@ Fairfield, CA
March 2024
As part of the performance demonstration, this Raptor from the Air Combat Command F-22 Demonstration Team deploys a flare during the Wings Over Solano airshow at Travis AFB. Flares are expendable devices used to counter infrared missiles away from the targeted aircraft. The use of flares is a recent enhancement to their flight demo that was incorporated during the 2023 season. A F-22A Raptor can hold up to 6 magazines of flares in its Countermeasures Dispensing System (CMDS). The CMDS can dispense both standard flares and MJU-39/-40 flares developed specifically for the unique signature of the F-22A (approx $2K ea). First flown in 1997, the F-22 entered service in 2005 with a total production run of 195 aircraft.
