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Advanced F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have their first taste of combat in Syrian air strikes

IT’S invisible to the enemy and fitted with the world’s deadliest missiles. The F22 Raptor has waited years for its first chance to strike. That day is here.

Pentagon's newest fighter plane makes combat debut in Syria

THE world’s most advanced stealth fighter — the F22 Raptor — was used in anger for the first time yesterday. But is it enough to defeat 32,000 angry desert tribesmen?

It has been eight years since the first of the ultra-modern, super-stealthy Raptor fighter aircraft entered the ranks of the United States air force.

But it’s never before fired a shot in combat.

Fifth generation ... An F-22 Raptor fighter, top. flies with some of its predecessors — A World War II vintage P51 Mustang and the 1970s-era F-15 Eagle. Source: AP
Fifth generation ... An F-22 Raptor fighter, top. flies with some of its predecessors — A World War II vintage P51 Mustang and the 1970s-era F-15 Eagle. Source: AP

As the US and its allies struggled on battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq, the secret warplane remained at home — held in reserve for “the big one”.

Then, in 2012, the stealth fighter slipped virtually unnoticed into the United Arab Emirates. Its purpose? To intimidate Iran into backing down on its nuclear aspirations.

RELATED: Questions mount over effectiveness of air strikes

But even as its older siblings struck fear into the hearts of the Taliban in Afghanistan, militias in Libya and insurgents in Iraq — the F22 Raptor sat snugly in its hangers, awaiting the “right moment” for its use.

That moment came yesterday.

Lethal lines ... An F-22 raptor at the Australian International Airshow in 2013.
Lethal lines ... An F-22 raptor at the Australian International Airshow in 2013.

On paper, Syria poses a much greater threat to aircraft than any of the other regional wars.

It has long been a strong ally of Russia, giving the European power a major presence in the Mediterranean through major naval and air bases.

In return, Russia has supplied Syria’s regime with up-to-date anti-aircraft artillery and missiles.

Attack angle ... An F22 undertakes aerobatics at the Australian International Airshow in 2013.
Attack angle ... An F22 undertakes aerobatics at the Australian International Airshow in 2013.

As a result of the tug-of-war being played upon international interests in Syria (the US backs the mostly Islamic insurgency attempting to topple President Assad), there has been a chance that the Syrian armed forces would use this Russian equipment to shoot-down US aircraft in its airspace — even though they were attacking a common enemy.

Lethal weapon ... The F-22 Raptor.
Lethal weapon ... The F-22 Raptor.

As the only aircraft capable of dealing with such a confused, hi-tech threat, the Raptor yesterday finally took its place on the front line.

The strikes in Syria were the F-22’s first real combat test. The F-22 would have been one of the first planes to breach Syria’s airspace, most likely unnoticed due to its secret stealth capabilities.

It flies faster than twice the speed of sound, has a range of nearly 3200 kilometres and can be equipped with an array of advanced missiles. Most notably, the F-22 flies at supersonic speeds without using fuel-hungry afterburners, a capability referred to as “supercruise”.

While designed to establish air-superiority, the F-22 has some ground attack capability and can carry two GBU-32 “smart” bombs or eight smaller weapons.

High energy ... An F-22 fighter jet in a public display flight over Australia.
High energy ... An F-22 fighter jet in a public display flight over Australia.

Due to its speed, sensors and evasion systems, the aircraft can drop its guided bombs 25 kilometres from a target.

The plane can also be used for target identification for missile strikes, the role it likely performed in Syria.

Yesterday’s air attack was conducted in three waves.

The first attack began at 3.30am Syrian time, most likely involving the Raptors flying as the “eyes” for US Naval ships and submarines based in the Mediterranean. These then fired cruise missiles to reach deep into the desert, targeting the facilities of the Islamic jihadist group Khorasan which has threatened to attack Western passenger aircraft.

On guard ... A US air force F-22 Raptor prepares to rendezvous with a KC-135R Stratotanker for in-flight refuelling in a training area over the Atlantic Ocean off the Virginia, United States, coast.
On guard ... A US air force F-22 Raptor prepares to rendezvous with a KC-135R Stratotanker for in-flight refuelling in a training area over the Atlantic Ocean off the Virginia, United States, coast.

Thirty minutes later came the main wave of aircraft which dropped their bombs and launched their missiles at Islamic State headquarters, training camps and equipment depots in northern Syria. A third wave attacked similar targets in eastern Syria.

Billed by Lockheed Martin as providing “air dominance” for the next 40 years, the F-22’s production was halted in 2011 after a long and costly production process based out of Marietta, Georgia.

Flight line ... An F-22 Raptor, top, along with a P-51 Mustang and F-15 Eagle.
Flight line ... An F-22 Raptor, top, along with a P-51 Mustang and F-15 Eagle.

Around $70 billion was spent to acquire 195 F-22s in a project that was first launched in 1988 and involved military contractors Boeing and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney as well as Lockheed Martin.

After plane costs soared and problems persisted the F-22 production was suspended in favour of the multi-role F-35 fighter.

The F-35 has been similarly setback by cost overruns, delays and mechanical problems

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/advanced-f22-raptor-stealth-fighters-have-their-first-taste-of-combat-in-syrian-air-strikes/news-story/c65c7b8af345dade9b271a94b8c38c0f