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Mar 26, 2008 5:13 pm US/Eastern
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N.H. Company Helps Build Stealth Fighter Jet
Lori Lennon, wbztv.com
NASHUA, N.H. (WBZ) ―
It's one of the most advanced air fighter jets in the world, and people in New Hampshire have a hand in making the plane work.
Employees at BAE Systems in Nashua, New Hampshire got a chance to find out first hand how their hard work is help making the F-22 Raptor one of the fastest and stealthiest planes on the planet. "It's the most advanced, air superiority fighter in the world today," said Sam Grizzle of Lockheed Martin, designers of the F-22 Raptor.
Lockheed Martin brought a flight simulator to Nashua to show how the fighter jet works.
Once in the pilot seat, BAE employees quickly realized how their work is protecting troops overseas. "I had no idea what the guys that defend our country are up against, and how important the integrity of the product we build really is," said Joni Cappuccino of BAE Systems.
The F-22 was designed in the mid-nineties and took flight in 1997. Less than 10 years later, in 2005, the Raptor joined the Air Force. Its job: to protect allies on the ground and in the air from enemy attack.
BAE Systems is in charge of making the eyes and ears of the F-22. According to Scott Simpert of BAE, the company develops the equipment on the plane used to detect, identify and negate radar emissions.
The Nashua company is responsible for creating everything from the embedded antennas on the F-22's wing to the electronics inside.
According to representatives from Lockheed Martin, the plane is in the mach 2 class, which means it can reach speeds of 1600 miles per hour.
It's about 61 feet long, cost $137.6 million to construct and takes two years to build. About 1,000 subcontractors in 44 states contribute to the F-22 and 500 employees are involved in the final construction and inspection process.
The F-22 Raptor was designed to replace the F-15. According to Lockheed, "New air and ground threats were looming that the F-15 would not be able to counter."
What sets the F-22 apart from other planes is its ability not to be detected. According to Lockheed, the fighter jet is able to travel at one-and-a-half times the speed of sound without producing after-burner smoke, making the plane harder for the enemy detect.
Lockheed Martin produces about 23 F-22s a year. None of the planes have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, they are flying with allies in the Japanese Air Defense Force.
Several countries have expressed interest in acquiring the F-22, but according to Lockheed, the plane is sold exclusively to the U.S. Air Force and is expected to serve the country for the next 30 or 40 years. "You're building the highest tech air plane we've ever built in any country," said Keith Bilyeu, of Lockheed Martin. "The fact you can have a 360 degree situational awareness of the battle space, and know exactly who's out there. (The plane) is going to cause our guys to have a huge advantage."
Congress is currently deciding whether to continue making these planes. Lockheed says they are waiting for Bush's 2009 budget.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)