Among other improvements, the upgrade will allow the F-22 to carry
the AIM-9X infrared-guided air-to-air missile and the AIM-120D
medium-range air-to-air missile, and to attack eight ground targets with
eight 250-pound Small Diameter Bombs.
Software development appears to be the primary cause of the delay.
Loren
Thompson, an analyst at the Lexington Institute, said the F-22's
software is written largely in Ada, a programming language that was once
a DoD standard but whose use has waned in the past 15 years.
"It tends to impede quick upgrades to the system to which it is the base software," Thompson said.
Moreover,
he said, "The affordability of any upgrade becomes debatable when you
purchase a relatively small number of upgrades."
Not slamming the F-22 but if the upgrade to AIM-9X and AIM-120D is behind schedule and even imperiled by budget concerns, then are we really talking about the premier air to air fighter in the world? Everyone talks about air to air combat but in a "phone booth" type fight, even a legacy fighter should be able to achieve a mutual kill (if it can get a lock on)...one thing is certain. The F-22 pilot will have to work really hard up close. Harder than we've been lead to believe.
Even if it gets the AIM-9X, I do not believe the pilots will be getting the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. Also, since the missile is internal, they probably will not be able to fire the missile high off boresight. Getting the AIM-9X probably is more a logistics issue as 9Ms are phased out, but it will not give the F-22 the advantage that 9X gives to other aircraft with a helmet mounted sight and missiles outside the aircraft. At least in the close visual range.
ReplyDelete