Events
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| Raptor Launches AIM-9 |
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 The F-22 test program met a major test milestone in July when Raptor 02 successfully launched an AIM-9 missile over test ranges at China Lake NAS, California. The test, piloted by F-22 test pilot Chuck Killberg, evaluated the ability of the F-22 to fire an air-to-air missile successfully from an internal weapons bay. The unguided, unarmed AIM-9M was launched from the left-side weapons bay of the F-22 off the LAU-141/A configurable rail launcher at Mach 0.7 at 20,000 feet. The full launch sequence was completed—weapons bay doors opened, missile and launcher extended into the slipstream, missile launched, rail retracted, and doors closed—to verify that each action occurred as designed and within prescribed limits before proceeding to the next step. After flyout and motor burnout, the Sidewinder fell harmlessly to the desert. The F-22 is scheduled to fire an AIM-120 missile this fall. These tests are crucial for evaluating whether aerodynamic forces between the airframe and the missile allow launches to be conducted safely. |
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