Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor manufacturer Lockheed Martin
The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 reduced the Department of Defense's (DoD) urgency for new weapon systems and the following years would see successive reductions in DoD spending; this resulted in the F-22's EMD being rescheduled and lengthened multiple times. The roughly equal division of work amongst the team largely carried through from Dem/Val to EMD, although prime contractor Lockheed acquires General Dynamics' fighter portfolio at Fort Worth, Texas in 1993 and thus had the majority of the airframe manufacturing. While Lockheed Martin Aeronautics primarily performed Dem/Val work at its Skunk Works sites in Burbank and Palmdale, California, it would shift the program office and EMD work from Burbank to Marietta, Georgia, where it performed final assembly; program partner Boeing provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems in Seattle, Washington. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta on 9 April 1997 and first flew on 7 September 1997.The numerous new technologies needed for the F-22's ambitious performance requirements resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays; issues with meeting scheduled milestones were exacerbated by post-Cold War funding cuts in the 1990s. Furthermore, many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. Following extensive tests and evaluations, EMD transitioned to full-rate production in March 2005 while Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RTD&E) activity continued for upgrades and modifications. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's sophisticated capabilities, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
producer maker manufacturerer fabricator builder