
Although the U.S. has been vigorously advocating the 5th generation fighter F-22 "Raptor" is the world's best fighter, but allowed to participate in the Western Allied military operations in Libya, and then trying to hide something related reasons to explain the results once again exposed F-22 series of performance deficiencies, to the not-so-good reputation to damage again, it cast doubt on its actual performance.
Since from March 19 to the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, United States, France-based NATO Libya "Odyssey Dawn" military action, the main combat mission by the French "Rafale", U.S. F-15, F- 16, British "wind GR4" fighter implementation. As early as before the war, some European and American analysts predict that the U.S. hype, and have been equipped with 6-year-old 5th generation fighter F-22 will participate for the first time to accept reality check. But to their disappointment, the U.S. Air Force F-22 is not allowed over in Libya, but stressed that the future does not appear. In fact, the Western Allies would have been F-22 did not expect to participate in combat operations, this is not particularly concerned about, but the U.S. has repeatedly defended this end, Law lists a number of reasons, such as (1) F-22 was mainly located in air, rather than ground attack; (2) F-22 airborne communication equipment could not upgrade, no data exchange with other aircraft; (3), individual defects found in test flight, forcing in fact, significantly reduced with the ceiling.
U.S. analysts Chi Ku Laike Lexington Institute, said Thompson, March 22, although the F-22 is the world's most advanced fighter, but set no-fly zone is not appropriate to participate in the elimination of Libya's air defense system similar to the other tasks, because most The basic task is not carried out precision strikes against ground targets, though it can carry two 450 kg weight JDAM precision-guided bombs, but can only destroy fixed targets, but can not hit moving targets; In addition, F-22 airborne radar can not the same as synthetic aperture radar terrain mapping, which means it can not independently select ground targets, if it is to carry out the bombing of a target, you must fight off target before the relevant information into the onboard computer systems.
Moreover, the issue is far from F-22 all the defects. The original, F-22's communications is extremely limited, and only one squadron of F-22 fighters for other operational information exchange, and its equipment Link16 standard communication system, "Performance shrink" is very serious, only one-way receiver aircraft and helicopters from other intelligence operations. In the development of F-22, the U.S. engineers are interested in limiting their communication capabilities in order to ensure the highest degree of stealth performance to ensure that their state is always in radio silence for combat operations.
Of course, Thompson's explanation for not too much attention because of his conclusions are sometimes somewhat suspect speculation or fiction, but also rejected by the United States military. For example, the Air Force commander Schwartz countered that, if the F-22 deployment to a base in Western Europe, they will naturally participate in the Libyan military operations, coalition forces launched the operation fairly quickly, so make the fight as close as possible to use resources the right decision. As we all know, the U.S. Air Force F-22 fighters are currently deployed in Alaska, Virginia, California, New Mexico, Florida and Hawaii, far from the Mediterranean coast, long-range raid is not necessary. He stressed that, although the F-22 will not participate in Libya's action, but this does not prove that performance can not. Schwartz still in the U.S. House Appropriations Committee hearing to explain the decision to completely abandon the 2010 F-22 communications system upgrade project because the U.S. military had planned to "incremental 3.2" within the framework of the project to install F-22 "multi-functional Advanced data link "(MADL) standard communication system module. The new communications system plan is currently the main assembly to the F-35 "Lightning" II fighter, there is no real level of the test after the U.S. Air Force F-22 do not want on the first try, worrying that it will only waste a lot of manpower and material resources, And there are some technical risks. This interpretation was foreign intelligence before the U.S. Air Force Secretary Jieputula criticism, claiming that the modern world's most advanced fighter planes and other aircraft are unable to exchange of operational information, equipment, aircraft apparently did not sense this.