The F-22 Raptor Facts: 30 Things to Know

The F-22 Raptor Uses Thrust Vectoring For Superior Maneuverability

A Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor fighter streaks by at the 2008 Joint Services Open House (JSOH) airshow at Andrews AFB. Despite many great performances most of those at the show wanted to see the latest USAF fighter. The F-22 did not disappoint! See the vapor trails forming on the wings of this F-22.

A successful fighter jet allows the pilot to maximize his or her tactical potential while removing the workload when possible. And the F-22 Raptor takes that to the next level. In what is touted as “super-maneuverability”, the F-22 has a variety of mechanisms built into every inch of the plane to make it as agile as possible. The engines, a pair of Pratt & Whitney F119s, varies its thrust direction by 20 degrees which is referred to as thrust vectoring. What does this accomplish? Well, it allows the plane to make more precise high-g turns, perform stall maneuvers without stalling the aircraft and point the plane at targets directly. All of these capabilities put the F-22 at an advantage to other lesser fighters it may come across in the air.