Officials at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, formally dedicated two Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors on July 9, inaugurating the base as the newest permanent home for the aircraft and marking the start of a partnership between the Hawaii Air National Guard and the active-duty Air Force in flying the F-22.

Pilots from the 199th Fighter Squadron, 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, and from the active-duty 19th Fighter Squadron, 15th Wing, will fly the F-22 at Hickam. A combination of Hawaii ANG personnel and active-duty airmen will maintain the base's eventual fleet of 20 Raptors.

Ceremony speakers included Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle; U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye; Gen. Gary L. North, commander of Pacific Air Forces; and Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

"We at Lockheed Martin are proud to celebrate with the Hawaii Air National Guard and Hickam Air Force Base as the base becomes the newest operational home for the F-22," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager of the F-22 Program for Lockheed Martin. "We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with the Hawaii ANG and the base in keeping the Raptor flying and further enhancing its capabilities over time, to ensure Hickam F-22s promote deterrence and stability through air power in the Pacific for decades to come."

F-22 Raptors are assigned to seven U.S. bases. Flight testing takes place at Edwards AFB, Calif. Operational tactics development is ongoing at Nellis AFB, Nev. Pilot training occurs at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Operational F-22 aircraft are assigned to Langley AFB, Va.; Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; Holloman AFB, N.M.; and Hickam AFB.

The world's only operational fifth-generation fighter, the F-22 boasts a unique combination of stealth, speed, agility, situational awareness and lethal long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry to make it the world's best air dominance fighter and to enable it to deter and defeat current and emerging threats. For more information on the F-22, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f22/.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company