Dubai Airshow: F-22 Raptor – why is it here?

Others have speculated that the F-22A’s widely publicised presence is more to do with old fashioned ‘sabre rattling’ – and is part of a US Government attempt to send a strong message of disapproval to Iran and its continuing attempts to pursue a nuclear programme.

But while it would be tempting to make such connections, Arabian Aerospace understands that the presence of the F-22A (the type’s first public appearance in the region) is as the result of a direct request by the show’s organisers, since its attendance and participation is an undoubted boost to the show’s rising prestige and a confirmation of its increasing importance.

Though only an export order can now save the F-22 from early termination, following the US decision to cap production at 187 aircraft, ITAR and other export control issues make any foreign sales extremely unlikely, though Arabian Aerospace understands that Japanese interest in the aircraft is being encouraged, if only as a ‘spoiler’ to Eurofighter’s Typhoon, while an F-35 bid can be fine-tuned for Japan.

But with apparently insoluble ITAR issues, a very high price tag (some estimate that the F-22 costs about twice as much as the Typhoon), and some technical issues that make the aircraft less versatile than some of its competitors, few observers seriously expect there to be any further sales of the aircraft.

Despite this, the USAF’s Major ‘Zeke’ Skalicky is displaying the aircraft as energetically as if a full-scale sales effort was being mounted, demonstrating the aircraft’s formidable agility and massive thrust.

The Raptor being displayed at the show is one of six deployed to Al Dhafra for training exercises.

The aircraft is not being shown in the static display, however.