library.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Supperb book, probably the best in this series, July 11, 2006

By	Nuno Andresen Portela (Porto, Porto Portugal) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The story so far of the F-22A. The develloping story from the early days till present times is remarkable and really made me read page after page. The cherry on top of the cake are the photos - they are almost all full color. Previous titles were mostly black and white with a small center color section, this one is totally color except some archive pics of develloping mock ups that are b&w. But these are a minority. Jay Miller made an excellent job tracing the story of this awesome aircraft. Modern jet fans will love for sure. Highly recommended

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Feelings, April 27, 2009

By	Fleener (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews

I have been an avid reader of Aerofax books since they were initially published in the early 1980s. This book generally follows the approach of earler volumes but is distinguished by the large quantity of high-quality photographs. It includes a detailed chronology of the engineering and manufacturing development phase, and some of the encyclopedia-like detailed subsystem descriptions typical of the series.

What I found lacking was the history of the evolution of the design leading to the demonstration and validation phase (Dem/Val). A limited description of the Lockheed Martin development process along with elements of those of the competing teams was provided; however, I did not think it was coherent and easily followed. The overall discussion was disjointed most particularly the ultimate combining of the Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics concepts, which was a major driver in the final configuration of the YF-22. In addition the photographs chosen to illustrate the design delvlopment consisted mostly of somewhat random wind tunnel models and program viewgraphs. It would have been very helpful if a set of drawings depicting the evolution of the F-22 leading up to Dem/Val was prepared specifically for the book.

Further insight into the selection of the F-22 over the F-23 would have been welcomed. I would have enjoyed a comprehensive discussion of their attributes and an explanation of the decision process includung the technical and political aspects, particularly with the advantage of almost twenty years of hindsight and the author's knowledge of the program.

Another shortcoming was the discussion of stealth. It was extemely difficult to follow even for someone with some familiarity with the subject, omitted major aspects of low-radar signature design, and seemed to be more gratuitous than informative.

I had the impression that the book was quickly assembled without having gone through a rigorous editing process. The subsystem desctiptions were not as balanced as I would have liked to have seen and seemed to be somewhat reliant on illustrations provided by the manufacturer. It read more like a technical manual than a book.

Having said all of this, it is still worth having if you have an interest in modern military aircraft. The photogrpahs alone are almost woth the price.