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F-22 Raptor
Modernization and Improvement Program

The Air Force's F-22A, originally planned to be an air superiority fighter, would also have air-to-ground attack capability. It was designed with advanced features, such as stealth characteristics, to make it less detectable to adversaries and capable of high speed for long ranges. The F-22A's modernization and improvement program is intended to provide enhanced ground attack, information warfare, counterair, and other capabilities and improve the reliability and maintainability of the aircraft.

The Air Force established an F-22 modernization and improvement program in 2003 to add enhanced air-to-ground, information warfare, reconnaissance, and other capabilities, and to improve the reliability and maintainability of the aircraft. The F-22 service life is 8000 hours and Air Combat Command estimated 326 flying hours per year. Converting to years, 8000 / 326, gives a service life 24.5 years. The final aircraft was delivered in 2012, which would then be retired in 2036. The program uses 2033 for estimating total O&S estimates.

In 2003 all three of the critical technologies needed were mature according to the program office. Since then, however, the program has added three additional critical technologies, all of which are not mature. The F-22A continues to fall short of its required reliability rates. The F-22A program implemented a reliability and maintainability maturation program to increase aircraft reliability rates to required levels. Although the F-22A program has made improvements to systems used to diagnose maintenance problems, these systems were still reporting inaccurate information 20 percent of the time as of a March 2007 Government Accountability Office Report.

According to program officials, the F-22A modernization effort started development in 2003 with all three of its critical technologies mature. The three identified technologies involved 32-bit stores management system, processing memory, and cryptography. However, since the modernization started the program has added three additional critical technologies. These technologies involve smaller and more powerful radio frequency components, larger bandwidth, and radio frequency low observable features. At the time of the 2007 GAO review, none of these technologies had been demonstrated in a realistic environment. Program officials characterized their then current stages of development as laboratory settings demonstrating basic performance, technical feasibility, and functionality but not form and fit (size, weight, materials, etc.). Overall technology maturity was consequently lower at the time than when the modernization effort began. Program officials cited funding instability and new program requirements as contributors to slower progress than planned. However, according to program office officials, the F-22A also had a disciplined systems engineering process in place that ensured the technology was developed and matured before integrating the technologies onto the system.

In an effort to improve the reliability and maintainability of the F-22A, the Air Force budgeted $102 million in FY06 and FY07. The F-22A continued to be below its expected reliability rates. A key reliability requirement for the F-22A is a 3-hour mean time between maintenance, defined as the number of operating hours divided by the number of maintenance actions. This was required by the time it reaches 100,000 operational flying hours, projected to be reached in 2010. Currently the mean time between maintenance is less than 1 hour, or half of what was expected at the end of system development.

In November 2005, the F-22A completed follow-on operational test and evaluation. The purpose of this test was to evaluate the capability of the F-22A to execute the air-to-ground mission, evaluate deferred initial operational test and evaluation items, and support initial operational capability declaration. The F-22A was evaluated as mission capable to complete some limited air-to-ground missions such as accurate delivery of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).

The Air Force identified deficiencies that could impact the F-22A's ability to complete planned operations. For example, problems with the thermal management system have impacted the F-22A's ability to operate in hot weather conditions. The Air Force implemented a modification to correct the thermal management problems in early 2006. The F-22A's diagnostics and health management system continues to report some inaccurate data. Although the technical order data fault isolation accuracy had improved, the maintenance jobs created for corrective maintenance actions to return an aircraft to flyable status were still reporting inaccuracies around 20 percent of the time of the GAO review (March 2007).

The Air Force identified structural cracks in two sections of the aircraft during fatigue testing that resulted in unplanned modifications to the F-22A. Fatigue testing identified cracks in the aircraft's aft boom where the horizontal tail attaches to the fuselage. The Air Force was planning modifications to strengthen the structure to get the 8,000-hour service life. These modifications were being implemented under the Structural Retrofit Program (SRP). The Air Force estimated the cost to modify 78 F-22As would be approximately $115 million. The modifications to correct this problem would not be fully implemented until 2010. The second structural problem involved cracking in "titanium casting" materials near the engine. Program officials stated that the problem with this titanium was a defect in the material from the subcontractor. The cost to correct this problem is not included in the SRP. The Air Force did not provide information to the GAO on the cost to correct this problem.

In the GAO's March 2008 assessment it was stated that the Air Force had originally planned to field the enhanced F-22A capabilities in three development increments to be completed in 2010. However, due to numerous funding decreases, schedule slips, and changes in requirements and work content in each increment, the last increment would not be integrated on the F-22A until 2013, 3 years later than planned. The program achieved less than 30 percent design maturity for its first major increment. The Air Force also planned to integrate additional capabilities beyond the current three planned increments in a separate Acquisition Category I program.

One of four critical technologies-processing memory, was mature and had been demonstrated in a realistic environment as of March 2008. The three remaining technologies, stores management system, cryptography, and radio frequency, were approaching maturity, having been tested in a relevant environment. According to program office officials the current F-22 production and modernization plans did not commit to incorporating new technology into developmental increments until the underlying technologies had been tested in a relevant environment, and also did not commit to fielding these technologies until they had been proven in a developmental and operational environment. The number and mix of technologies identified by program officials had changed somewhat over the years according to the GAO, reflecting the changes in program direction, priorities, and work content. Two critical technologies associated with the program in 2007 (larger bandwidth and low observables) were removed from the funded modernization program as of 2008 to be addressed in future increments, which would be implemented as a separate Acquisition Category I program.

The F-22A modernization program had experienced numerous budget decreases and program restructurings that resulted in delaying the planned implementation of the development increments by 3 years. Between FY02 and FY08, the F-22A's modernization budget had been decreased by nearly $330 million. Some of these decreases were the result of congressional budget cuts. However, more than 50 percent of the decreases could be attributed to program restructuring by the Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In its FY08 budget submission to Congress, the Air Force requested $743 million in development funding for F-22A modernization. The conference reports accompanying the 2008 National Department of Defense Authorization Act, and Defense Appropriations Act both recommended providing the F-22A modernization program with $611 million, about $132 million less than requested. Program officials indicated that this decrease in funding required changes to minimize the impact on the planned modernization program.

The Air Force also budgeted $132 million in FY07 and FY08 for reliability and maintainability upgrades, $28 million more than the amount budgeted for FY06 and FY07. Despite these efforts, the F-22A continued to operate below its expected reliability rates. A key reliability requirement for the F-22A was a 3-hour mean time between maintenance intervals, which was required by the time the program achieved 100,000 operational flying hours, projected as of March 2008 for FY10. Mean time between maintenance was defined as the number of operating hours divided by the number of maintenance actions. The GAO reported in their assessment that the mean time between maintenance was less than 1 hour, or about half of what was expected by the end of system development in December 2005. There had been no significant change reported regarding the current mean time between maintenance since the GAO's 2007 review.

The fast, agile, and stealthy F-22 began to take over the air dominance role first with Air Combat Command. Once testing and evaluations were successfully completed on the F/A-22 Raptor, it made its debut into the Air Force arsenal in 2005 as a replacement for the F-15 Eagle. The F/A-22's operational utility was tested and evaluated at Air Combat Command's 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

• The Block 10 Initial Operational Capability configuration is multirole, with the option of four AMRAAMs being replaced by GBU-32 JDAMs. This provides an analogous deep-strike capability to the F-117A, but is more survivable.
• The Block 20 configuration is the baseline for the Global Strike Task Force (GSTF) fleet, and will include JSF common radar modules, a dedicated high-speed radar processor, and COTS technology CIP processors. The GBU-39/40 Small Diameter Bomb was introduced in the Block 20 aircraft by 2007, together with high resolution SAR radar modes, improved radar ECCM, two way voice and data MIDS/Link-16 capability, improved crew station software, and improved electronic countermeasures.
• The Block 30 configuration, planned for 2008-2011, extended the growth seen in the Block 20. Side-looking radar arrays provide a significant ISR capability in the aircraft along with enhancements to provide full Wild Weasel air defence suppression and time-critical target engagement capabilities. A Satcom terminal will provide continuous network connectivity during deep-strike profiles.
• The post-2011 Block 40 aircraft was intended to be the definitive Global Strike configuration, with incremental enhancements to Block 30 additions providing full sensor networking, range enhancements, integrated ISR capabilities, and a Helmet Mounted Display similar to the JSF.
• Longer term planning for a Block 50 envisages an Electronic Attack variant, replacing the lost EF-111A Raven. A stealthy stores pod for JDAM and SDB is under development to enable carriage on external pylons. As a strike aircraft the F/A-22A will have similar internal payloads to the JSF, but would be vastly more survivable due to better stealth.

The F-22A program delivers capability in increments. Incremental Enhanced Global Strike modernization efforts include Increment 3.1, which provided enhanced air-to-ground mission capability, to include geolocation of selected emitters, electronic attack, air-to-ground synthetic aperture radar mapping and designation of surface targets, and SDB integration. Increment 3.1 is currently fielding in operational F-22A units.

Initial fielding of F-22 Inc 3.2B Mod was scheduled as of 2012 for 2018 with "steady state" achieved in 2022. F-22A Increment 3.2A is a software-only modernization effort integrating Link 16 Receive, enhanced Combat Identification, and enhanced Electronic Protection capabilities. Increment 3.2A developmental testing proceeded throughout FY14. F-22 Increment 3.2A realized software stability and radar performance shortfalls late in the developmental flight test schedule. These shortfalls necessitated additional unplanned software releases in order to demonstrate readiness for FOT&E. Accordingly, the FOT&E planned for 3QFY14 was postponed pending resolution of the shortfalls and completion of developmental test and evaluation. Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) FOT&E was projected to begin in FY15.

F-22A OT&E requires the use of the Air-to-Air Range Infrastructure (AARI) instrumentation system for flight test missions at the Nevada Test and Training Range. The Air Force struggled to ensure AARI readiness to support planned FY14 F-22A Increment 3.2A testing. At the conclusion of FY12 F-22A testing, the Air Force began an extensive AARI network upgrade and the implementation of new weapons models to support future F-22A and F-35 operational testing. However, the level of effort the Air Force placed on maintaining AARI functionality was insufficient to ensure readiness for Increment 3.2A FOT&E, and AARI system test readiness experienced unplanned delays. To ensure readiness for FY15 and beyond F-22A operational testing, the Air Force would need to fully support development, modernization, and sustainment of the AARI system.

F-22 Increment 3.2B Modernization (F-22 Inc 3.2B Mod) integrates the Air Intercept Missiles AIM-9X and AIM-120D into the F-22, adds Electronic Protection techniques, incorporates new hardware, enhances Geolocate capability, and expands IFDL functionality.

The Air Force received approval to begin system development of Increment 3.2B as a separate major defense acquisition program in June 2013. The one reported critical technology, a geolocation algorithm, had been demonstrated in a relevant, but not a realistic environment. Full technology and design maturity was expected by the Critical Design Review in August 2015. The program has performed iterative software development in a laboratory environment, and has begun initial flight testing of software, according to program officials. Further delays in fielding earlier F-22 modernization increments could have an impact on fielding Increment 3.2, as the increments build upon each other.

The F-22 Increment 3.2B Mod is a capability upgrade modification program. The program would modify 152 F-22A aircraft (9 RDT&E and 143 Procurement). Given the low hardware risk of the F-22 Inc 3.2B Mod upgrade, sustainment requirements would be managed within the baseline F-22 sustainment concept with minimal impact on O&S cost estimates or achievement of materiel availability goals.

The F-22 sustainment strategy was to sustain F-22 readiness and availability at the lowest cost over the life of the weapon system. The F-22 sustainment strategy employs Performance-Based Logistics contracts with Public/Private Partnering for depot repair capabilities to meet Air Force Core requirements. Initial fielding of F-22 Inc 3.2B Mod was scheduled for 2018 with "steady state" achieved in 2022.

As of December 2013 the program was on-track to meet the APB parameters. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development effort is underway and the contractor completed the Integrated Baseline Review in November 2013, providing a schedule that supports APB threshold dates. Hardware qualification is over 85% complete with full completion in 4th Quarter FY 2014.

On June 26, 2013, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) approved Milestone B and certified (with waivers to provisions (a)(1)(B) and (a)(1)(D)) the components set forth in section 2366b of title 10, United States Code. Pursuant to this code, the USD(AT&L) waived two provisions in its certification because of differences between the Air Force's Service Cost Position and the Future Years Defense Program associated with the FY 2014 PB. The certification requirement for these two provisions has not yet been met, and the Department would continue to review the F-22 Inc 3.2B Mod program at least annually until the certification components are satisfied. There were no significant software-related issues with the program.

By early 2015 the program office was working with the contractor to develop a reasonable approach to mitigate risks. Program officials also stated that the program had mitigated risk related to missile software development, and has reached an agreement with the AIM-9X program office on technical and schedule requirements for integrating the missile. The program office did not anticipate any impacts from the AIM-9X program in terms of cost increases or delays in schedule. The F-22 program office planned to field limited AIM-9X capabilities prior to the completion of Increment 3.2B by including them as part of an earlier software update.

On 05 November 2021 Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $10,863,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Raptor Enhancement & Sustainment (ARES) for the F-22 Program Office. This contract vehicle provides support for the necessary supplies and services to sustain and modernize the F-22 Raptor, including modernization hardware kit procurement and services such as upgrades, enhancements and fixes, as well as performance-based logistics services. The location of performance is Fort Worth, Texas, and if all options are utilized, work is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2031. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $200,000 are being obligated on the first delivery order at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-22-D-0001). There is known congressional interest pertaining to this acquisition.