F-22A Raptor "Slash of the Raptor" 8X10 Matted Art Prints by Willie Jones Jr.

Description: Slash of the Raptor. Slash of the Raptor is a fictitious dogfight between the U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor and a Russian Su-57 in which the F-22 is victorious. The F-22 pilot flies alongside the doomed Su-57 and watches his hapless prey plunge earthward.The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.The aircraft first flew in 1997 and was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Although the USAF had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs, the program was cut to 187 operational aircraft in 2009 due to high costs, a lack of air-to-air missions due to the military's focus on counterinsurgency operations at the time of production, a ban on exports, and development of the more affordable and versatile F-35A; the last F-22 was delivered in 2012.While it had a protracted development and initial operational difficulties, the F-22 has become a critical component of the USAF's tactical airpower. The fighter's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems enabled a great leap in air combat capabilities and set the benchmark for its generation. The F-22 is expected to serve into the 2030s and eventually be succeeded by the USAF's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) manned fighter component. Following IOC and large-scale exercises, the F-22 flew its first homeland defense mission in January 2007. In November 2007, F-22s of 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, performed their first North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) interception of two Russian Tu-95MS bombers. Since then, F-22s have also escorted probing Tu-160 bombers. The F-22 was first deployed overseas in February 2007 with the 27th Fighter Squadron to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. This first overseas deployment was initially marred by problems when six F-22s flying from Hickam AFB, Hawaii, experienced multiple software-related system failures while crossing the International Date Line (180th meridian of longitude). The aircraft returned to Hawaii by following Tanker aircraft. Within 48 hours, the error was resolved, and the journey resumed. Kadena would be a frequent rotation for F-22 units; they have also been involved in training exercises in South Korea and Malaysia. Defense Secretary Gates initially refused to deploy F-22s to the Middle East in 2007; the type made its first deployment in the region at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE in 2009. In April 2012, F-22s have been rotating into Al Dhafra, less than 200 miles from Iran. In March 2013, the USAF announced that an F-22 had intercepted an Iranian F-4 Phantom II that approached within 16 miles of an MQ-1 Predator flying off the Iranian coastline.On 22 September 2014, F-22s performed the type's first combat sorties by conducting some of the opening strikes of Operation Inherent Resolve, the American-led Intervention in Syria; aircraft dropped 1,000-pound GPS-guided bombs on Islamic State targets near Tishrin Dam. Between September 2014 and July 2015, F-22s flew 204 sorties over Syria, dropping 270 bombs at some 60 locations. Throughout their deployment, F-22s conducted close air support (CAS) and deterred Syrian, Iranian, and Russian aircraft from attacking U.S.-backed Kurdish forces and disrupting U.S. operations in the region. F-22s also participated in the U.S. strikes that defeated pro-government and Russian Wagner Group paramilitary forces near Khasham in eastern Syria on 7 February 2018. These strikes notwithstanding, the F-22's main role in the operation was conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. In late 2014, the USAF tested a rapid deployment concept involving four F-22s and one C-17 for support, first proposed in 2008 by two F-22 pilots. The goal was for the type to be able to set up and engage in combat within 24 hours. Four F-22s were deployed to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany in August, Lask Air Base in Poland, and Amari Air Base in Estonia in September 2015, to train with NATO allies. In November 2017, F-22s operating alongside B-52s bombed opium production and storage facilities in Taliban-controlled regions of Afghanistan. In 2019, the F-22 cost US$35,000 per flight hour to operate. On 4 February 2023, an F-22 of the 1st Fighter Wing shot down an alleged Chinese spy balloon within visual range off the coast of South Carolina at an altitude of 60,000 to 65,000 ft. The wreckage landed approximately 6 miles offshore and was subsequently secured by ships of the U.S. Navy and U.S. coast Guard. F-22s shot down additional high-altitude objects near the coast of Alaska on 10 February and over Yukon on 11 February. These are open end reproductions 8X10 matted prints which will fit into most ready-made frames.

Price: 24.99 USD

Location: Traverse City, Michigan

End Time: 2024-04-18T20:56:54.000Z

Shipping Cost: 9 USD