Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

[NMaude]

I wonder if the LDTP is compatible with the F-35?

 

[flateric]

I wonder if the LDTP is compatible with the F-35?

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/lockheed-martin-f-22-raptor.4505/post-614635

 

[kqcke for you]

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/lockheed-martin-f-22-raptor.4505/post-614635

Makes me wonder how fare an Block 3 Bug with the Stealth Pod, CFT's, the never done F414 upgrade and 2 of those pods could go.

Anyway could we wee the same for the other 2 Pods too? Or an adaption of it maybe?

 

[quellish]

I wonder if the LDTP is compatible with the F-35?

It is not. The LDTP is specific to the F-22 - the aerodynamics and LO are not compatible with any other airframe. And the F-35 has issues separating external tanks.

 

[Scott Kenny]

And the F-35 has issues separating external tanks.

That is extremely unfortunate...

 

[NMaude]

And the F-35 has issues separating external tanks.

Are they solvable?

 

[quellish]

Are they solvable?

The F-35 needs tanks designed to overcome these issues and others, which are specific to the F-35. Putting F-18 or F-22 tanks on the F-35 will not work.

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2008-376

 

[Scott Kenny]

The F-35 needs tanks designed to overcome these issues and others, which are specific to the F-35. Putting F-18 or F-22 tanks on the F-35 will not work.

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2008-376

Why do I suspect that every LO aircraft will require drop tanks specific to that airframe?

 

[Forest Green]

Why do I suspect that every LO aircraft will require drop tanks specific to that airframe?

Because it's about specific geometries.

 

[Scorpion82]

It's not even specific to LO airframes as such.

 

[Scott Kenny]

It's not even specific to LO airframes as such.

I was under the impression that a 450gallon fuel tank was a 450gallon fuel tank for the last 60 years or so.

Of course, with much fewer types of airframes in the modern air fleets, it's less of an issue to need specific tanks for F-35s, F-22s, NGAD, and FAXX.

 

[Forest Green]

So the MAKO was compatible with internal carriage on the F-22 as well.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1880210860750299164

View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1880210860750299164

https://twitter.com/x/status/1880370032573886624

View: https://x.com/SR_Planespotter/status/1880370032573886624

 

[B2Blain]

Low Drag Tank and Pylon (LDTP)：

https://flic.kr/p/2qEorSh

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEorSh

Interesting. I haven't seen these published anywhere else. Based on the artist concept it does seems to comport with it. The artist concept the size of the tanks appear smaller than 600 gallons, but I would assume that the shape is similar which is the case with the external pods. The image also confirms that the tanks sit more forward than the current external fuel tank. I am not sure where they are on testing, but you would think that it should become operational soon barring technical issues with separation tests.

I've read where some have identified the tanks as lower observable. Has that been confirmed? I thought the tanks had a lower drag. The low observable part is when the pylons are jettisoned, the connection points do not provide a higher radar return than in a clean configuration.

Applicability for the F-35

OJ Sanchez discusses using new systems for other aircraft such as the F-35.

 

[aonestudio]

Lockheed Martin to Modernize Air Force F-22 Raptor with Advanced Infrared Threat-Detection Sensors

/PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has received a $270 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to integrate a system of next-generation infrared...

www.prnewswire.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1882076890820755687

View: https://x.com/LMNews/status/1882076890820755687

 

[Grey Havoc]

So the four tank configuration was never use because of a wing redesign paralay, I wonder why the wing design was needed in the first place? It is a pit that they could not have redesigned the hardpoints as well to keep the four tanks.

More corner cutting, I darkly suspect.

 

[raptor82]

TacIRST: I told y'all.

 

[TomcatViP]

Where that go on the plane?

 

[raptor82]

Where that go on the plane?

AAR-56 MLDS successor ?

 

[kqcke for you]

Where that go on the plane?

Maybe into the smaller pod?

 

[what_is_that]

AAR-56 MLDS successor ?

That was my guess based on the descriptions of TacIRST

 

[quellish]

TacIRST: I told y'all.

No, the sensors announced recently are something different. Similar and some commonality but different

 

[what_is_that]

Sensors are referred to as embedded in the press release.

 

[Josh_TN]

Missile warning system?

 

[TomcatViP]

What I understand us that the pod is just a test pod. The sensors themselves are embedded.

 

[quellish]

Missile warning system?

Defensive system. More than just missiles but not an IRST in the normal sense.

 

[quellish]

What I understand us that the pod is just a test pod. The sensors themselves are embedded.

The TacIRST system can be fitted as a pod OR integrated into the aircraft.

What is going into the F-22 is an integrated system based on TacIRST that is replacing another existing system.

 

[B2Blain]

Defensive system. More than just missiles but not an IRST in the normal sense.

Says increased "lethality." Thinking can be used in an offensive manner, cue missiles?

 

[quellish]

Says increased "lethality." Thinking can be used in an offensive manner, cue missiles?

No, they say lethality with everything. Increases the lethality of the larger weapons system (F-22)

 

[B2Blain]

https://theaviationist.com/2025/01/22/f-22-raptor-infrared-defensive-system/

New information on new upgrade and regurgitation on the other upgrades. I wonder why the fuel tanks are positioned so far forward? Separation? The current tanks are positioned further back. Reduced drag?

 

[Josh_TN]

Defensive system. More than just missiles but not an IRST in the normal sense.

Ah, so more of a DAS like system. That seems like a major upgrade; I would have thought integration really time consuming.

 

[quellish]

https://theaviationist.com/2025/01/22/f-22-raptor-infrared-defensive-system/

New information on new upgrade and regurgitation on the other upgrades. I wonder why the fuel tanks are positioned so far forward? Separation? The current tanks are positioned further back. Reduced drag?

Drag, structural

 

[quellish]

Ah, so more of a DAS like system. That seems like a major upgrade; I would have thought integration really time consuming.

No, missile warning that does more than warn about just missiles. No DAS-like functionality

 

[_Del_]

https://theaviationist.com/2025/01/22/f-22-raptor-infrared-defensive-system/

New information on new upgrade and regurgitation on the other upgrades. I wonder why the fuel tanks are positioned so far forward? Separation? The current tanks are positioned further back. Reduced drag?

Transonic drag. Think of them like Kuchemann carrots for area ruling.

 

[icyplanetnhc (Steve)]

Note that Lockheed Martin filed for the TacIRST trademark back in 2021 and flight tested the system in 2022.

https://investors.lockheedmartin.com/static-files/5a6f08ab-266d-4000-b283-00e0a8e4e764

TACIRST - Lockheed Martin Corporation Trademark Registration

Trademark registration by Lockheed Martin Corporation for the trademark TACIRST.

uspto.report

The description is as follows:

Small form factor modules comprising electro-optical infrared (EO/IR) midwave, longwave, and multi-band distributed electric sensors for providing passive situational awareness tracks for missile warning, fixed wing GPS location, and infrared search and track, in connection with aircraft

 

[Forest Green]

F-22 Raptor To Get Distributed Infrared Search And Track System

Plans to add some form of increasingly critical infrared search and track system to the Raptors have been in the works for years now.

www.twz.com

 

[Josh_TN]

Drag, structural

Does it help with RCS? Limits reflections from the tanks from bouncing off the wing?

 

[had]

What a sight

https://twitter.com/x/status/1889506823964860698

 

[Forest Green]

What a sight

https://twitter.com/x/status/1889506823964860698

PHOTOS: Two Dozen F-22s Gather for Impressive Elephant Walk

The 1st Fighter Wing mounted an “elephant walk” of F-22 and T-38 aircraft on Jan. 31 to demonstrate its rapid mobilization abilities.

www.airandspaceforces.com

 

[NMaude]

Defense Updates has uploaded a video about Lockheed-Martin's new TacIRST sensor package to be integrated into the F-22:

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters are in line to receive distributed arrays of compact Lockheed Martin TacIRST infrared search-and-track sensors (IRST). Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $270 million contract by the US Air Force. Infrared Search And Track (IRST) sensor can track an aircraft by its Infrared signatures. This is something that has been in the works for years now.

TacIRST was unveiled in 2022 and its first known integration was into the noses of F-5 Advanced Tiger aggressor jets belonging to private contractor Tactical Air Support (TacAir).As per a Lockheed Martin release,“The F-22 will soon feature a newly developed, distributed set of embedded TacIRST sensors developed by Lockheed Martin to enhance aircraft survivability and lethality, known as the Infrared Defensive System (IRDS). In addition to managing integration of IRDS on the F-22, the company will also support integration on other platforms.”

In this video, Defense Updates analyzes reports on the addition of TacIRST based Infrared Defensive System (IRDS) to F-22 Raptor.

#defenseupdates #TacIRST #f22raptor

Chapters:
00:11 INTRODUCTION
02:16 IRST IN F-22 RAPTOR
04:04 ADVANTAGE OF IRST
05:36 INTEGRATION
06:49 ANALYSIS

 

[quellish]

Defense Updates has uploaded a video about Lockheed-Martin's new TacIRST sensor package to be integrated into the F-22:

This video makes a good case for having “AI” read press releases into YouTube videos. At least “AI” has a chance of producing acronyms correctly.

I think we should do an MST3K version of videos like this. Who is with me here?