Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Performs Air Demo for First Time Over Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

(By India Defense) The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor performed its precision aerobatics at the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show Oct. 30-31, marking the first time the aircraft has demonstrated its aerial capabilities in the skies over the Dallas-Fort Worth area. F-22 pilot Maj. David 'Zeke' Skalicky of the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Demonstration Team from Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., flew the Raptor during the performance, entertaining an estimated total crowd of 110,000 that attended the air show over the two days.

"Zeke and the F-22 Demonstration Team do an incredible job showcasing the Raptor's unparalleled aerial maneuverability," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's F-22 Program. "We are thrilled that the people of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the employees of Lockheed Martin here in Fort Worth were able to witness this amazing airplane." The F-22's appearance proved particularly significant for Lockheed Martin employees working in the F-22 program at the company's Fort Worth site, where the aircraft's mid-fuselage is built.

"Seeing the Raptor fly at Alliance was a very meaningful opportunity for our program team here," said Michael Cawood, Fort Worth site lead for the F-22 program. "This was the first time they were able to enjoy the F-22 aerial demonstration in Fort Worth. Our people take pride in helping to build, sustain and enhance the Raptor, and in providing an unmatched capability to the U.S. Air Force."

The F-22 boasts a unique combination of stealth, speed, agility, situational awareness and lethal long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry to make it the world's best air dominance fighter and to enable it to deter and defeat current and emerging threats.

The F-22 Raptor
The F-22 is the only fighter capable of simultaneously conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions with near impunity. This is accomplished with a never-before-seen standard of survivability even while facing large numbers of sophisticated airborne and ground-based threats.

In addition to being America’s most prominent air-superiority fighter, the F-22 evolved from its original concept to become a lethal, survivable and flexible multimission fighter. By taking advantage of emerging technologies the F-22 has emerged as a superior platform for many diverse missions including intelligence gathering, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic attack.

The Raptor is operational today, protecting our homeland and combat ready for worldwide deployment. Two squadrons of F-22s are assigned to Air Combat Command’s 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va. And two squadrons are assigned to the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Raptor pilots and maintainers train at Tyndall AFB, Fla., while operational testing is conducted at Edwards AFB, Calif., and Nellis AFB, Nev. New F-22s continue to roll from the production line and will soon operate out of Holloman AFB, N.M., and Hickam AFB, Hawaii.