What Makes the F-22 Raptor Dangerous?

The F-22 Raptor is the United State's 5th generation fighter plane built for air superiority. It is also a multi-role fighter plane packed with features that makes it the most dangerous fighter plane in the world:

• Stealth - makes it almost invisible to radars

• Thrust Vectoring - uses the powerful Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 engines with built-in single dimension thrust vectoring that enables the Raptor to make tight maneuvers.

• Internal Weapons Bay - gives the Raptor the ability to carry missiles and bombs without compromising its stealth features.

• Avionics - these are the radars that gives the Raptor success on its strike and air superiority operations. The Raptor is using one of the most complex radar in the world - the AN/APG-77 AESA (Active Eletronically Scanned Array) radar.

• M61 Vulcan - a 20mm caliber rotary cannon/gatling gun with 480 rounds of ammunition.

• Cockpit - high-tech head-up display, side-stick controller and other digital instruments for dog fighting, maneuvering, landing and flying purposes.

• Supercruise - allows the Raptor to fly efficiently without having to use the afterburners.
• Speed - mach 2.25 on high altitude
• Range - more than 1,600 nautical miles or 2,960 km with the aid of two external fuel tanks.
• Armaments - AIM120, AIM9, JDAM, GBU39