Lockheed Martin To Provide ABOS Systems For F-22 Aircraft

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $11.9 million contract from the USAF to supply additional automatic back-up oxygen supply (ABOS) systems for its F-22 Raptor fighters. According to Lockheed, the contract modification covers 70 aircraft kits plus five spare kits. The contract also covers support equipment and ancillary spare parts. A fleet of 185 Raptors are being equipped with ABOS systems as part of the air force’s plan to improve the jet's life support systems. The existing back-up oxygen system, which will remain in place, is manually activated-and was recently modified with a more user-friendly handle. The lack of an ABOS was identified as one of the deficiencies in the F-22's life support systems during an investigation into a series of physiological incidents resembling hypoxia that has plagued the stealthy fifth-generation fighter for the past several years.