Ceremonies held at Holloman AFB, N.M., today marked the formal beginning of
operations for the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-22 Raptor with the United
States Air Force's 49th Fighter Wing.
"The F-22 is the most advanced and capable fighter in the world," said
Larry Lawson, executive vice president and F-22 program general manager for
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "Now it stands ready at a key location in the
United States, prepared to defend America and our allies. The pilots of the
7th, 8th and 301st Fighter Squadrons will fly a weapon system that has the
capabilities essential to dominate the air for the next three decades."
The 49th Fighter Wing has made its mark in military aviation history
from World War II through every major military engagement to include more
than 80 F-117 Nighthawk missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. With
the arrival of the F-22 Raptor at Holloman AFB, the 49th Fighter Wing is
definitely the "home of the stealth fighter."
A total of 183 production Raptors are currently on contract, and 119
aircraft have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force. The F-22 is the only
aircraft that blends speed, super-agility, stealth and sensor fusion into a
single air dominance platform. Raptors have been in operational service
with the U.S. Air Force since December 2005.
The F-22 is built by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Boeing and
Pratt & Whitney. Parts and subsystems are provided by 1,000 suppliers in 44
states. Production takes place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in
Marietta, Ga.; Fort Worth, Texas; Palmdale, Calif.; and Meridian, Miss., as
well as at Boeing's plant in Seattle, Wash. Final assembly and initial
flight testing occurs in Marietta.
Raptors are currently assigned to six U.S. bases. Flight testing takes
place at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif.
Operational tactics development is ongoing at Nellis AFB, Nev. Pilot and
crew chief training takes place at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Operational Raptors
are assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va., the 3rd Wing at
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and now the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, N.M.
In the future, Raptors will be based at Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000
people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design,
development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced
technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007
sales of $41.9 billion.
SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
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