First previewed in July 2020 on the developer’s Facebook page, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor by AOA has undergone major progress since the original announcement.

The F-22 Raptor is a stealth tactical fighter developed by Lockheed Martin in the late 1990s as a result of the U.S. Air Force Advanced Tactical Fighter. Produced just under 200 times, the aircraft is currently only used by the USAF. 

The Raptor was first announced by AOA developer Fabrice Kauffmann in July 2020 in a Facebook post. In-game previews were shared showcasing the exterior model, night lighting and bomb bay.

Over the next month, numerous exterior previews were posted. The developer also showcased the in-house plug-in responsible for managing the F-22’s unusual flight controls.

In late October 2020, the developer posted untextured renders of the cockpit, indicating that the aircraft development had been slowed down due to the pandemic: “The cockpit of the F-22 continues to take shape. Unfortunately, we had to face health issues inside our team due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But everything is going better now and everybody is recovering quickly.”

600 Gallon external fuel tanks were previewed in November. 

At the beginning of December, the developer indicated the start of avionics programming, also posting exterior and interior previews.

To start the year off, previews were posted showcasing PBR textures and ground objects for the fighter. An update on the project was also posted: “Over 65% of the F-22A switches are now animated and operational. The UFC (Up Front Control), which mainly controls the autopilot is 100% operational and the programming of the MFDs is progressing well.”

Just a few days ago, the developer announced that the F-22 will be the first aircraft in their line-up featuring TACAN navigation. Also announced is the collaboration with SimAcoustics to develop an FMOD sound pack to be included in the add-on.

A few months ago, we published an article covering the latest progress on the AOA's V-22 Osprey, check it out! The previews are available on the developer’s Facebook page.