For those interested in becoming an Air Force pilot, and even flying the F-22 yourself, one of the best routes you can take is to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy. It's a 4-year tuition free university that graduates the most amount of pilots every year. I'm so excited to announce the release of my online course called The Air Force Academy Blueprint! I cover everything you need to do to prepare, apply, and survive the Air Force Academy. You'll have access to over 60+ video lessons, downloadable resources and checklists, access to a private community of other applicants, and so much more. Sign up here: www.academyblueprint.com/
Exactly, bro! That is why I am currently taking classes at flight school to get my private pilot license. I just graduated with a computer science degree and had a sudden urge to transition my career into Air Force after I was underwhelmed with the daily life cycle at the office.
@@Burningarrow7 I am so sorry you felt that way. I don't know if you're being an a-hole or not but it is not about me having a real friend or not. I just wanted to change careers that's all.
The fact that she was first flown in '97, finally introduced in 2005, is absolutely crazy. The fact that the F35 looks similar, is just a testament to how advanced she was/is. Obviously the f-35 has lots more tech than it would appear.
The F35 program started in 2001, and all the way back then it looked like the F22. Also they were both developed and manufactured by Lockheed. So it's really not surprising they look similar.
@@cmbara102 I know it started then but although the raptor was 'released' in 2005, the earliest f35 was released 20 years later. The raptor was first flown in 1997, how many years of research do you think it took Lockheed to perfect the airframe? So you're saying that the f35 looks like a raptor because it did at the beginning of the program in 2001 really helps your argument? The f35 is using a similar 'looking' airframe because the f22 conceived in the early 80s, was and is the pinnacle of fighter aircraft design, not because the f35 looked 'like an f22 in 2001'
@@UnknownUser-ni9iz gold star for you. YF was a prototype, developed to give the USAF an idea of which airframe/developer to give the contract to to build the airplanes. TLDR; YF-22 isn't an F-22 because there's a big capital Y in front of the F! If you want to learn what the Y means go learn what it is before thinking you know everything.
@@n1msu I know what Y is. And I know that the F22 and YF 22 are not the same aircraft. My point was that the YF 22 and F22 had the same basic features. The F22 is based on the YF 22
Always love seeing these at air shows, the sound they make is absolutely tremendous. The reverberations you feel when they do flybys is unlike anything else.
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,;
Great aircraft! wish the uk had some, but the f35 is great. wonder if you could look into the hawkeye? my favourite US navy aircraft alongside the greyhound
Such an amazing aircraft, and it's incredibly cool that you got to get up close, I was shocked when I saw this video pop up. Guessing they left out details in the gear room on the visor for secrecy reasons, heard that they have the ability to target through the aircraft platform due to their sensors/visor integration among other things. Can only imagine where that technology is. Thanks to those that serve and protect us, and for them opening their doors to give us all a peek.
Indeed, That green glass / screen on the plane was shown only when the focus was blurry, as soon as it was adjusted the scren was covered up whit a red cloth . Obviously they did it for secret reasons , especially right now with China poping out
@@jtl-08 The F-22 does not have that. It first flew in 1997 and those features weren't available then (and haven't been retrofitted since). Only the F-35, which is a much newer aircraft, has that.
I live in downtown Honolulu within few miles from Hickam Air Force base, and so get to see and hear these planes take off on a regular basis. When you see them go vertical like they do at the end of the video, it is a spectacular and breathtaking sight, and the sound they make can be heard resounding throughout the city, even from miles and miles away!
2:50 “Loco” Lopez was the F-22 Demo Team pilot during the 2018-2019 airshow seasons. I watched one of his performances at St. Louis, 2019. Glad to see he’s still flying.
@@SamEckholm I was kinda disappointed you didn’t get to talk to him in this video.. talking about that aspect as well as the tactical would’ve made this even more amazing
SUCH a cool guy! We flew our 1945 TBM Avenger to NAS Oceana where he was the demo pilot a few years back, we let him hop in the cockpit if he let us check out the F-22 - he just said “uh sure, follow me!” jumped the temporary metal fence for the hot ramp and a few of us followed, all the armed guards (like M4s in hand) hopped off the truck tailgates and ran towards us before they saw Loco who said it was cool. 😂 It was a dream come true for me, everyone was busy talking to him and I was just fascinated by the aircraft, crawling under it and around it.. no photos allowed within a small diameter string line on the ground, but I could get as close as I wanted without touching it. There were details and nuances I NEVER imagined or knew about from photos, and I had many questions that he wasn’t allowed to answer lol. I have to admit, it was a bit of a let-down bringing him back over to the Avenger and showing him around. Don’t get me wrong, we love our aircraft and she’s a great bird, but there isn’t really anything that’ll compete with a close-up raptor encounter! Our group photo with Loco in front of the Raptor is one of my favorite airshow circuit photos.
@@Chri5c38he couldn’t tell me much beyond what you see in this and other documentaries. About the most interesting (and funny) thing he told me was when I joked about how much better his air conditioning must be in the F-22 than our WWII Avenger (ie nonexistent). He laughed and said “not during the last flight - I was stuck waiting for the previous performer who went over time to land, and the aircraft started to load-shed the air conditioning to all the avionics while I sat on the taxiway - the plane cares more about keeping itself comfortable than me I guess.” 😅
The F22 was at oshkosh Alrventure in 2019. my son and i were in the front row for the late afternoon, early evening air show and the jet taxied in front of us. she couldn't have been more then 30 feet away and the thing that stands out me even 4 years later is just how amazingly loud the plane is even at idle. just an amazing piece of engineering
I had my first encounter with the Raptor at a very unexpected place. My family had gone to a dolphin show at an aquarium in Destin, Florida. While everyone was amazed at the dolphin, my eyes were towards the sky as two F-22’s flew over, delivering a deafening roar over the aquarium
Gotta admit, the F-22 is legitimately a technical marvel. Even more crazy when you realize we don't even know the jet's full capabilities. If this thing had HMDS and the relatively simpler upgradability and maintenance of the F-35, it'd probably be damn-near unstoppable for the remainder of its life-span. Makes me wonder how stupid-strong and advanced the NGAD is going to be, once that jet is let loose.
Once they started making monobodied airframes, back when they were playing with it testing the bird of prey. They made huge advances making the ngad it's going to be so efficient and strong it'll be pretty remarkable
The F22 was at Oshkosh AIrventure in 2019. My son and I were in the front row for the late afternoon, early evening air show and the jet taxied in front of us. She couldn't have been more then 30 feet away and the thing that stands out to me even 4 years later is just how amazingly loud the plane is even at idle. Just an amazing piece of engineering
@@claus1225 It's loud because it's got a lot of power. That power allows it to super cruise and sprint to over mach 2. That power also makes it more maneuverable thanks to the thrust vectoring.
I saw this beast at Oshkosh Air Show just 30 feet from the runway and it is absolute experience to see it. You are completely right that video doesn't not prove it justice. Feeling those f119 engines at full afterburner is an experience that everyone should see.
I grew up in Honolulu, so it was very cool to see the squadron who would fly over my school every day featured like this! Thank you for the detailed video, Sam!❤
The first and so far only time I visited Hawaii I had just arrived at a car rental facility just outside the airport. Right as I was done packing, in the corner of my eye, I spot four Raptors in a right echelon starting to peel away from the formation until the last one in line broke directly over the facility. Unforgettable. Was the perfect start to my stay.
@@SamEckholmin your opinion what is your favourite fighter jet? The f-22 raptor or the f-35, and why do you prefer it more than the other? Wich is better in your opinion and why?
Absolutely incredible. As a Canadian, whenever I see videos like this, specifically of the kinds of warplanes the US has and the incredibly talented people who pilot them, I COMPLETELY understand the vehement patriotism that US residents have, and I am not only envious, but thankful that my country has a good relationship with you guys.
When I was in Honolulu I was taking off in a 707 to go to Kona and our flight was delayed by the squadron taking off. It is truly amazing to hear the roar of those engines. I recommend anyone who has the chance to go see F-22s in action should. Great video man keep it up.
I live not far from Hickam and I hear the Raptors almost every morning. I love it. BTW my dad was an Air Force pilot in WWII, the Korean War and flew until the late 60s, so we grew up around Air Force planes. The Raptor is hands down my favorite. I wish my dad could have seen it. He would have loved it.
I’m pretty sure I saw in a Boeing video that he is assigned by the military as a media guy for the raptor specifically! Which also gets him access with other aircraft. I was like huh this guy looks familiar
When I was out in Tucson, Arizona during one of the big air shows they had a Raptor there for people to walk around and get pictures with. The only differences I can remember from what the public got access to in terms of closeness to the aircraft, and what the video showed was the weapons bays and cockpit. Both were closed at the air show and there was an armed active duty Airman patrolling around the Airframe itself. It was roped off so you could only get about 10 feet or so from it.
F 22 performs well 🤔 ? It seemed that it failed to hit the China balloon that was 3 times the size of a bus in the first try. So much for the propaganda 😔.
@@chuapg1518 I know there was a balloon incident. [It seemed that it failed to hit the China balloon that was 3 times the size of a bus in the first try.] I meant this part.
its not just the paint that lets it be stealthy but also the design of the plane. the design of the plane actually does most of the work and the paint just reduces the radar reflectivity.
Exactly right, it's the only way to squeeze the last bit of stealth into the airframe. Used alone on a conventional airframe, it would make a measurable difference, but the difference in detection range is proportional to the 4th root of the RCS, so it's not even worth it. On the F-22 (or F-35 or F-117), which has a shape that provides the stealth, the coating is more worthwhile. The same goes for internal weapon bays. Those would help the RCS of any fighter, but it's not worth the effort, while on a stealth plane, they are absolutely necessary. One anecdote from F-22 development is that a "naked" (no stealth coating, just paint primer, except inside the intake ducts, which is critical) F-22, on its first fight ever, took on four F-15s that were equipped with more advanced radars than other F-15s had at the time, and scored four simulated kills before the F-15s could detect it. Three of the kills were BVR, and the last one took place WVR--the F-15 spotted the F-22 visually, but his radar showed nothing, and then he "died" from a simulated AMRAAM launch. So anyone worrying about the F-22 not being stealthy enough when its coating looks worn because it has been refreshed in a while can rest assured that it is very stealthy even without the coating at all. The only place where the RAM coating is necessary and has to be better maintained is inside the intake ducts, which can't be made stealthy. Instead, they are designed with a geometry that ensures that all radar signals bounce off the coating multiple times--enough times to essentially make the signal so weak that the F-22 maintains its stealth. One bounce isn't nearly enough, but multiple will do the trick. The biggest contributors, by far, to the F-22's (or F-35's) RCS are its pitot tubes on the low sides of its nose. Lockheed tried to get rid of those, but the flush sensors they tried never worked well enough. Most people don't even notice the pitot tubes, so yeah, the F-22's RCS is pretty small.
well, a F35 has a lower RCS and better stealth. but that's expected with progressing of technology. as it stands now, a F35 will eat F22's all day long like taking candy from a baby. But, the f22 at introduction time was 2nd to none. Now? Well, it has high performance (kinetic energy), but the f22 does not stand a chance against F35's flying.
@@gabaghoul23 lmao ok but if the su 57 has 3d thrust vectoring that doesn't help against bvr fights nobody dogfights anymore due to stealth which the 57 doesn't have
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,)
Very nicely done -- all aspects! I retired from Aircrew Flight Equipment, with the AK ANG 176WG, at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage. The active duty side has several F-22 Squadrons, which make a great mix of air traffic (we even still have contract DC-6s supporting supply to outlying radar sites on the Bering Sea coast -- great moments to hear heavy radials winding-up, now and then). I was able to watch some F-22 pre-flight & engine starts from the hangars, so I know what you have produced here is an excellent, very close-up look at this weapon system. I always appreciated my privilege/perk, working close by all of the time, to watch the daily airfield activity which most folks never get so close to. The alert cells (working relics from the F-102 days!) see fairly frequent launches for intercepts out over the Alaska west and north coast. It is impressive to see a section of Raptors climb vertically, to out-of-sight, then see their contrails ripping west without pause. The guard wing has seven different weapon systems, including HC-130s, HH-60s, and Guardian Angels/PJs, which are on SAR standby when the Raptors fly. Vast area, especially having the tasking for a vast, distant ADIZ reach. Pretty awesome reach for a fighter! And, the demo flight performance of this jet, vertical and hovering around like a helo -- just off of the deck! -- is absolutely phenomenal. I just stumbled across your video here, by way of "The Flyby" newsletter. Guess I'll be a regular now. You have a good knack with your presentation, Sam. Press on, Dana Nichols
Just recently stumbled upon your channel, I believe it was the AC-130 video. Can you do something about the Apache helicopter as well? Also one of the most prestigious military aircraft ther is in my opinion. I love how the US air force is just so open and happy to showcase this stuff on UA-cam for the people to see. Would be unimaginable where I live. You've earned my subscription, will watch your future videos with joy. Keep it up and best regards
A few weeks ago some Raptors from Alaska stopped by my base, which is home to F15s and F35s, and I remember thinking that they seemed like they were the perfect blend of both 15s and 35s. They're intimidatingly lethal in the air but also stealthy enough to kill you without ever being seen.
i dont understand why people like the A10, it is a terrible platform. the only outstanding metric about it is how many times it was involved in blue on blue incidents. save the MIC, don't trust any reformer.
Actually, there is a lot more to stealth than just the coating. If that weren't the case, then any fighter could be coated with RAM to become a stealth fighter, and everyone would be doing it. It's about the shaping and electrical properties of the entire airframe, including sensors, which pose a particular challenge.
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,:
I learned about how stealth works from a channel called Messier82AC. He designs planes in a sim that calculates stealth but has yet to implement RAM so he has to rely solely on shaping
My (ex) brother in-law assembled the port intake on every F-22 made here in Atlanta. We were lucky enough to walk the flight-line where his workstation was and see the work he was doing. It was amazing that we were allowed to walk directly up to the cage and see these amazing things from about 20 feet. I'm so glad that these are not for export because this thing is a badd mamma jamma.
@@chuapg1518 There is a law passed by Congress that forbids foreign sales of the F-22 anyway--to anyone, including allies. Similarly, the depleted uranium armor on the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank is never sold to any other country. Even the most advanced exported Abrams have an older, less protective version of the armor (the M1A2s being prepared for Ukraine as we speak are being stripped of their depleted uranium armor). I guess if for some unforeseen reason the US military finds themselves going up against F-35s or foreign M1A2s, they need something that can kill them at better than parity. Contrary to popular belief, the export F-35 is not compromised, but the F-22 has similar stealth plus superior kinematics, agility, and air-to-air missile loadout, just in case.
@@chuapg1518 The Japanese are, and did inquire about it at one point. They wanted more of a multirole variant, though, and of course they wanted industrial participation, but then they nixed the project well before it got started. Maybe it was the cost, but they sure paid a handsome premium to make their own heavier version of the F-16 (the Mitsubishi F-2) previously, so they've got deep pockets and the incentive to spend on the best equipment, given their proximity to China and North Korea. Israel were also interested for a while, but then Congress went ahead and forbade exporting the F-22 or any variant thereof.
@@chuapg1518 Absolutely Not, countries would pay trillion to own a couple fleets of these It's not for export because it ensures US-Air-Dominance In any situation against any nation In any circumstance Irregardless of what aircraft you have (Nato member, or Chinese or Russian tech) the F-22 Is uncontested In terms of air superiority a hand full of these birds ensure complete air dominance (Which is basically the core objective of winning a war)
I live just south of the bay in Tampa Bay Area and the jets from MacDill AFB fly over my neighborhood every now and then. The sound is incredible even if you’re inside. You have to cover your ears if you’re outside. Just incredible!
I recall seeing one of these beasts at the Ocean City, MD airshow in June 2021 and I'll tell you even with the jet at 5,000 ft with no afterburners it is incredibly loud, ear protection definitely recommended at an airshow with a Raptor!!
I live about 20 miles north of a base where over 30 are stationed. I hear and see them coming and going. The last few weeks there was a big training exercise with about 150 military planes. It’s been busy day and night until today.
Thanks for the cool video, Sam. Well done. How many Tubers can say they have a video sponsored by Raytheon?! Amazing! I was blessed to have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and went to many Fleet-Week events, including the Blue Angels flight demonstrations. Let me tell you...those F-18 Super Hornets, while not being Raptors, aint nothing to sneeze at! Loved the video, man. Raptors are just freaking ridiculous...
When I was in Honolulu I was taking off in a 707 to go to Kona and our flight was delayed by the squadron taking off. It is truly amazing to hear the roar of those engines. I recommend anyone who has the chance to go see F-22s in action should. Great video man keep it up.
The Raptors' been operational for 18 years now. For some perspective, the F-4 Phantom hit the 18 year service mark in 1979, when it was already being replaced by the Tomcat. The F-14 Tomcat hit 18 years of service in 1992. The light grey F-15 hit 18 years in 1994. The F-15E Strike Eagle hit 18 years in 2007. The F-16 hit 18 years in 1999. The Raptor is getting old, but still unmatched in the A2A arena.
Sam, great to see a new video from you. F22 is my 3rd favorite air frame to date. Proceeded by my #1 F4 and the venerable A6. I have had the pleasure to see the F22 in person twice. 2022 at CCAS was the most recent. 2 things I take away from those shows was the SOUND. Good lord that plane is LOUD. It just reeks of insane power. The 2nd, but probably the most important was seeing an aircraft do things my mind still has a hard time computing. The "falling leaf", the negative G pushover, and how it can reverse field in the size of a cul-de-sac. It is truly amazing thing to see. One last thing, aviation related but in the realm of the AIM9X being used to down those "Chinese" baRRoons. 🤣How did they get a heat seeking missile to act on a target like that when the heat signature of negligible at best? I'm curious about why that weapon was selected and how it accomplished the mission. Thanks again for ANOTHER great video! -PhantomF4G
For your question about the balloons, the aim 9x has a thermal imaging seeker (think night vision or thermal camera) that allows it to make out shapes even if they don’t have that much of a heat signature, compared to older missiles that just had a heat seeker that could detect very hot objects. The ballon also stands out against the sky because of the heat that it reflects from the sun.
I can only imagine, we just switched from F16s to F35s and their sound is also very different. Wish I could see it, and hear it in real life, grtz from Belgium.
@@quinnleonard1298 Thank you! Apparently, I spend too much time learning aircraft stuff and not about updated arms for them! I guess I have some homework to do friend! Be well -Phantom
@@quinnleonard1298 Really, was the balloon not at 60.000ft ? I've HALO'd from 30.000ft and I can tell you it's not fkn warm up there at 5miles let alone 10
@@kamidkarma23011. Ngad already had 3 flying protypes years ago. 2. We have no idea what the weird triangles are. For all we know, they are just experimental planes, like the X-36
Sam , its really amazing to see how you manage to get close to this fighter jets ,whether its f22 or f35. and I hope to see Northrop Grumman's B-2 Spirit one day in your channel
I find it wild that this Aircraft has maneuvers that are Secret to normal people and not allowed to be demonstrated to the public. Heard it straight from an F-22 pilots mouth on a documentary. Development on this aircraft was first conceived in 1986, first test flight 1990, and didn't see its first sortie until 2006. It's currently the top of the 5th Gen pyramid. Imagine what is "prototype" right now currently.
man, im glad all our pilots get to practice on these jets daily. this gives us a great chance to win if there were any air fights against another country.
I got to see an F22 at the Air Force National Museum in Dayton Ohio and I think Sam needs to pay that place a visit because some of the aircraft in there are 1 of 1.
Hey Sam, thank you for another great video. I too was blessed and got a personal tour of Hickam AFB in late December of last year. The first time I saw that Raptor up close was at Travis. Words cannot describe how beautiful that plane is. Those pilots got to live in Hawaii and flying those planes, that's better than winning lottery.
*Three* unmanned balloons, actually. One over South Carolina, one over Alaska, and one over Yukon (Canada). An F-16 got the fourth balloon over Lake Huron. And they were all harder to shoot down in some ways than another plane would have been.
@@notarmchairhistorian7779 There is otherwise no reason for the aircraft to engage anything else and no one really has anything dangerous enough besides china or the EU that would warrant the necessity of the 22.. Sadly the 22 will probably not see the light of day in anything more frisky of course there was other classified and not public knowledge instances of the 22 shooting down other things and not just the balloons. The j20 is the only thing that is somewhat concerning of an aircraft not because its stealthy..well its more stealthy than the SU-57 but it's not stealthy to a 35 or 22 not even close but it actually functions has upgraded systems consistently and has a sizeable force of aircraft. Otherwise it would be some gen 4s.. but outside of really just America the 22 and 35 don't exist on radar systems when they reflectors off and everything ready to go unlike combat exercises which have many restrictions. NGAD is being tested against the 22 and has to surpass the 22 in capabilities with the upgrades that the 35 has for the electronics package and so forth. Even the 35 being sent to allies its heavily restricted on access and basically to even fly it requires America's authority or I think one other country which is the UK who also has access as a secondary and thats it. Otherwise as I said before there's not really anything that the 22 needs to combat.. the F16EXs the 35 for the electronic suite are all that's needed and are much cheaper to field than a 22.
I heard that the radar on the F-22 changes its signal like over 15,000 times per second this plane can’t be tracked let alone be stopped awesome aircraft period 👍
Word is, is that it sorta jams the sensors and radar of its missiles as well. Enemy doesnt even know its locked on to until a missile already in the air
I live in downtown Honolulu just a few miles away from Hickam Air Force base, and so get to see and hear these planes take off on a regular basis. When you see them go vertical like they do at the end of the video, it is a spectacular and breathtaking sight, and the sound they make can be heard throughout the city, even from miles and miles away! This was a great video, and I really appreciated getting a behind the scenes and up close look at these incredible planes I usually see only from afar, the pilots who fly them and the crews who keep them flying.
I've worked on the engines for the 22 the past 9 years. Great aircraft, never gets old seeing them do their thing. Engineers did a great job on making it all easy to work on too
The F22 reminds me of the HMS Hood on so many levels. Most intimidating, power projecting, world beating, monumentally expensive weapon system, without match for 20 years - without being in an actual life or death combat situation.
I remember seeing one of these as a kid in 2002. My dad had a buddy that worked at Edwards AFB and he invited us down and offered to give us a tour of the base. It was AWESOME. I was already a military vehicle nerd at 10 and instantly recognized the F-22 Raptor. We also saw the YF-35, which we werent actually weren’t supposed to see 😂😂 coolest tour I’ve ever been on.
I'm blessed to live in Huntington Beach, CA and we have a yearly airshow that is absolutely amazing. For the past 3 years they've switched between an F-22 or F-35, then either the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels... The F-22 is single handedly the most amazing aircraft I have had the fortune of seeing fly. The sound those engines make are enough to give paraplegic an erection!
This plane garnered so much hate as I was growing up, but it was one of the first planes I've ever seen at my first ever air show as a kid, so I always appreciated it. Turns out, it's one heck of a machine. Who knew? Hehe. And although the F-35 is my favorite jet nowadays, I will always keep this jet in high regard. :)
@@matthoward598 Oh my gosh, there was SOOO much hate for the Raptor when I was growing up. People called it too expensive, an ineffective waste of time, and so on.
@@matthoward598 I can't remember, but it was a lot. People would slander on it for being a "massive waste of the defense budget". Or at least, that's what I remember.
I was stationed at Hickam from 1980 - 1982 and remember the F-4 Phantom sitting in the spots where the F-22s now reside. Wow. Hard to believe it's been 40+ years since those days.
@@chuapg1518 Stop spreading lies, and learn something about military aviation. It is actually very difficult to shoot down such a target, contrary to what most people's ignorance would tell them. And he didn't miss anyway. An F-16 pilot missed a smaller balloon several days later, but got it with a second shot. That could have been the fault of the AIM-9X, which was never designed to hit such a cold target. Older Sidewinder variants would have missed for sure, as they were designed to seek hot jet exhausts, not freezing-cold balloons. None of the F-22 pilots missed. They could have, and that would have been completely understandable, just like with the F-16 pilot, but they did not.
There is actually a general that still flies with the hawaiian raptors. I was shocked when I was walking through and saw that one of the gear locker spaces had a Generals patch on it.
Radar cross section of a humming bird, tactical capabilities second to none. My uncle piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam when I was a kid, I was in awe. God bless America.🇺🇸
They said I'm not smart enough , I'd never fly. Still my dream. I used to read flight books of my dads , he was a private pilot, dreamed of fighters. Screwed my life up, now no clue can't get proper medical, but still dream, that this might pass and I could, but nope. I'll dream.
For those interested in becoming an Air Force pilot, and even flying the F-22 yourself, one of the best routes you can take is to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy. It's a 4-year tuition free university that graduates the most amount of pilots every year. I'm so excited to announce the release of my online course called The Air Force Academy Blueprint! I cover everything you need to do to prepare, apply, and survive the Air Force Academy. You'll have access to over 60+ video lessons, downloadable resources and checklists, access to a private community of other applicants, and so much more. Sign up here: www.academyblueprint.com/
Thanks for the link
Very good fighter jet. It was tested and successful in baloon war. I think its fully ready for further combat.
Can internationals outside the USA apply?
@@chisomfrancisalisigwe9806I believe you have to be a US citizen or have green card at least
I'm trying to get in 2025, and this blueprint has helped SO MUCH! Thank you Sam and wish me luck!
others UA-camrs get sponsored by hello fresh or Nord VPN and my dude here get sponsored by freaking Raytheon Missiles 😂
That’s an awesome sponsor
Fr, but who can just afford a missile? Those things are like at least 50K.
This will be great if we buy a missile membership for a month😂
this contrast is super funny for no reason
@@ahmadnurfauzan3937 let’s start a go fund me
Living in Hawaii and flying F-22's for a job must feel like a dream come true after a lifetime of hard work.
Exactly, bro! That is why I am currently taking classes at flight school to get my private pilot license. I just graduated with a computer science degree and had a sudden urge to transition my career into Air Force after I was underwhelmed with the daily life cycle at the office.
@@karlphilippalses3272why did you tell us your life story? Go out and get a real friend buddy
@@Burningarrow7 I am so sorry you felt that way. I don't know if you're being an a-hole or not but it is not about me having a real friend or not. I just wanted to change careers that's all.
Does anyone know what that patch means at 3:52 ? Why is the UK flag on it?
@@mombuble That's the flag of hawaii.
F-22 3-0 balloon
wasn't the third shot down by an F16?
@@justanaverageguy912 the 4th was
Fax😂
@@justanaverageguy912 the F-16 Missed it’s Shot so it had to Do it again
Most feared and deadly fighter jet with 3 confirmed Kills👍
Getting to fly F-22 out of Hawaii sounds like one of the best jobs in the military
The fact that she was first flown in '97, finally introduced in 2005, is absolutely crazy. The fact that the F35 looks similar, is just a testament to how advanced she was/is. Obviously the f-35 has lots more tech than it would appear.
YF 22 was first flown in 1990
The F35 program started in 2001, and all the way back then it looked like the F22. Also they were both developed and manufactured by Lockheed. So it's really not surprising they look similar.
@@cmbara102 I know it started then but although the raptor was 'released' in 2005, the earliest f35 was released 20 years later. The raptor was first flown in 1997, how many years of research do you think it took Lockheed to perfect the airframe? So you're saying that the f35 looks like a raptor because it did at the beginning of the program in 2001 really helps your argument? The f35 is using a similar 'looking' airframe because the f22 conceived in the early 80s, was and is the pinnacle of fighter aircraft design, not because the f35 looked 'like an f22 in 2001'
@@UnknownUser-ni9iz gold star for you. YF was a prototype, developed to give the USAF an idea of which airframe/developer to give the contract to to build the airplanes. TLDR; YF-22 isn't an F-22 because there's a big capital Y in front of the F! If you want to learn what the Y means go learn what it is before thinking you know everything.
@@n1msu I know what Y is. And I know that the F22 and YF 22 are not the same aircraft. My point was that the YF 22 and F22 had the same basic features. The F22 is based on the YF 22
Always love seeing these at air shows, the sound they make is absolutely tremendous. The reverberations you feel when they do flybys is unlike anything else.
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,;
It's insane how the F22 has never been shot down in combat. Not even against that balloon (the one time it was in combat)
Just like any other fighter made in the 2000s era.
But for your information, the f22 was used in air to ground combat once
@@Joshua-by4dc assuming you mean air to air combat because otherwise they surely were in combat
Lmaoooooo
Then who helped kill Megatron ? 😮
"THE MOST LETHAL!!!!" - yeah, it was proved by army who war only against goat keepers in sandals. 😂😂😂
My #1 requested video, so here it is! Let me know what you think of the mighty F-22 Raptor. 🙌🏼
Great aircraft! wish the uk had some, but the f35 is great. wonder if you could look into the hawkeye? my favourite US navy aircraft alongside the greyhound
@@declantaylor7564 US won't ever export it! NEVER
This one is amazing! Well done Sam
Jaw dropping!
This is soooooo cooooooooool!!!
Such an amazing aircraft, and it's incredibly cool that you got to get up close, I was shocked when I saw this video pop up. Guessing they left out details in the gear room on the visor for secrecy reasons, heard that they have the ability to target through the aircraft platform due to their sensors/visor integration among other things. Can only imagine where that technology is.
Thanks to those that serve and protect us, and for them opening their doors to give us all a peek.
Negative. Normal visor in there, you’re thinking of the F-35 helmets 🤙
@@theadeebster f22 and the f35 have that why would an air dominance fighter not be able to use the 360 sensors to defend itself
Indeed, That green glass / screen on the plane was shown only when the focus was blurry, as soon as it was adjusted the scren was covered up whit a red cloth . Obviously they did it for secret reasons , especially right now with China poping out
@@jtl-08 The F-22 does not have that. It first flew in 1997 and those features weren't available then (and haven't been retrofitted since). Only the F-35, which is a much newer aircraft, has that.
I live in downtown Honolulu within few miles from Hickam Air Force base, and so get to see and hear these planes take off on a regular basis.
When you see them go vertical like they do at the end of the video, it is a spectacular and breathtaking sight, and the sound they make can be heard resounding throughout the city, even from miles and miles away!
2:50 “Loco” Lopez was the F-22 Demo Team pilot during the 2018-2019 airshow seasons. I watched one of his performances at St. Louis, 2019. Glad to see he’s still flying.
My former boss 😉
@@SamEckholm I was kinda disappointed you didn’t get to talk to him in this video.. talking about that aspect as well as the tactical would’ve made this even more amazing
SUCH a cool guy! We flew our 1945 TBM Avenger to NAS Oceana where he was the demo pilot a few years back, we let him hop in the cockpit if he let us check out the F-22 - he just said “uh sure, follow me!” jumped the temporary metal fence for the hot ramp and a few of us followed, all the armed guards (like M4s in hand) hopped off the truck tailgates and ran towards us before they saw Loco who said it was cool. 😂
It was a dream come true for me, everyone was busy talking to him and I was just fascinated by the aircraft, crawling under it and around it.. no photos allowed within a small diameter string line on the ground, but I could get as close as I wanted without touching it. There were details and nuances I NEVER imagined or knew about from photos, and I had many questions that he wasn’t allowed to answer lol.
I have to admit, it was a bit of a let-down bringing him back over to the Avenger and showing him around. Don’t get me wrong, we love our aircraft and she’s a great bird, but there isn’t really anything that’ll compete with a close-up raptor encounter!
Our group photo with Loco in front of the Raptor is one of my favorite airshow circuit photos.
@@Chri5c38he couldn’t tell me much beyond what you see in this and other documentaries. About the most interesting (and funny) thing he told me was when I joked about how much better his air conditioning must be in the F-22 than our WWII Avenger (ie nonexistent). He laughed and said “not during the last flight - I was stuck waiting for the previous performer who went over time to land, and the aircraft started to load-shed the air conditioning to all the avionics while I sat on the taxiway - the plane cares more about keeping itself comfortable than me I guess.” 😅
The F22 was at oshkosh Alrventure in 2019. my son and i were in the front row for the late afternoon, early evening air show and the jet taxied in front of us. she couldn't have been more then 30 feet away and the thing that stands out me even 4 years later is just how amazingly loud the plane is even at idle. just an amazing piece of engineering
I had my first encounter with the Raptor at a very unexpected place. My family had gone to a dolphin show at an aquarium in Destin, Florida. While everyone was amazed at the dolphin, my eyes were towards the sky as two F-22’s flew over, delivering a deafening roar over the aquarium
Gotta admit, the F-22 is legitimately a technical marvel. Even more crazy when you realize we don't even know the jet's full capabilities. If this thing had HMDS and the relatively simpler upgradability and maintenance of the F-35, it'd probably be damn-near unstoppable for the remainder of its life-span. Makes me wonder how stupid-strong and advanced the NGAD is going to be, once that jet is let loose.
It also uses tech developed in the 80s. So now imagine what's around the corner
Once they started making monobodied airframes, back when they were playing with it testing the bird of prey. They made huge advances making the ngad it's going to be so efficient and strong it'll be pretty remarkable
"THE MOST LETHAL!!!!" - yeah, it was proved by army who war only against goat keepers in sandals. 😂😂😂
Those goat keepers in sandals were once flying aeroplanes in newyork😂 @@mihael1251
@@mihael1251F-22 wasn’t used in Afghanistan. Also Russia lost against the Afghans, so did India and Britain.
The F22 was at Oshkosh AIrventure in 2019. My son and I were in the front row for the late afternoon, early evening air show and the jet taxied in front of us. She couldn't have been more then 30 feet away and the thing that stands out to me even 4 years later is just how amazingly loud the plane is even at idle. Just an amazing piece of engineering
It's by far the loudest aircraft i've ever heard. Pretty incredible, has a ton of presence during shows.
loud doesnt mean it's good.
@@claus1225 It's loud because it's got a lot of power. That power allows it to super cruise and sprint to over mach 2. That power also makes it more maneuverable thanks to the thrust vectoring.
@@claus1225 in some cases yes, yes it dose
@@claus1225 a dumb reply. it’s better than good my friend. It performs better than even some laws of physics say it cant do for an airplane.
I saw this beast at Oshkosh Air Show just 30 feet from the runway and it is absolute experience to see it. You are completely right that video doesn't not prove it justice. Feeling those f119 engines at full afterburner is an experience that everyone should see.
I grew up in Honolulu, so it was very cool to see the squadron who would fly over my school every day featured like this! Thank you for the detailed video, Sam!❤
The first and so far only time I visited Hawaii I had just arrived at a car rental facility just outside the airport. Right as I was done packing, in the corner of my eye, I spot four Raptors in a right echelon starting to peel away from the formation until the last one in line broke directly over the facility. Unforgettable. Was the perfect start to my stay.
That’s so cool!
Hawaii is absolutely beautiful friend 😀👍
Oahu gang represent ✊
@@SamEckholmin your opinion what is your favourite fighter jet? The f-22 raptor or the f-35, and why do you prefer it more than the other? Wich is better in your opinion and why?
Absolutely incredible. As a Canadian, whenever I see videos like this, specifically of the kinds of warplanes the US has and the incredibly talented people who pilot them, I COMPLETELY understand the vehement patriotism that US residents have, and I am not only envious, but thankful that my country has a good relationship with you guys.
When I was in Honolulu I was taking off in a 707 to go to Kona and our flight was delayed by the squadron taking off. It is truly amazing to hear the roar of those engines. I recommend anyone who has the chance to go see F-22s in action should. Great video man keep it up.
I live not far from Hickam and I hear the Raptors almost every morning. I love it. BTW my dad was an Air Force pilot in WWII, the Korean War and flew until the late 60s, so we grew up around Air Force planes. The Raptor is hands down my favorite. I wish my dad could have seen it. He would have loved it.
I wonder if the design of the jet is purely functional or did the designer think to design a jet that also looks cool lol
Cool factor definitely is a thing. The x-32 proves that a product can be good, but if it looks fugly no one will buy it.
@@stanpines9011the x-32 was a LOT worse than the x-35
On my last deployment, when we stopped by Hawaii, a flight of 4 F-22 came in landing the Air Base. It was so cool seeing these beasts fly!
I've seen it fly a couple of times, but never realized how big it actually is! Once again a great video Sam.
Sam, you must have all kinds of clearance to be able be near the F22 and making awesome videos! Looking forward for your next video!
That is what I was wondering the amount of paper work needed to access these jets
I’m pretty sure I saw in a Boeing video that he is assigned by the military as a media guy for the raptor specifically! Which also gets him access with other aircraft. I was like huh this guy looks familiar
When I was out in Tucson, Arizona during one of the big air shows they had a Raptor there for people to walk around and get pictures with. The only differences I can remember from what the public got access to in terms of closeness to the aircraft, and what the video showed was the weapons bays and cockpit. Both were closed at the air show and there was an armed active duty Airman patrolling around the Airframe itself. It was roped off so you could only get about 10 feet or so from it.
I’m almost positive he used to fly F-22s right?
@@HashMaster1776 Not a pilot. He was a PR/media guy with the Raptor demo team.
I did LO for 6 years on the B-2 and F-22. F-22 was by far my favorite jet of the two. It was an amazing experience to work on those jets
Careful, don't say anything classified!
Amazing how responsive those large flight components are.
The F-22 not only performs well, it also looks amazing!
F 22 performs well 🤔 ? It seemed that it failed to hit the China balloon that was 3 times the size of a bus in the first try. So much for the propaganda 😔.
@@chuapg1518 source?
@@asmrtv2566 News from USA. The balloon incident was once all over the globe.
@@chuapg1518
I know there was a balloon incident.
[It seemed that it failed to hit the China balloon that was 3 times the size of a bus in the first try.]
I meant this part.
@@asmrtv2566 As I told you before, news from USA. If you're interested, you could search through their networks.
its not just the paint that lets it be stealthy but also the design of the plane. the design of the plane actually does most of the work and the paint just reduces the radar reflectivity.
Exactly right, it's the only way to squeeze the last bit of stealth into the airframe. Used alone on a conventional airframe, it would make a measurable difference, but the difference in detection range is proportional to the 4th root of the RCS, so it's not even worth it. On the F-22 (or F-35 or F-117), which has a shape that provides the stealth, the coating is more worthwhile. The same goes for internal weapon bays. Those would help the RCS of any fighter, but it's not worth the effort, while on a stealth plane, they are absolutely necessary.
One anecdote from F-22 development is that a "naked" (no stealth coating, just paint primer, except inside the intake ducts, which is critical) F-22, on its first fight ever, took on four F-15s that were equipped with more advanced radars than other F-15s had at the time, and scored four simulated kills before the F-15s could detect it. Three of the kills were BVR, and the last one took place WVR--the F-15 spotted the F-22 visually, but his radar showed nothing, and then he "died" from a simulated AMRAAM launch. So anyone worrying about the F-22 not being stealthy enough when its coating looks worn because it has been refreshed in a while can rest assured that it is very stealthy even without the coating at all.
The only place where the RAM coating is necessary and has to be better maintained is inside the intake ducts, which can't be made stealthy. Instead, they are designed with a geometry that ensures that all radar signals bounce off the coating multiple times--enough times to essentially make the signal so weak that the F-22 maintains its stealth. One bounce isn't nearly enough, but multiple will do the trick. The biggest contributors, by far, to the F-22's (or F-35's) RCS are its pitot tubes on the low sides of its nose. Lockheed tried to get rid of those, but the flush sensors they tried never worked well enough. Most people don't even notice the pitot tubes, so yeah, the F-22's RCS is pretty small.
well, a F35 has a lower RCS and better stealth. but that's expected with progressing of technology.
as it stands now, a F35 will eat F22's all day long like taking candy from a baby. But, the f22 at introduction time was 2nd to none. Now? Well, it has high performance (kinetic energy), but the f22 does not stand a chance against F35's flying.
It's truely unbelievable how the stealthiest fighter in the world is also one of the most maneuverable ones
that the US has- no where even close to the SU or MiGs now. try again groomer
@@gabaghoul23 lmao ok but if the su 57 has 3d thrust vectoring that doesn't help against bvr fights nobody dogfights anymore due to stealth which the 57 doesn't have
@@imoqtz3332Are there any Su 57 in service?
@@srinivarma1320 theres only around 9 but only about 5 are operational and russia cant afford to lose any
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,)
F-22 is used by starscream as an alt mode in transformer movies
Very nicely done -- all aspects! I retired from Aircrew Flight Equipment, with the AK ANG 176WG, at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage. The active duty side has several F-22 Squadrons, which make a great mix of air traffic (we even still have contract DC-6s supporting supply to outlying radar sites on the Bering Sea coast -- great moments to hear heavy radials winding-up, now and then). I was able to watch some F-22 pre-flight & engine starts from the hangars, so I know what you have produced here is an excellent, very close-up look at this weapon system. I always appreciated my privilege/perk, working close by all of the time, to watch the daily airfield activity which most folks never get so close to. The alert cells (working relics from the F-102 days!) see fairly frequent launches for intercepts out over the Alaska west and north coast. It is impressive to see a section of Raptors climb vertically, to out-of-sight, then see their contrails ripping west without pause. The guard wing has seven different weapon systems, including HC-130s, HH-60s, and Guardian Angels/PJs, which are on SAR standby when the Raptors fly. Vast area, especially having the tasking for a vast, distant ADIZ reach. Pretty awesome reach for a fighter! And, the demo flight performance of this jet, vertical and hovering around like a helo -- just off of the deck! -- is absolutely phenomenal.
I just stumbled across your video here, by way of "The Flyby" newsletter. Guess I'll be a regular now. You have a good knack with your presentation, Sam. Press on,
Dana Nichols
Just recently stumbled upon your channel, I believe it was the AC-130 video. Can you do something about the Apache helicopter as well? Also one of the most prestigious military aircraft ther is in my opinion. I love how the US air force is just so open and happy to showcase this stuff on UA-cam for the people to see. Would be unimaginable where I live.
You've earned my subscription, will watch your future videos with joy. Keep it up and best regards
Apache is coming soon! Welcome to the squad :)
@@SamEckholm Thank you for the welcome Sam and looking forward. 😎
A few weeks ago some Raptors from Alaska stopped by my base, which is home to F15s and F35s, and I remember thinking that they seemed like they were the perfect blend of both 15s and 35s. They're intimidatingly lethal in the air but also stealthy enough to kill you without ever being seen.
There’s always this one idiot comparing the raptor to fat Amy
The engineering behind the thrusters alone is insane. Can only imagine how difficult it was to design such a magnificent system.
This is the video ive been waiting for and you absolutely nailed it! 👏
Great job man!
Thanks so much!
Personally my 2ed favorite aircraft just behind the A 10 but I still love the F 22.
I'm an F-14 guy, but the F-22 is still awesome to look at and watch fly.
i dont understand why people like the A10, it is a terrible platform. the only outstanding metric about it is how many times it was involved in blue on blue incidents.
save the MIC, don't trust any reformer.
I like the F-22
YF-23 is actually preferable (imho)
Brrrrrt
Excellent video! You're one of my favourite UA-camrs and this is the best video that you've made so far! Congratulations!
Thank you so much 😀
watched it all from the beggining till the end and i enjoyed it a lot. Mighty aircraft for mighty pilots💪💪
Actually, there is a lot more to stealth than just the coating. If that weren't the case, then any fighter could be coated with RAM to become a stealth fighter, and everyone would be doing it. It's about the shaping and electrical properties of the entire airframe, including sensors, which pose a particular challenge.
The real hypocrisy lies in the attempts of the United States to impose its rules on the whole world, but those days are over, and Washington will have to get used to the new order.Iraq, Libya, countless South American states, Afghanistan, Syria, suffered from the United States. And all these countries do not want to communicate with the United States, because they consider the United States an aggressor country! The USA is creatures, idiots, drug addicts, gays and a country of liars, liars, pinocchio,:
Yea I’m guessing they can’t speak on everything
I learned about how stealth works from a channel called Messier82AC. He designs planes in a sim that calculates stealth but has yet to implement RAM so he has to rely solely on shaping
Shhhh you’re telling national defense secrets on the internet
My (ex) brother in-law assembled the port intake on every F-22 made here in Atlanta. We were lucky enough to walk the flight-line where his workstation was and see the work he was doing. It was amazing that we were allowed to walk directly up to the cage and see these amazing things from about 20 feet. I'm so glad that these are not for export because this thing is a badd mamma jamma.
F 22 planes are not for export because of super high price tag. No US allies are rich enough to buy a lot.
@@chuapg1518 There is a law passed by Congress that forbids foreign sales of the F-22 anyway--to anyone, including allies. Similarly, the depleted uranium armor on the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank is never sold to any other country. Even the most advanced exported Abrams have an older, less protective version of the armor (the M1A2s being prepared for Ukraine as we speak are being stripped of their depleted uranium armor). I guess if for some unforeseen reason the US military finds themselves going up against F-35s or foreign M1A2s, they need something that can kill them at better than parity. Contrary to popular belief, the export F-35 is not compromised, but the F-22 has similar stealth plus superior kinematics, agility, and air-to-air missile loadout, just in case.
@@chuapg1518 The Japanese are, and did inquire about it at one point. They wanted more of a multirole variant, though, and of course they wanted industrial participation, but then they nixed the project well before it got started. Maybe it was the cost, but they sure paid a handsome premium to make their own heavier version of the F-16 (the Mitsubishi F-2) previously, so they've got deep pockets and the incentive to spend on the best equipment, given their proximity to China and North Korea. Israel were also interested for a while, but then Congress went ahead and forbade exporting the F-22 or any variant thereof.
@@chuapg1518 Absolutely Not, countries would pay trillion to own a couple fleets of these
It's not for export because it ensures US-Air-Dominance In any situation against any nation In any circumstance
Irregardless of what aircraft you have (Nato member, or Chinese or Russian tech) the F-22 Is uncontested In terms of air superiority a hand full of these birds ensure complete air dominance (Which is basically the core objective of winning a war)
Grüße aus Deutschland!!! F-22 Raptor mit abstand mein Lieblings Kampf-Jet... Ganz ganz Tolles Video
I live just south of the bay in Tampa Bay Area and the jets from MacDill AFB fly over my neighborhood every now and then. The sound is incredible even if you’re inside. You have to cover your ears if you’re outside. Just incredible!
F-22 looks something out of a sci-fi missile.
I recall seeing one of these beasts at the Ocean City, MD airshow in June 2021 and I'll tell you even with the jet at 5,000 ft with no afterburners it is incredibly loud, ear protection definitely recommended at an airshow with a Raptor!!
I live about 20 miles north of a base where over 30 are stationed. I hear and see them coming and going. The last few weeks there was a big training exercise with about 150 military planes. It’s been busy day and night until today.
Thanks for the cool video, Sam. Well done. How many Tubers can say they have a video sponsored by Raytheon?! Amazing! I was blessed to have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, and went to many Fleet-Week events, including the Blue Angels flight demonstrations. Let me tell you...those F-18 Super Hornets, while not being Raptors, aint nothing to sneeze at! Loved the video, man. Raptors are just freaking ridiculous...
When I was in Honolulu I was taking off in a 707 to go to Kona and our flight was delayed by the squadron taking off. It is truly amazing to hear the roar of those engines. I recommend anyone who has the chance to go see F-22s in action should. Great video man keep it up.
Lockheed Martin: *builds the deadliest fighter jet in history*
Air Force: *B A L L O O N*
lets hope to never see them in action. You know the world is fcked when the F22 needs to be deployed💀
The Raptors' been operational for 18 years now.
For some perspective, the F-4 Phantom hit the 18 year service mark in 1979, when it was already being replaced by the Tomcat.
The F-14 Tomcat hit 18 years of service in 1992.
The light grey F-15 hit 18 years in 1994.
The F-15E Strike Eagle hit 18 years in 2007.
The F-16 hit 18 years in 1999.
The Raptor is getting old, but still unmatched in the A2A arena.
Sam, great to see a new video from you. F22 is my 3rd favorite air frame to date. Proceeded by my #1 F4 and the venerable A6. I have had the pleasure to see the F22 in person twice. 2022 at CCAS was the most recent. 2 things I take away from those shows was the SOUND. Good lord that plane is LOUD. It just reeks of insane power. The 2nd, but probably the most important was seeing an aircraft do things my mind still has a hard time computing. The "falling leaf", the negative G pushover, and how it can reverse field in the size of a cul-de-sac. It is truly amazing thing to see. One last thing, aviation related but in the realm of the AIM9X being used to down those "Chinese" baRRoons. 🤣How did they get a heat seeking missile to act on a target like that when the heat signature of negligible at best? I'm curious about why that weapon was selected and how it accomplished the mission.
Thanks again for ANOTHER great video!
-PhantomF4G
For your question about the balloons, the aim 9x has a thermal imaging seeker (think night vision or thermal camera) that allows it to make out shapes even if they don’t have that much of a heat signature, compared to older missiles that just had a heat seeker that could detect very hot objects. The ballon also stands out against the sky because of the heat that it reflects from the sun.
I can only imagine, we just switched from F16s to F35s and their sound is also very different. Wish I could see it, and hear it in real life, grtz from Belgium.
@@Bluelagoonstudios Hey my friend, hopefully you do at an air show soon! Much love from the USA! Stary safe!
@@quinnleonard1298 Thank you! Apparently, I spend too much time learning aircraft stuff and not about updated arms for them! I guess I have some homework to do friend! Be well -Phantom
@@quinnleonard1298 Really, was the balloon not at 60.000ft ? I've HALO'd from 30.000ft and I can tell you it's not fkn warm up there at 5miles let alone 10
Just lucked onto your channel. Displaying cool stuff that we love. Delivering to people an up close look.
F-35 is for show but F-22 is the killing machine
china surpassed you with 6th gen
@@kamidkarma2301 let them prove it on battlefield.
@@kamidkarma23011. Ngad already had 3 flying protypes years ago.
2. We have no idea what the weird triangles are. For all we know, they are just experimental planes, like the X-36
Just the speed is insane, such awesome birds
Sam , its really amazing to see how you manage to get close to this fighter jets ,whether its f22 or f35.
and I hope to see Northrop Grumman's B-2 Spirit one day in your channel
Awesome jet, can't wait to see one again over in the UK
This is the pinnacle of Military Aviation.
It's such a pinnacle, it has whole 1 baloon of confirmed kills
@@Scheiseposter 3*
@@Scheiseposter and three iraqui migs 29 were destroyed by this beast😌🔥🇺🇸💪🏻
@@newlevelgamer5879 source?
@@Scheiseposter Iraqui war
The F-35 Lightning 2 is pretty rad as well...
I find it wild that this Aircraft has maneuvers that are Secret to normal people and not allowed to be demonstrated to the public. Heard it straight from an F-22 pilots mouth on a documentary. Development on this aircraft was first conceived in 1986, first test flight 1990, and didn't see its first sortie until 2006. It's currently the top of the 5th Gen pyramid. Imagine what is "prototype" right now currently.
man, im glad all our pilots get to practice on these jets daily. this gives us a great chance to win if there were any air fights against another country.
I got to see an F22 at the Air Force National Museum in Dayton Ohio and I think Sam needs to pay that place a visit because some of the aircraft in there are 1 of 1.
For this kind of stuff I sometimes wish I was American. Your military is just so fricking cool. Greetings from Germany
Germany doesn't have these?
@@blockchaindiplomat3403they have eurofighter typhoon and the Panavia tornado iirc
The only UA-camr I've ever seen that gets Raytheon as a sponsor lmao. Insane.
and the most beautiful
Did you see the UPS plane in the background of the F22😂😂😂 3:21
Free promotion 👍
Hey Sam, thank you for another great video. I too was blessed and got a personal tour of Hickam AFB in late December of last year. The first time I saw that Raptor up close was at Travis. Words cannot describe how beautiful that plane is. Those pilots got to live in Hawaii and flying those planes, that's better than winning lottery.
Always will be my favorite Aircraft. I'm actually about to write a report on it for my Master's in Aeronautics program. I'm pretty excited. 🦅
It has quite an impressive record of "1" air-to-air kill of an unmanned balloon.
Very, very cool machine.
*Three* unmanned balloons, actually. One over South Carolina, one over Alaska, and one over Yukon (Canada). An F-16 got the fourth balloon over Lake Huron. And they were all harder to shoot down in some ways than another plane would have been.
@@rbrtck Very impressive.
@@notarmchairhistorian7779 There is otherwise no reason for the aircraft to engage anything else and no one really has anything dangerous enough besides china or the EU that would warrant the necessity of the 22..
Sadly the 22 will probably not see the light of day in anything more frisky of course there was other classified and not public knowledge instances of the 22 shooting down other things and not just the balloons.
The j20 is the only thing that is somewhat concerning of an aircraft not because its stealthy..well its more stealthy than the SU-57 but it's not stealthy to a 35 or 22 not even close but it actually functions has upgraded systems consistently and has a sizeable force of aircraft.
Otherwise it would be some gen 4s.. but outside of really just America the 22 and 35 don't exist on radar systems when they reflectors off and everything ready to go unlike combat exercises which have many restrictions.
NGAD is being tested against the 22 and has to surpass the 22 in capabilities with the upgrades that the 35 has for the electronics package and so forth. Even the 35 being sent to allies its heavily restricted on access and basically to even fly it requires America's authority or I think one other country which is the UK who also has access as a secondary and thats it.
Otherwise as I said before there's not really anything that the 22 needs to combat.. the F16EXs the 35 for the electronic suite are all that's needed and are much cheaper to field than a 22.
I heard that the radar on the F-22 changes its signal like over 15,000 times per second this plane can’t be tracked let alone be stopped awesome aircraft period 👍
Word is, is that it sorta jams the sensors and radar of its missiles as well. Enemy doesnt even know its locked on to until a missile already in the air
My most favorite fighter of all time. Absolutely dominates the skies
I didn't realize you were doing your sponsor talk until the end, well done!
I've seen it at Air Shows with the F-22 Demo team and on display, it's definitely an incredible fighter jet.
Awesome content as always ! Keep it
Appreciate it!
I live in downtown Honolulu just a few miles away from Hickam Air Force base, and so get to see and hear these planes take off on a regular basis.
When you see them go vertical like they do at the end of the video, it is a spectacular and breathtaking sight, and the sound they make can be heard throughout the city, even from miles and miles away!
This was a great video, and I really appreciated getting a behind the scenes and up close look at these incredible planes I usually see only from afar, the pilots who fly them and the crews who keep them flying.
I've worked on the engines for the 22 the past 9 years. Great aircraft, never gets old seeing them do their thing. Engineers did a great job on making it all easy to work on too
The F22 reminds me of the HMS Hood on so many levels. Most intimidating, power projecting, world beating, monumentally expensive weapon system, without match for 20 years - without being in an actual life or death combat situation.
at 4:55 he looks a bit like ryan reynolds
Well this video was quite well anticipated! You had a little advantage being a photographer for the demo team too
I remember seeing one of these as a kid in 2002. My dad had a buddy that worked at Edwards AFB and he invited us down and offered to give us a tour of the base. It was AWESOME. I was already a military vehicle nerd at 10 and instantly recognized the F-22 Raptor. We also saw the YF-35, which we werent actually weren’t supposed to see 😂😂 coolest tour I’ve ever been on.
I'm blessed to live in Huntington Beach, CA and we have a yearly airshow that is absolutely amazing. For the past 3 years they've switched between an F-22 or F-35, then either the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels... The F-22 is single handedly the most amazing aircraft I have had the fortune of seeing fly. The sound those engines make are enough to give paraplegic an erection!
Imagine the airshow's at 4:20 too
This plane garnered so much hate as I was growing up, but it was one of the first planes I've ever seen at my first ever air show as a kid, so I always appreciated it. Turns out, it's one heck of a machine. Who knew? Hehe. And although the F-35 is my favorite jet nowadays, I will always keep this jet in high regard. :)
What hate? I've never heard that for the Raptor..
@@matthoward598 Oh my gosh, there was SOOO much hate for the Raptor when I was growing up. People called it too expensive, an ineffective waste of time, and so on.
@@justalpha9138 wow. I've only heard that for the 35. 1.7 trillion? How much was the 22.?
@@justalpha9138 also, 22 is still my favorite! 35 is cool. But man. Raptor. I'll never forget the first time I saw it in person!
@@matthoward598 I can't remember, but it was a lot. People would slander on it for being a "massive waste of the defense budget". Or at least, that's what I remember.
The timing on this😂😂😂😂😂
I was stationed at Hickam from 1980 - 1982 and remember the F-4 Phantom sitting in the spots where the F-22s now reside. Wow. Hard to believe it's been 40+ years since those days.
I heard the actual shape of the jet also contributes to the stealth. And no weapons on the outside reduces radar signature.
There's nothing like hearing this beast in person.
if the word "Badassery" had a physical culmination, it would be the F-22
After the big China balloon embarrassment which the pilot failed to down it in his first shoot, the word of "Badassery" would not fit F 22.
@@chuapg1518 Stop spreading lies, and learn something about military aviation. It is actually very difficult to shoot down such a target, contrary to what most people's ignorance would tell them. And he didn't miss anyway. An F-16 pilot missed a smaller balloon several days later, but got it with a second shot. That could have been the fault of the AIM-9X, which was never designed to hit such a cold target. Older Sidewinder variants would have missed for sure, as they were designed to seek hot jet exhausts, not freezing-cold balloons. None of the F-22 pilots missed. They could have, and that would have been completely understandable, just like with the F-16 pilot, but they did not.
So that's what happened to Eddie Redmayne. From Fantastic Beasts to flying F-22s in the Hawaii Air National Guard. Good on you Eddie. Good on you.
Balloons been really quite since this dropped.
This video is sponsored by NordVPN (meh)
This video is sponsored by Raytheon, we make missiles! (only Sam Eckholm)
It look's so good, design perfection.
And on top of holding 500 lbs of ammunition, the F22 can amazingly hold 10 gallons of fuel!
F-22, The marvelous.
Once, 3-0'd Ballons and UFO's
That civilians know about...
0:41 most feared fighter jet in the world......... by balloooons
Amazing content! The detailed breakdown of the F-22 Raptor’s capabilities is impressive. Keep up the great work!
My Favorite plane next to the SR71 Blackbird.
🇺🇲
Catch it, they use my tax to fly that bird...
There is actually a general that still flies with the hawaiian raptors. I was shocked when I was walking through and saw that one of the gear locker spaces had a Generals patch on it.
He's where he belongs.
Radar cross section of a humming bird, tactical capabilities second to none. My uncle piloted the F4 phantom in Vietnam when I was a kid, I was in awe. God bless America.🇺🇸
"the most dominant air to air fighter jet in the world"
Has next to no active air to air combat kills or altercations.
Hey it killed weather and spy ballons, don't diminish its accomplishments(sarcasm).
No other fighter wants to watch that smoke
The F-22 not getting kills for 20 years: 😢 them getting three in two weeks: 😮🎉
No need to be so high 😔. They were just balloons 🎈.
Legal, mas, o que mais me impressiona são os Sukhoi Rússia ❤
They said I'm not smart enough , I'd never fly. Still my dream. I used to read flight books of my dads , he was a private pilot, dreamed of fighters. Screwed my life up, now no clue can't get proper medical, but still dream, that this might pass and I could, but nope. I'll dream.
Fighters in Afghanistan : Hold my Sandals
The "deadliest" aircraft without kills (except if the balloons were alive)
No one dares to engage one.