"Mike Zaharis" wrote in message
om...
In a white paper from the Lexington Institute, it is claimed (most
likely by Loren Thompson, the Lexingtin Institute defense analyst and
resident Raptor cheerleader) that the F/A-22 has an Infrared Search
and Track capability. Specifically, on page 8 of the attachment
below, the following passage:

"The sensor usually described in open sources is the main radar - an
electronically steered array that can simultaneously provide
surveillance, fire control, jamming and other functions. However,
Raptor also carries other sensors such as an infrared surveillance and
tracking system that are seldom discussed."

I have never read this anywhere else. Does Dr. Thompson know
something the rest of the non-classified world doesn't? Does anyone
else have any info on this? Or is he just blowing smoke up our
collective keisters?

The F-22 was to have an IRST, but it was subsequently deleted from the
program. There has been some amount of informed speculation that with the
name change to "F/A-22", a targeting FLIR will instead be mounted
internally. See: www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/
channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/sb03_16.xml

Brooks