F-22A Raptor

The F-22 Raptor is one of the best fighters in the Ace Combat series, stat-wise. It is the main aircraft on the cover for most of the series (for Air Combat, 04,X, and Joint Assault). F-22 variants ( such as the F-22C Raptor II or the FB-22 Strike Raptor) have been featured in all Ace Combat games with the exception of Ace Combat Advance. It is a stealth fighter aircraft that was intentionally built to replace the F-15C Eagle. The premier payload and high maneuverability are also reasons why it has good reputation. The F-22 is the flagship plane for almost every Ace Combat game so far, and the F-22A is also the main aircraft of several aces in the Ace Combat series.

Description
The F-22 was first flown as the YF-22 in September 29, 1990 as part of the ATF program along with the YF-23A Black Widow II. After a hard-fought fly off, the F-22 was declared the winner in August 1991. The Main production version of the F-22 Raptor (also known as the Lightning II, Rapier and SuperStar until April 9, 1997) first flew on September 7, 1997. This version entered service in December of 2005. It's primary role is as an Air Superiority fighter, similar in effect to the F-15C/D Eagle that it was slated to replace. At one point it was to have a carrier based variant similar to the swept-wing F-14 Tomcat for the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford as seen in some pictures and articles. The F-22A was also known as the F/A-22 for a short time due to the fact that the Raptor has a secondary ground-attack role. However, the name changed back to F-22A on September 12, 2005. One of the best traits of the F-22A Raptor is its advanced AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, which can detect enemy aircraft, missile launches, and jam incoming hostile missiles. Its supercruise speed is normally around Mach 1.5, but can reach at top of Mach 1.8 without afterburners. Its true top speed is still classified. It also has superb agility due to its high thrust-to-weight ratio, high angle of attack, low wing loading, advanced "fly-by-wire" control (a computer systems that allow unstable airframes, like the F-16, to fly without crashing), and thrust vector nozzles like F-15S/MTD.. The missiles on the the aircraft are stored in internal weapon bays: two under the wing root that can store two AIM-9X Sidewinder missles each and one under the fuselage that can store six AIM-120C/D AMRAAMs or a variety of air to ground munitions, such as members of the JDAM family, like the GBU-38 500 lb JDAM, or the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb.

Standard Weapons

 * Gun: 1x internal 20mm Martin Marietta M61A2 Lightweight Vulcan Cannon
 * Missile: AIM-9M Sidewinder
 * HACM: AIM-9X Sidewinder (ACX2)
 * LGWM: R550 Magic (ACX2)
 * HVWM: AIM-132 ASRAAM (ACX2)

Special Weapons

 * GPB: GBU-31 JDAM (AC4 & ACZ) or GBU-28 Paveway III (ACX, ACX2)
 * QAAM: AIM-9X Sidewinder (AC6), R-73 Archer (ACX2)
 * XMAA: AIM-120B AMRAAM (ACZ), AIM-120C AMRAAM (AC4, AC5 ,ACX, ACX2)
 * SOD: AGM-154 JSOW (ACZ, AC6), Storm Shadow (ACX, ACX2)
 * XMA6: AIM-120C AMRAAM (AC6)

Aces

 * Mobius Squadron (ISAF/AC4, AC5/Arcade)
 * Abell (FEAF/AC4) Grey with FEAF SP Paint scheme
 * Falco Squadron (AAF/ACX)
 * Bergvogel "Mountain Bird" (BAF/ACZ)
 * Adler "Eagle" (BAF/ACZ)
 * Ritter "Knight" (BAF then AWWNB/ACZ)
 * Mobius (Possibly Mobius 1. Only appears in The Gauntlet on Ace mode if Espada Squadron is shot down in under a minute) (ISAF/ACZ)1323px-AC4_F22_Mobius_One_official_artwork.jpg
 * Aquila (AAF/ACX)
 * Gryphus Squadron (AAF/ACX)ACX_F22.jpg
 * Pain (LAF/ACX)
 * Pegas "Pegasus" (EAF/AC6)
 * Unicorn (EAF/AC6)
 * Ceres (EAF/AC6)
 * Mobius One (EAF, possible non-canon appearance) (AC6, Ace of Aces)
 * Gryphus One (AAF) (AC6, Ace of Aces)
 * Antares Squadron (Martinez Security) (ACJA)
 * Gryphus 1 (Valahia/ACJA)
 * Mobius 1 (Valahia/ACJA)
 * Warwolf Squadron (NATO-USAF/AC:AH)

Ace Combat 5/Zero

 * Speed: 83
 * Mobility: 88
 * Stability: 82
 * Defense: 66
 * Air to Air: 96
 * Air to Ground: 59

Ace Combat 6

 * Speed: 89
 * Mobility: 85
 * Stability: 82
 * Defense: 66
 * Air-to-Air: 96
 * Air-to-Ground: 59

Ace Combat X

 * Speed: 78
 * Air-to-Air: 54
 * Air-to-Ground: 84
 * Mobility: 84
 * Stability: 78
 * Defense: 66

Comparable Aircraft

 * YF-23A Black Widow II
 * Su-37 Terminator
 * Su-47 Berkut
 * MiG-1.44 Flatpack
 * F-35C Lightning II
 * Su-35BM
 * S-32
 * F-35B Lightning II
 * F-15S/MTD
 * PAK-FA

Related Development

 * YF-22 Lightning II
 * FB-22 Strike Raptor
 * F-22C Raptor II
 * F-35C Lightning II
 * F-35B Lightning II

Trivia

 * Though the top speed of the F-22A Raptor is still classified, it has become as common knowledge as classified information can be that the Raptor can reach speeds topping Mach 3. F-22A pilots have proudly borne their Mach 3 patches in public. Speculation is that speeds this great at lower altitudes degrade the stealth ability of the Raptor through detrimental effects to the radar absorbing material on the exterior of the aircraft, as flying at high speeds causes huge strain and heat on the surface of the aircraft and would burn the material, and render it's stealth useless. Therefore, the Raptor can only sustain that speed for only a short period of time. In order to sustain Mach 3 speed for long periods of time, an aircraft has to be made out of titanium as used on the SR-71 Blackbird, which is too heavy for an aircraft the size of an F-22. The only other fighters in service that can reach speeds of Mach 3 is the MiG-25 Foxbat, and the MiG-31 Foxhound.
 * The F-22, EF-2000, and F-16 variants share the highest record of eleven appearences in Ace Combat games including Ace Combat 3 (futurized) except Advanced. These fighters have also been confirmed to appear in Assault Horizon.
 * The fifth color for the F-22 in Ace Combat: Joint Assault is the same as the last two Orgoi aircraft seen in the same game. It was likely that the Golden Axe Plan Private Army intended to field the F-22A for use as a carrier fighter onboard the Orgoi, but for some reason cancelled the plan.