For other uses, see Raptor. |
“ | Let's give them an air show! - Raptor |
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The Raptor is the USA's primary all-purpose attack aircraft during the GLA Conflict. A relatively light and fast aircraft, the Raptor is armed with four missiles that could be used against either ground or air targets.
Official description[]
“ | The Raptor has the best performance characteristics and weapons systems of any aircraft in the world. Its four underwing missiles can be targeted at both air and ground targets. When its ordnance has been delivered, the Raptor automatically returns to its home base. It can only land at friendly Air Fields, which can develop laser missile upgrades for it. It is especially vulnerable to Chinese MiGs. - Generals manual(src) |
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Background[]
Both the US Air Force and the Navy use the Raptor, although the Navy aircraft was generally modified to be lighter (with only two missiles) for use on aircraft carriers.
The inherent vulnerability of the Raptor to anti-aircraft eventually inspired the development of the King Raptor. Air Force General Granger helped to develop a new generation of Raptors dubbed 'King Raptors', that included a number of notable improvements in design.
Navy Raptors aboard the USS Reagan assisted greatly in the removal of GLA forces from coastal areas; however, many of the aircraft were subsequently lost when the Reagan was sunk by the GLA. Tales abound of desperate pilots attempting to take off from the deck of the sinking Reagan (which was cut in two), only to plummet into the sea.
Game unit[]
“ | I see 'em... - Raptor, ordered to attack |
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Essentially the most powerful multirole fighter (bar the King Raptor) in the game, they are efficient anti-vehicle bombers, excelling at destroying unprotected enemy vehicles.
Raptors are nonetheless highly vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire, especially from weapon platforms such as the Quad cannon. As they were quite expensive to construct and equally fragile, commanders had to take great care to prevent unnecessary losses.
Upgrades[]
Increases the damage done by 25%.
Purchasable at the American air field for $1500
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Countermeasures (Zero Hour only)
Improves the Raptor's chances at escaping anti-aircraft missiles.
Purchasable at the American air field for $1000.
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Allows the Raptor to gain veteran status twice as fast.
Purchasable at the Strategy Center for $1500.
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Changelog[]
- Generals sneak peek patch 1.02: now slightly more effective against Stinger sites
- Zero Hour patch 1.03: laser missile upgrade fixed
Quotes[]
“ | Raptor here - When selected |
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“ | We control the skies - When selected |
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“ | What do you got? - When selected |
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“ | I'm listening - When selected |
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“ | Yep - When selected |
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“ | Flying high - When selected |
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“ | Let's give them an air show! - When selected |
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“ | Flaring them up - When moving |
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“ | Making a pass - When moving |
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“ | Got it - When moving |
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“ | We are cruising - When moving |
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“ | Let's mix it up - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Yee-ha! - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Jumping in - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Got you covered - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Let's take this one - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Little air show for our fans out there - When ordered to attack |
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“ | He's mine - When ordered to attack |
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“ | I see 'em - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Under control - When ordered to attack |
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“ | No problem - When ordered to attack |
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“ | Easy slice - When ordered to attack an air unit |
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“ | We're going down! - When being shot down |
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“ | This is it! - When being shot down |
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“ | Collision! - When being shot down |
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“ | Fuel is in the red! - When run out of fuel |
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“ | Can't stay up much longer! - When run out of fuel |
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“ | Tank's almost dry, General! - When run out of fuel |
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“ | We're running on fumes! - When run out of fuel |
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“ | Copy that - When ordered to patrol |
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“ | Roger that - When ordered to patrol |
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“ | We'll take this area - When ordered to patrol |
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“ | On patrol - When ordered to patrol |
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“ | This is out territory - When ordered to patrol |
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“ | Laser guided missiles are installed - Receiving the Laser-Guided Missiles upgrade |
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“ | That extra fuel's gonna help, General - Unused Raptor quotes |
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Notes[]
- The picture indicated is not an F-22 Raptor, rather, it is the craft's ATF prototype, the YF-22 Lightning II. This may be because the actual F-22 Raptor went into USAF service in December 2005, two years after the game's release. Before this the YF-22 was competing the YF-23 Black Widow for America's fifth generation fighter, this possibly explains why earlier concept art looks more like the YF-23 and as the YF-22 was winning the lead in competition, they changed the unit to be more like the real-life Raptor. The box art for the original Command and Conquer: Generals features the YF-22, but Zero Hour's box art has a Raptor that looks more like the modern F-22A.
- Unlike the F-22A in reality, the Raptor is not equipped with an autocannon.
- In reality, the F-22 Raptor has stealth capabilities, which are not only matched with but more advanced than the Stealth Fighter in-game, the F-117 Nighthawk. The modern Raptor also has supercruise capability, which is the ability to go supersonic without resorting to afterburners. This would have matched or even superseded the Aurora's supersonic capabilities.
- Early concept art depicted the Raptor as being being far more boxier in appearance; the Raptor itself beared a strong resemblance to the cancelled YF-23 Black Widow. The older version also used a darker, golden skin. Its model can still be viewed by browsing through General's art archive. It carried six missiles (as opposed to four in the final game) that were carried on hardpoints underneath both wings, not internally as in the final game.
- Originally, the Raptor was supposed to have a second upgrade: Extra Fuel, to stay longer in the air, but this was removed likely because it was unnecessary.
- If a Raptor is returning to base after using its missiles and the Laser Missiles upgrade completes, the Raptor will automatically reload in the air.
Gallery[]
Two Raptors flying above Mogadishu to destroy a GLA armored camp at the dockyards
See also[]
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