Tyndall Air Force Base celebrates arrival of first RaptorThe U.S. Air Force on Friday hosted a ceremony celebrating the arrival of the first F/A-22 Raptor at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Tyndall will be the home of the first operational F/A-22 squadron and is where all future Raptor pilots will be trained. Bob Barnes, Boeing vice president and F/A-22 program manager and Pam Valdez, Boeing F/A-22 training manager, took part in the festivities. Brig. Gen. Larry New, 325th Fighter Wing commander, and other dignitaries applauded the Raptor team for their outstanding efforts in making the event possible. Boeing builds the Raptor

Editorial:What is the big hub bub about the Raptor? By the way, thank you for posting manufacturing info regarding the Raptor. What is the big deal with the raptor?Stealth was proven not as viable a defensive measure as the US Military and the Discovery Wings channel has led us to believe when the French tracked a flight of F-117s during the gulf war.I surmise that tracking also went hand in hand with detection as a prelude and no info reagarding wether a transponder in the F-117 was turned on to aid in identification making the french radar a moot point.I have this strange feeling that overinflated egos running rampant and celebrating victories over poorly trained and high unqualified air forces of recent conflicts has given American people, unlike so many times before, this sense of invincibility and "blowing up the enemy without them even knowing it" statements of grandure.This type of self gratification is expected in a country where complacency has been the norm at least until some crownies took a few iron birds and had at it with my state of birth.

Editorial:Sounds like an idio... sorry, disgruntled Iraqi, is in our midst. Where were you when the shooting started? Safe in your bed in another country? France perhaps? If Iraq is the country of your birth, crawl back there and make a difference. Until then, don't preach to us.And by the way, you really should thank whomever you worship, that you weren't a target of those "few iron birds".And no one ever said that "stealth" meant "invisible". It only means HARDER to detect. You might be able to detect them, but you won't know what they ARE. And actually targeting one is harder still.Personally, I'm glad to see the Raptor finally deployed, although it won't make one whit of difference in today's conflicts (i.e. Iraq).

I have to agree with you Sidewinder. I think that his username explains his stance.

Congratulations to The United States Air Force on this great accomplishment.IMHO, It is a fine aircraft, and soon enough we will most likely find out how well it performs.As for the other rant. Just IGNORE IT.Thanks for the post, it is much appreciated.Have a nice day,Regards,Joehttp://aboutpolitics.net/images/banner.gif.About Politics.net - FORUMShttp://pub207.ezboard.com/bpoliticsgivemel...tyorgivemedeath.Contribute to the Richard Harvey Scholarship Fund.http://www.avsim.com/pages/scholarship.shtml

This is the best troll that I've ever seen on avsim! Good job!BTW, I have right here on my desk a small black box that, even now, is tracking every French Air Force aircraft - even though they are a thousand kilometers away. What's that? You don't believe me? Well, I don't believe you either.