Combat Hammer
15 October 2005: F/A-22s from the 27th FS at Langley deploy to Hill AFB, Utah, for Combat Hammer exercises. This deployment is the first for an operational F/A-22 squadron. The exercise includes the first supersonic drop of a JDAM by an operational squadron.
Photo by TSgt. Ben Bloker
Raptor 60
10 November 2005: The sixtieth F/A-22 produced (03-4060) is flown for the first time.
Photo by John Willhoff
Supersonic Guided JDAM
12 December 2005: Maj. John Teichert is at the controls of a Raptor making the first supersonic guided release of a 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM.
Photo by Darin Russell
200th Engine
14 December 2005: Pratt & Whitney delivers the 200th F119 engine.
Photo by Greg Roberts
Langley Achieves IOC
15 December 2005: The Raptor achieves Initial Operational Capability. The 27th Fighter Squadron is officially declared IOC by Gen. Ronald Keys, commander of Air Combat Command. The declaration proves the Raptor is mission ready. The Raptor’s designation is changed back to F-22 from F/A-22.
Photo by A1C Austin Knox
EMD Completed
27 December 2005: The F-22 engineering and manufacturing development phase is completed. During EMD, the F-22 completed 3,496 flights totaling more than 7,600 flight hours. The tests included more than 26,000 flight envelope expansion test points and 3,500 avionics mission test points.
Photo by Judson Brohmer
First Operational Missions
21 January 2006: F-22s from the 27th FS at Langley AFB perform Operation Noble Eagle missions. The flights mark the first operational missions for the Raptor since achieving Initial Operational Capability
Photo by SSgt. Samuel Rogers
Second Squadron At Langley Receives First F-22s
3 March 2006: The first Raptors assigned to the 94th Fighter Squadron, the second operational squadron, arrive at Langley AFB. The aircraft (04-4062 and 04-4063) are flown by Lt. Col. Dick Smith and Maj. Kevin Dolata from Lockheed Martin in Marietta to Langley AFB.
Photo by TSgt. Ben Bloker
First Heritage Flight
5 March 2006: The F-22 participates for the first time in the Air Force-sponsored Heritage Flight formation training, which is held at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
Photo by TSgt. Ben Bloker
Raptor 70
10 April 2006: The seventieth F-22 produced (04-4070) is flown for the first time.
Photo by John Willhoff
New Lights
18 April 2006: The first of eighteen F-22s arrives at Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB for minor modifications to the lighting in the aerial refueling port.
Photo by Bill Orndorf
Raptor 02 Retired
19 April 2006: Raptor 02 is retired after being flown to Tyndall AFB. The airframe is to be used for maintenance training. Raptor 02 accumulated more than 1,200 flight hours in 671 sorties. The pilot is Lt. Col. Ray Toth.
Photo by Darin Russell
