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 The F-22 Raptor successfully launched an AIM-120C AMRAAM over the California desert last November to mark a key flight test milestone for both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Company, producer of the missile. The launch of this specially instrumented separation test missile was the first of a series of integration test firings and demonstrated the Raptor’s stealthy weapons system integration concept for employment of AMRAAM. The launch was conducted over the Naval Air Warfare Center test range in China Lake, California.
The AIM-120C is configured with clipped wings and fins for internal carriage on the F-22. This latest production configuration was specifically designed to increase the F-22 loadout and firepower to six missiles. The integration design incorporates an extremely rapid launch-to-eject cycle during which the main weapons bay doors are opened and closed while the LAU-142 launcher ejects the missile into the air stream. This entire sequence is nearly instantaneous, protecting the Raptor’s stealth characteristics while engaging the threat. The Raptor is scheduled to launch sixty AMRAAMs during the next three years, including twenty guided shots in combat-realistic test scenarios.
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