Friday, Jan. 7, 2005 | 9:10 a.m.
The Air Force's newest stealth fighter jet, the F/A-22 Raptor, is again flying out of Nellis Air Force Base for training missions over the Nevada Test and Training Range.
Raptors at Nellis, Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and Edwards Air Force Base in California were grounded following the Dec. 20 crash of one of the new fighters shortly after taking off from Nellis.
The Air Force cleared the fighter for flight operations Thursday following a "comprehensive review of procedural and engineering data," in the wake of the crash, Air Force officials said.
Both safety and accident investigation boards are continuing to probe the crash, but Air Force officials are highly confident in the design, testing and development of the F/A-22, Nellis Air Warfare Center Spokesman Capt. Steve Rolenc said.
The crash of the Raptor, valued at $133 million, or $258 million when the cost of research and development is factored in, was the first major accident involving the aircraft being tested as a replacement for the F-15 Eagle.
The Raptor has been controversial. Some critics question the need for a new fighter, noting the lack of enemy fighter aircraft for F-15s to engage during conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The F/A-22 that crashed was one of eight of the stealth fighters based at Nellis with the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. The squadron is tasked with developing combat tactics for the Raptor.
The Raptor that crashed was designated as No. 14, meaning it was the 14th plane passed on to the Air Force from the manufacturers, a group of companies including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney.
No. 14 went down seconds after takeoff as it lifted off from Nellis. The pilot, whose name has not been released, was able to eject safely before the plane crashed at the north end of the Nellis runways.
The pilot, who has about 60 hours of flight time in Raptors and more than 2,000 hours of flight time with the Air Force, is concentrating on working with the investigation boards and is not currently flying, Nellis officials said.
The accident investigation board could determine by the end of March what caused the Raptor to crash. The results of that investigation will be made public, though the Air Force safety board's examination that could conclude this month will remain classified.
By 2008, 17 Raptors are expected to be stationed at Nellis so that the base's weapons school can begin operating the equivalent of doctorate-level instructor training for the aircraft.
By December, 17 Raptors are scheduled to be assigned to Langley as the first operational F/A-22 fighter squadron.
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