Lockheed Martin [LMT] delivered the 195th and final F-22 Raptor fighter jet to the Air Force yesterday in a ceremony held at the company’s Marietta, Ga., location, a company statement said.
This final Raptor becomes part of a service fleet of 187 operational F-22s and will join other F-22s in the Air Force’s 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, the statement said. In all, Lockheed Martin delivered 195 F-22s to the Air Force beginning in 1997, with eight Raptors used as test aircraft.
The Air Force grounded F-22s in May 2011 after reports that pilots were suffering hypoxia and compression sickness following training exercises. Hypoxia is inadequate oxygen in the blood supply. The fighters returned to service four months later. The service said in March F-22s are safe to fly.
The Air Force’s F-22s are based in Virginia, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii (Defense Daily, March 30).