F-22A Raptors taxi down the runway at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The National Aeronautic Association presented its Robert J. Collier Trophy to the Lockheed Martin Corporation for their role in the development of the Air Force's F-22A Raptor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker)
6/11/2007 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The National Aeronautic Association presented its Robert J. Collier Trophy to the Lockheed Martin Corporation for their role in the development of the Air Force's F-22 Raptor.
The Air Force was part of the team awarded the honor, one of the nation's most prestigious prizes for aeronautical and space development.
"The F-22 has been a success story for the warfighter and industry from its inception," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne. "The Raptor has pushed limits in terms of performance, safety, readiness and most importantly, its warfighting prowess. Just by having this weapons system in our inventory we provide the nation sovereign options."
The award submission focused heavily on the F-22's performance during the 2006 Northern Edge exercise where Raptors flew 97 percent of their assigned training sorties, F-22 pilots scored an "unheard of" 80-to-1 kill ratio against their opponents, scored direct hits with 100 percent of their 1,000-pound GBU-32 joint direct attack munition air-to-ground weapons and increased overall situational awareness for their entire team through the F-22's integrated avionics package.
"The Collier award is not only a tremendous honor for the entire F-22 team, but also a wonderful tribute to the visionaries who conceived the Raptor and the warfighters who fly and support this revolutionary aircraft every day," said Larry Lawson, executive vice president and F-22 program general manager. "What Airmen did in Alaska last year is only a sign of great things to come in 2007 and beyond."
Other honored members of the Raptor team included Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems and some 1,000 suppliers in 42 states.
The NAA is the oldest national aviation organization in the United States dedicated to the advancement of the art, sport and science of aviation in the U.S. The Collier Trophy was established in 1911 and is granted each year "for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America... during the preceding year."
The F-22 team joins past winners of the trophy including Orville Wright, Howard Hughes, Chuck Yeager, Scott Crossfield, the crew of Apollo 11 and SpaceShipOne.
