F-22 Sonic Boom US Navy

I guess Michael Bay was on to something. It may go down as the first $200-million stealth fighter to have its starring roles in action movies outnumber its usages in actual combat before the program bites the dust, but it can certainly throw a pretty sonic boom.

This photo was taken by the Navy last week during a training exercise in the Gulf of Alaska. [Navy photo via Ares]

Want to read more articles on the military, aviation, and space? Subscribe to Popular Science and enter to win $5,000!

12 Comments

It seems that nature is voting for a delta wing with cunard wind as the most natural shape for passage through the atmosphere. I believe that this configuration was first tried 50 years ago. I wonder what happened to it?

Nice photo. I am sure the sonic boom is great way to piss off enemies trying to lock onto the F-22's ( bird size ) radar signature

http://prosportnutrition.net/?a=633808700294218750

yeah im sure. Why exactly is it not being used right now?

analogartist

from Tolleson, AZ

Used against what? We're not fighting anyone in the air these days.

its sorry to say that the f22 in the main pic has not created sonic boom just yet but is sitting right at the perfect speed to sit in a presure wave that happens right before the sonic boom i know this because i get to see this darn near every day but not with the same jet i see this all the time with f18 and when it does that no sound ever occurs other than the roar of the jet and i have asked piolet that i they said no thats not breaking the sound bearrier

and y would does the bottem of the pic have f22 sonic boom us navy the USN does not have any f22 were getting the f35 2012

@ gjensen7117

Thats a photo credit. It doesn't imply that the USN has F-22s, it simply lets you know that this photo was taken by a US Navy photographer.

Exactly the same as Time, Reuters, BBC, AP, etc.

Wow, amazing images indeed!

RT
www.anonymize.tk

Ahm... COOOL! i wonder what it sounds like to the pilot?

Where is the VIDEO with sound?????? Static pictues of something cool is lame.....

I know...

thats pretty cool, personally i dont like f-22's its something about the way that they look that dis pleases me



Download Our iPhone App

Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone with full articles, images and offline viewing



Follow Us On Twitter

Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed



Become a Fan On Facebook

Share links with friends, comment on stories and more


December 2009: Best of What's New

In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.

Check out the best of what's new here.

Popular Science Photo Pool


Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!
tags_sprite.png
POP_embeddedForm_cover_May09.jpg