Originally posted by Gunslinger
actually rip, the USAF is dropping the Attack designator, it's specific designator for the USAF is F-22A. Why they are doing this....I have no Idea, it's a hellof an attack plane.
Well... Okay, some other interesting tidbit i saw earlier about the F-117's designation is similar:
F-117: They called it F because when they first asked for it, they had just got the B1. But that wasnt good enough so they wanted another. When they asked congress, congress said "no." So they thought, well, how about a fighter? congress said "sure". So, they named the B-117 the F-117 and congress never realized it wasnt a fighter.
The F-22: The military just wants to be a bit more traditional, and, im sure they are thinking of leaving some loopholes for the future similar to the one that let the F-117 be created.