Forty years after its maiden flight, the first Boeing 757 continues to earn its keep. For most of its existence the aircraft has played a significant role supporting the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter. David Willis details the career of the aircraft – unofficially dubbed the Catfish
The US Air Force began studies for a replacement for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1981. It planned to take advantage of new technology to create a fighter able to counter the new generation of Soviet combat aircraft and air defence systems under development. Known as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF), the programme placed emphasis on low observability and the ability to supercruise - flying supersonically without having to resort to the use of an afterburner.
