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From: lam@handel.cs.colostate.edu (mark lam)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Advanced Tactical Fighter
Message-ID: <1991Apr9.030210.1898@amd.com>
Date: 7 Apr 91 20:31:26 GMT
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Organization: Colorado State University
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From: lam@handel.cs.colostate.edu (mark lam)


>From: v0641nev@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu

>Just a few questions on the ATF (Advanced Tatical Figher)?

>o What exactly is the mission of the ATF?

Everything that I've read says that the mission is Air Superiority.  It will be
the replacement for the F-15C Eagle.

>o The Lockheed/General Dynamics YF-22 has vertical thrust vectoring.  How much
>of an improvement is manueverability does this bestow?

Quote from Lockheed chief test pilot Dave Ferguson:  "I just get double the
roll rate at low speed.  The vectoring controls pitch, while the differential
tails input roll at a stronger rate that they could otherwise, so I can turn
about twice as fast.  Above Mach 1.4, when the tail loses some of its
effectiveness,  vectoring lets me turn about one-third faster."  A computer
integrates all the flight control surfaces with the vectoring to make this an
effective system.

>o ...Have these aircraft been designed around new weaponry, or specific
>existing weaponry?

I've seen a picture of the YF-22 firing a Sidewinder out of its missile bay, 
but I would think that the Air Force would be working on some new weapons
that take full advantage of these aircraft.

Source:  Popular Science, April 1991

--
Mark Lam