Did this happen? http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-su-35-allegedly-chased-away-f-22-over-syria-2017-12
Who really knows. If I were a betting man, I would call bs on the Russians claiming their radar/sensor suite could track, let alone find an F22, especially at the range they quoted. Put it this way, if you had the skills and had to choose between these two amazing aircraft to go into a dogfight, what would you choose? F22 for me.....its a no brainer. You get what you pay for in this world. I'm not even American but I have absolutely no doubt that the US airforce would absolutely annihilate any other airforce on earth. Just my two cents.
It's possible the F-22 was flying with drop tanks and/or external munitions and as a result wasn't stealthy.
The F-22 has ways to fly "unstealthy" even without external stores, such as when it is flying under civilian ATC. Perhaps they do that intentionally in Syria to hide their stealthiness from the Russians; then the Russians can't really find out if stealthy Raptors are trackable.
'Seeing' an aircraft via primary radar return is not the same as interrogating and receiving a transponder code (i.e. civilian ATC). They are independent of each other. If anything an F-22 providing a transponder code only makes it easier for the Russians to test/enhance their radars to achieve a primary return.
Apparently on 'our' side of the line this time https://www.airforcetimes.com/flashpoints/2017/12/14/us-f-22s-intercept-russian-fighter-jets-fire-warning-flares/
Is it possible that there are some panels that the F-22 can display to magnify itself as a primary target? I think that's what I was thinking of when I read "unstealthy." Just running with the transponder on is a different deal, and I can see why they wouldn't want to do that.
Missile bay doors, although I don't think they would run with them open. Not even sure the pilot can open them at will or whether they are slaved to an actual launch sequence.
The real story apparently is that one F-22 warned off the Su-25s using flares instead of an AIM-9 or cannon fire, and a Su-35 saw that one F-22, likely with IRST,while one it did not see watched it from 6 o'clock to ensure it did not do anything aggressive.
Tensions are running high between the U.S. and Russia over operations in Syria after an F-22narrowly avoided colliding with a Russian Su-25 in midair. Two Russian Su-25s on Dec. 13 flew into coalition airspace on the east side of the Euphrates River near Abu Kamal, Syria, violating verbal agreements that the Russians would remain west of the river and the coalition would operate to the east, according to an Air Forces Central Command spokesman. Two stealthy F-22 Raptors patrolling the area immediately noticed the Su-25s, —1980s-era fighters designed to provide close-air support for ground forces—and moved to intercept them. The F-22s released chaff and flares near the Russian aircraft, and placed multiple calls to the Russian pilots on the emergency Guard frequency asking them to leave the airspace. However, the Su-25 pilots did not immediately move to depart the area. At one point, one Su-25 flew close enough to an F-22 that the Raptor pilot was forced to “aggressively maneuver” to avoid a midair collision, the spokesman said. At another point, a Russian Su-35 also flew across the river, and was shadowed closely by one of the Raptor pilots. The incident lasted approximately 40 min. before the Russian aircraft finally flew back to the west side of the river. During and after the event, coalition leaders at the Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) at Al Udeid air base, Qatar, contacted the Russians over the deconfliction phone line “to de-escalate the situation and avert a strategic miscalculation,” the spokesman said. Although high profile, the Dec. 13 incident is not the first time the Russians have violated verbal agreements with the coalition. Since early November, the Russians have flown into U.S. and coalition airspace on the east side of the river 6-8 times per day or approximately 10% percent of Russian and Syrian flights. “If either of us needs to cross the river for any reason, we’re supposed to first deconflict via the line,” the spokesman said. “It’s become increasingly tough for our pilots to discern whether Russian pilots’ actions are deliberate or if these are just honest mistakes.” The coalition’s greatest concern, the spokesman stressed, is that they could shoot down a Russian aircraft because its actions are seen as a threat to air or ground forces. “We train our aircrew to take specific actions and to make every attempt possible to de-escalate the situation wherever possible,” the spokesman said. “We are not here to fight the Russians and Syrians—our focus remains on defeating ISIS. That said, if anyone threatens coalition or friendly partner forces in the air or on the ground, we will defend them.” U.S. pilots have observed increasingly alarming behavior for months as Islamic State militants lose ground in Iraq and Syria, officials told Aerospace DAILY during November visits to the CAOC and Al Dhafra air base, UAE. Lt. Col. “Ox,” a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot and commander of the 95th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron assigned to Al Dhafra, said his pilots have had numerous close calls, with Russian aircraft frequently flying within weapons range of coalition ground troops. The Russians fighters—primarily Su-30s, Su-35s, Su-27 Flankers and Su-17 Fitters—have not made moves to attack U.S. or coalition forces, but their proximity to the ground itself is threatening, said Ox, who requested partial anonymity to discuss sensitive operations. Russian fighters regularly fly within range of coalition ground forces for twenty or thirty minutes at a time, he noted. “We have to use our judgment to figure out, is this somebody getting close to attack our guys? Or is this somebody that is just flying a wide pattern?” Ox said. “You don’t know if they are doing this to test us, to see what our response is, or if it’s completely innocent. That’s the call that we have to make every day.”
If our guys were pulling those actions do you think it would be innocent or by design? (rhetorical) Of course what the Russians are doing is by design. Cold war shenanigans in a new type of theater. Increased risk of escalation since both sides are operating in a hot 3rd party threat environment. Anything you read, from either side, is part propaganda.
They likely don't care where they are, i.e. 'wrong' side of the Euphrates, in part because the likelihood of repercussions is nil.
They open them during airshows as part of the Raptor demonstration, but the bays are empty. Are you suggesting maybe the demo team uses the launch sequences to open it even though it's empty just to show? I think they should be able to open it at will in flight without launching... http://airheadsfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/f22weaponbay140726fhv225284_usaf.jpg
Not suggesting anything, I said I don't know what the protocols are. However in combat it would just be more pilot workload if not automated.
Yeah in combat I don't think it would do anything other than slow them down, but I can see why they'd add that feature for the weird situation they may need it that I probably can't think of.
I don't know if the F-22 has the same issue or not but on the F-35 they have to open the weapon bay doors in flight to cool down the bay from overheating in certain situations.
Not a problem I have heard about on either aircraft. The weapons bay doors on the F-117, B-2, F-22, and F-35 are all designed to open and close as quickly as possible during weapon release to cut down on the radar flash seen when they are open. Obviously, all can be opened manually.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a19199/pentagon-reports-puts-hard-limits-on-f-35s-combat-utility/
I guess we just flew around with "truck nuts" hanging...at least they stayed cool! and, by the way, no one chased us away from anything...ever! Image Unavailable, Please Login
