The Air Force is planning to bring one of its most sophisticated weapons — the F-22A Raptor fighter — to Hawai'i by 2011, officials said yesterday.

The Air Force next month will begin an environmental assessment process about basing 18 of the $135 million fighters at Hickam Air Force Base, said Capt. Allison Farabaugh, a spokeswoman for the Pacific Air Command.

"They are moving in the direction to bring the F-22s here. Everything supports that they will come here," Farabaugh said.

The environmental assessment process, expected to be completed in late 2007, is a crucial step in moving forward with the plans, she said.

In Marietta, Ga., last week, Air Force officials unveiled the first of the F-22As that will be based at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, beginning next year, prompting Gen. Paul Hester, commander of Pacific Air Forces, to say the planes could be put into operation in Hawai'i in the "mid-term" future, according to an Air Force news release.

"I'm excited about getting this incredible new air dominance capability into the Pacific," Hester said. "In the future, the aircraft will be assigned to Hickam Air Force Base." The planes will be owned and flown by the Hawai'i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron, part of a new cost-sharing approach adopted by the military, officials said. The Air National Guard will be augmented by the active-duty 531st Fighter Squadron, Farabaugh said.

Basing the jets at Hickam is part of an ongoing updating of military hardware throughout the state designed to recognize the growing importance of threats in the Asia-Pacific region. Other changes include the basing of eight C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes at Hickam, the Navy's announced intention to locate a new nuclear attack submarine in the Pacific and the Army's placement of a new fast-attack Stryker brigade at Schofield Barracks.

In Hawai'i, the F-22As, which can reach speeds of more than 1,600 mph, would replace aging F-15 fighter jets, significantly upgrading strategic capabilities in the Pacific region, officials said.

"The F-15s are old and outdated," said Charlie Ota, vice president for military affairs at the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce. "The F-22s would bring the best new electronic equipment and provide the Air National Guard here with far greater efficiency."

In March, Air Force officials announced that Hickam had been selected as a "preferred alternative" for the second wave of F-22A planes. The first sites scheduled to receive the fighters are Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and Elmendorf.

While no date has been set for the arrival of the first F-22A in Hawai'i, preparations are continuing, Farabaugh said.

Among the work being done is an environmental assessment of the Raptors' impact and consideration of the infrastructure necessary to support them here, Farabaugh said.

"The process is continuing to confirm that the F-22s are coming here, but they don't have a date or a particular time when they will touch down. General Hester is working toward getting them here, and everything he has been told by the Air Force is that the F-22s are coming to Hickam."

The F-22As are powered by twin engines that produce more thrust — 70,000 pounds — than any other current fighter and can cruise at supersonic speeds with a stealthy shape that makes them hard to spot on radar.

"I'm looking forward to leveraging all three components of our total force — active duty, National Guard and the Air Force Reserve — to squeeze every ounce of capability out of these great fighters," Hester said in the release. "Our total force is critical in today's challenging environments, and I couldn't be more pleased that all three elements are going to be fully engaged in the Raptor business."

Ultimately, the Air Force hopes to have 183 of the F-22As throughout the country by 2012. About 126 of the planes would be combat-ready at all times, with the others left in reserve or dedicated to testing and training.

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com and Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.