Technology

Air Force Finally Identifies the F-22 Raptor Flaw Causing Pilots to Black Out

Defense Secretary Gives F 22s Green Light After Oxygen Flaw Identified, Altitude Restrictions Now Imposed

F-22 Raptor (Photo: Wikimedia)

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — In the past, The Blaze has reported on an unknown flaw within F-22 stealth fighters that was creating hypoxia-like conditions in the cockpit, causing some pilots to even black out. For months the Air Force has been trying to figure out what the problem was and even imposed flight restrictions during this time.

(Related: Read other coverage by The Blaze on the F-22 Raptor)

On Thursday though, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta approved an Air Force plan to begin lifting flight restrictions on the F-22 stealth fighter jet, following the ongoing correction of oxygen deficit problems.

Pentagon press secretary George Little said Tuesday that the Pentagon has “very high confidence that we’ve identified the issue” with the mysterious oxygen depletion problem that caused some F-22 pilots to feel dizzy and experience other symptoms of hypoxia. The Air Force now believes that a key problem was a valve in the pilots’ pressure vest that caused it to inflate and remain inflated, triggering breathing problems.

In mid-May, Panetta ordered that F-22 flights remain “within proximity of potential landing locations” so pilots could land quickly if they experienced a lack of oxygen.

As of Tuesday, after a briefing from Air Forces leaders on Friday, Panetta has given the Air Force the green light to begin easing the restrictions, as changes are made to the fighter’s oxygen system. The Air Force is replacing the valve and increasing the volume of air flowing to the pilots by removing a filter that was installed to check for contaminants in the system.

Little said Panetta also authorized the deployment of a squadron of F-22s to Kadena Air Base in Japan. He said that the jets will fly to the base under altitude restrictions, but after that the Air Force will begin resuming most longer-duration flights. The precautions for the Japan flight, said Little, are part of the measured approach the Air Force is taking to gradually return to normal flights.

Over time, the Air Force also plans to install a new backup emergency oxygen system, add sensors and put in an improved pilot oxygen center.

Once the changes are complete, the Air Force will seek approval to remove the flight restrictions that limit it from flying at high altitudes.

“The secretary believes that pilot safety is paramount. The gradual lifting of restrictions will enable the Air Force to resume normal F-22 operations over time, while ensuring the safety of the incredible airmen who fly this critical aircraft,” said Little.

Little said he does not know the exact timeline for the return to normal operations. He noted that the flights to Japan will be at lower altitudes so that the vests would not have to be used.

Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, told Pentagon reporters that extensive testing has concluded that the problem was the amount of oxygen the pilots were getting, not the quality of the oxygen. And he said that the Air Force will modify and test the modified equipment “under the most demanding conditions,” over the coming months and then will go back to Panetta for final approval to lift the flight restrictions.

The problem came to light when pilots complained publicly about the oxygen depletion, prompting Panetta to order the flight limits.

The F-22, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is the Air Force’s most-prized stealth fighter. It was built to evade radar and is capable of flying at faster-than-sound speeds without using afterburners.

Asked why the problem was not discovered during its lengthy testing and development, Schwartz acknowledged, “we missed some things, bottom line.”

He said that the early testing did not reveal the shortcomings, and noted that some physiology and engineering expertise in the Air Force has diminished over the years.

So, Schwartz said the lesson is that the Air Force needs to pay better attention to the “man-machine interface” of its aircraft.

Comments (35)

  • scruffycat
    Posted on July 27, 2012 at 1:48am

    I still want a F-14 more

    Report Post » scruffycat  
  • Jerry Frey
    Posted on July 27, 2012 at 12:17am

    The AF wastes more $ than any other service.

    Report Post »  
    • Do The Right Thing
      Posted on July 27, 2012 at 11:42am

      @ Jerry I’d like to see what proof you have of that irresponsible statement. Go ahead and put it out there, otherwise, go to bed, little one.

      Report Post » Do The Right Thing  
  • blackhawk56
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:14pm

    so what about the pilots that were treated like dung heap and called whistleblowers? they were damn near thrown out of the military. Will they be apologized to? I somehow doubt it. Will they be allowed to fly again? They should be. They should never have been put in this position to start with!!!!!!!!!!!!! And not one damn mention of this in the article. Vindication is very SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • DILLIGAF-26
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 5:26pm

    @Electedface

    Ah geeze.

    Same arguments were made for the M-1 Abram, F-15 Eagle, Stealth Bomber, an a host of other military platforms.

    The F-22 seems to be a world leading marvel that we should be grateful to have in our inventory. I just wish we could have stayed with the original purchase volume.

    Report Post » DILLIGAF-26  
  • ronin_6
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 4:58pm

    I was skeptical when the first complaints started to surface, but these pilots are educated, dedicated, professionals, not given to histrionics. I think they would have noticed a flight valve malfunction. I don’t think have yet solved the issue.

    Report Post » ronin_6  
  • Mr Sanders
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 4:24pm

    So they have a solution. okay… but what about the black bio-material the pilots sometimes cough up? This is something I haven’t heard about? Interesting.

    Report Post » Mr Sanders  
  • GoodStuff
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:29pm

    Two weeks ago they said it was toxic glue or something. Can’t they make up their minds? Our pilots deserve better than this.

    Report Post »  
    • muffythetuffy
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 3:36pm

      Fighter panes are capable of maneuvers hazardous to the pilot so the flight software prevents these. The Chinese programmers will have to modify the software on the next release.

      Report Post »  
  • dogmeat
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 11:59am

    ANY BETS made in CHINA?

    Report Post »  
  • fordfan
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 11:45am

    Who cares what they have to do to fix it? Just do it. And the military, or wherever this crap is coming from, needs to STHU about it. There are just some things no civilian needs to know.
    As far as these planes not being used is concerned, that’s a good thing but I want them to be readily available if the situation arises……those with the biggest, baddest, fastest guns wins.

    Report Post »  
  • helioquois
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 10:38am

    OK…the Air Force identified the problem as a valve in the pilot’s pressure vest. So, apparently there is nothing wrong with the aircraft and the fix is to rework air flow to the pressure vest. Got it. Then why does the Air Force now need to rework the aircraft’s back-up emergency oxygen system as stated in the article? If making changes to the pressure vest solves this problem, why the additional action to the aircraft which will cost the taxpayers more money…is the original problem not solved? There is more going on here than is being reported from the Air Force.

    Report Post »  
    • edcoil
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 1:45pm

      Might need a bigger valve requiring a large hose and connection to vest and larger connection to the aircraft or, it something else. I am always amazed how secret the SR-71 was for a generation we virtually knew nothing about it or its problems.

      Report Post »  
  • lamarlamar
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 9:57am

    I thought it was a glue vapor problem!

    Report Post »  
  • acovenantinblood
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 9:27am

    Must be a covert way for Obama to tell China what the problem with their copied one is. Incidentally, was their no pilot that was like “Hey guys, my vest is tight and it’s hard to breathe”?

    Report Post » acovenantinblood  
  • electedface
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 9:27am

    The US spends more on its military than the next 19 biggest spending nations combined.

    This is where our nation needs to cut its spending.

    The F 22 has not been used in a combat despite the initial introduction of this jet in 2005. The last of the 188 planes rolled off the assembly line in April of 2012. It has cost The United States more than $64 billion, more than double the initial expected cost.

    Now they have given another contract to Lockheed Martin to fix the mistakes of the 188 planes that have issues.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czoLH2KEQ6E

    Report Post »  
    • eagle2715
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 9:48am

      “The F 22 has not been used in a combat” Oh really? Glad to know someone on here as has secret clearance and can give us all the inside events at the Pentagon…

      Report Post » eagle2715  
    • ed0315
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 9:50am

      And you’re an idiot so your point is what? We also protect most of the world numb nuts. We have the best and strongest military this world has ever seen and is used all around the world to keep peace and to enable no brain idiots like yourself to post their dribble. How about entitlement spending? Or don’t you want a cut to your hand out?

      Report Post » ed0315  
    • dogmeat
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:03pm

      Check your facts please! You are wrong!

      Report Post »  
    • dogmeat
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:04pm

      Check Your FACTS Please. YOU are Wrong!

      Report Post »  
    • Do The Right Thing
      Posted on July 27, 2012 at 11:36am

      @ Eface. You are worse than pathetic, go ahead give up your freedoms willingly. I’ll fight for mine, and I’m willing to pay for it. It’s a far better bargain than most things the current administration is spending my tax dollar on these days.

      Report Post » Do The Right Thing  
  • cal_105
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:35am

    Was this defective part made in the USA, or is it made in Mexico or China??

    Report Post »  
  • Coonrapids
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:09am

    Hello, That is not the problem. The pilots still cough and cough up black spit. What a shame we won’t help our best men and women.

    Report Post » Coonrapids  
    • dogmeat
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 12:10pm

      That may be blood from their lungs due to low pressure.

      Report Post »  
    • motorcycleboy
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 4:18pm

      That was residue from the charcoal filter they installed as a possible interim fix until the original problem was resolved, in case the problem was chemical in nature. It was removed after it was found to be emitting charcoal dust into the system.

      The Air Force told the Raptor pilots they needed to keep flying despite the known dangers because they needed to gather more data. What more proof do you need that military members are expendable? This reminds me of the anthrax vaccine controversy of the 90′s….

      And if another inevitable fatal incident happens because of the flaw, what does it say about the AF leadership’s responsibility to the taxpayer, let alone the family of the victim pilot?

      Count me as skeptical that the AF is convinced they’ve found the real solution to this problem. They have no credibility. This especially applies to the commander of the Air Combat Command after making those insensitive remarks in the 60 Minutes interview.

      Report Post » motorcycleboy  
  • jnobfan
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:07am

    Sounds like BS.
    If the problem is just a vest valve why this?
    Over time, the Air Force also plans to install a new backup emergency oxygen system, add sensors and put in an improved pilot oxygen center.

    Problems with the fighter should never have been leaked in the first place. Sounds to me like somebody said“why are we telling the world we are having problems with a defense system”

    Thank you who ever you are

    Report Post »  
  • nzkiwi
    Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:35am

    I‘m glad that’s sorted out.

    Now all that the Obama administration needs to do is to pass the fix onto certain… umm… other regimes that might have inadvertently copied the flaw when they copied the rest of the plane.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 7:52am

      Indeed, they seen to have it fixed, I recall when the stealth fighter earned the nickname of ‘Wobbly Goblin” as one article sighted, due to teething problems with the computers controlling its in flight abilities.

      As for Obama giving our enemies the new solutions to the problem; who is not to say that China and Russia did not solve it first and then tell US? No matter what, Obama needs to be checked out for any and all suspected crimes of treason along with all those of his administration.

      By the way, there were some articles on the New Times of India a couple of days ago about a massive flood in China along the Yellow River. Have you heard anything to verify this claim?

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:04am

      NZKIWI, I suppose that this news release via the Pentagon has China corrected their fleet of clones by now.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • nzkiwi
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:06am

      Yes and it’s not being handled all that well. It was a pretty substantial flood that was made a lot worse because of inadequate stormwater drainage. The water has well receded now, but there is likely more bad weather coming.

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/23/china-flood-recovery-death-toll

      I feel sorry for the average chinese people living there. Their government has a pretty callous atitude.

      Report Post »  
    • nzkiwi
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:10am

      Quite right, RJ. It doesn’t seem all that bright to alert the media with the details, does it.

      That being said, it is a lovely looking aircraft. I’m only sad that there is no possible way that I would ever get to admire it close up, far less fly it.

      Ah well… back to the glider…

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:18am

      NZKiwi:

      Thanks for the link, the bad weather may trigger famines in China, and if they get bad enough, the old means of ‘military adventure to distract the masses’ may begin to look mighty fine for the Communist Party leadership, especially if they feel their lives are facing a swift conclusion against a solid brick wall.

      The Raptor is a sweet looking plane, and I would love to see one close up. Though knowing my luck I would get close and some jokester would pipe in over the intercom “Self destruct activated…’

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  

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