F-22 Raptor and an unidentified store in its weapons bay. (Help required!)

[Ian33]

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/AirShows/Edwards2005/Highlights/F22DisplayingWeaponsBays_1.jpg

Hi guys - browsing through some F-22 images I found this one thats left me wondering. Can any one shed light on the function (if any) of this red 'box' in the weapons bay? is it to do with the CG of the aircraft, because i have seen this before with a Raptor having two AMRAAM in left bay and one of these 'red boxes' in the right bay.

Any help would be appreciated greatly.

 

[bobbymike]

Just a guess on my part but if this picture was taken at an airshow it might just be a storage/equipment holder. I was at an airshow where beside a F-15 and F-16 were four things that looked "just like bombs" I asked the mechanic if those were "mockups" of ordinance and he said; to paraphrase, "travelling around the US from airshow to airshow we take advantage of all means to carry our equipment" they were simply hollow "bombs" that could store everything from tools to suitcases.

 

[Ian33]

Thats what I thought it would be - that or some thing like the old drill rounds F-4 Phantoms carried to keep the CG within limits. makes sense too to carry stores about like that.

 

[sferrin]

Test gear.

 

[Matej]

Test gear.

I second that.

 

[Ian33]

Test gear? any ideas what for? The missile release system? the electrics / electronics? simulations? calculating and monitoring the pressure / air flow through the weapons bay?

Could it be a spare fuel tank? are the weapons bays plumbed for fuel?

 

[flateric]

from f-16.net

Btw I have Jay Miller's book on the F-22, but there is only one pic of the orange box (on page 122), and it says here it is a "Test Instrumentation Package". I'm not sure but I think somewhere else in the book it says that one of the things tested during the program was weapons-bay acoustics, and the box may serve that purpose. Combat ready Raptors do not have these. They either have the 3 AVELs for the AMRAAMs or the SDB rack. The box has flown at several airshows.

On flight test airplanes, all special gear related to test instrumentation is orange, to distinguish it from production parts. That includes wiring, transducers, mounting brackets, power supplies, recorders, telemetering transmitters, etc. That weapon bay box is large enough to house the power supplies, recorder, and transmitters, so I suspect that is what it is. On a high density fighter, it is difficult to find a place to put all the test instrumentation, so the F-22 weapon bay is a good location. The F-111 test instrumentation package was also in its weapon bay. On many F-16 test airplanes, the gun and ammo drum were removed to make room for the data system.

 

[Ian33]

Flateric - I am deeply in your debt good Sir! My appreciation for those pictures also.

 

[Matej]

Meanwhile I found it too, so I add that the plane with this test equipment and opened weapons bay was shown to general public at Edward air show 2005.

 

[quellish]

Meanwhile I found it too, so I add that the plane with this test equipment and opened weapons bay was shown to general public at Edward air show 2005.

If you guys want me to ask at the open house next week, let me know. The F-22 guys are usually pretty chatty.

 

[Ian33]

author=quellish
If you guys want me to ask at the open house next week, let me know. The F-22 guys are usually pretty chatty.

Ah that would be brilliant if you wouldn't mind! and maybe add some of your pics !!

 

[quellish]

author=quellish
If you guys want me to ask at the open house next week, let me know. The F-22 guys are usually pretty chatty.

Ah that would be brilliant if you wouldn't mind! and maybe add some of your pics !!

The big red box was installed but not visible, check the RF-22 thread for photos.

 

[Steve Pace]

It's a computer to gather flight-test data.