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F-22 Raptor

Lockheed Martin · Fighter / Attack · USA · Modern (1992–2009)

F-22 Raptor — Fighter / Attack
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Few combat aircraft carry a programme biography as turbulent as the F-22 Raptor's — yet the machine that emerged is widely regarded as the most capable air superiority fighter ever built. The Lockheed Martin–Boeing F-22 traces its origins to the United States Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) programme, a Cold War initiative begun in 1981 to outpace the threat posed by Soviet air defences and the new generation of Soviet fighters (Su-27, MiG-29). The Raptor first flew in September 1997 and entered USAF service in December 2005, delivering a combination no adversary has matched in a single airframe: an extremely low radar cross-section, the ability to supercruise (sustain supersonic flight without afterburner), and three-dimensional thrust vectoring for close-in manoeuvring.

The aircraft was originally intended to replace the entire F-15 Eagle fleet, with an order of 750 envisioned. Post–Cold War budget pressure, shifting threat assessments, and the competing costs of the F-35 programme steadily reduced that figure: 648 in 1990, 442 in 1993, 339 by 1997, and finally 187 production aircraft. Production ended in 2012, with 195 airframes delivered in total (including eight non-production EMD aircraft). Lockheed Martin handled the forward fuselage, control surfaces, and final assembly at Marietta, Georgia, while Boeing supplied the aft fuselage and wings from Seattle. To protect classified stealth and avionics technology, Congress permanently banned exports of the type in 1997 — making the F-22 the only major American fighter never offered to allied air forces, despite formal interest from Australia, Japan, and Israel.

The F-22's defining capability is sensor-fused first-look, first-shot air superiority. Internal weapons bays carry six AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinders, preserving the stealth signature; an internal 20mm M61A2 cannon handles the gunfight. Its AN/APG-77 active electronically-scanned array radar can detect targets at extended ranges while transmitting in narrow beams that frustrate enemy radar warning receivers. The aircraft cruises at Mach 1.8 without afterburner — a capability called supercruise — and reaches Mach 2.25 with afterburner. Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofans, each producing roughly 35,000 lbf of thrust, drive thrust-vectoring nozzles that pitch up and down by 20 degrees, giving the aircraft post-stall manoeuvring authority unmatched by any fighter in service.

Operationally, the Raptor first saw combat not in the air-to-air role it was designed for but conducting precision strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria in September 2014 — a deployment that underscored its secondary ground-attack capability via small-diameter bombs from the internal bays. It has since participated in operations across the Middle East, supported the 2017 strikes on Syrian government forces, and was part of the 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The aircraft deploys regularly to Kadena AB in Okinawa, RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, and rotational locations along NATO's eastern flank as the USAF's leading counter-air asset and a strategic deterrent presence — particularly opposite Russian Su-57 and Chinese J-20 fifth-generation fighters now entering service in larger numbers.

The cost picture has been the F-22's perennial controversy. Total programme cost reached approximately $67 billion, putting the per-airframe price at roughly $360 million when development is amortised across all 187 production jets — a figure that helped end production in 2012. Operating costs remain steep at roughly $85,000 per flight hour, more than double the F-35A's $42,000. The USAF planned to retire 32 older Block 20 training aircraft beginning in 2024 to save money for upgrades on the combat-coded fleet, though Congress has resisted accelerated retirements. The F-15EX Eagle II now complements the Raptor in the non-stealth role, while the planned successor — the Boeing F-47 sixth-generation fighter — was selected in March 2025 with service entry expected around 2030, leaving the Raptor as the bridge between the stealth era it pioneered and whatever comes next.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The F-22 Raptor is one of the most powerful fighter jets ever built. It's so fast it can outrun a rifle bullet at top speed, and so quiet on radar that enemies usually can't see it coming. Pilots say flying the F-22 feels like driving a sports car that thinks for itself.

The Raptor was designed to win every air battle. It can climb straight up like a rocket, turn so sharply that the pilot's vision goes gray for a moment, and fly faster than the speed of sound without even using afterburners (the engine boost most jets need to go supersonic). Its two engines can swivel their tailpipes to point the plane in directions other jets cannot match.

Only 187 F-22s were ever built, all of them for the United States Air Force. They cost about $150 million each, which makes the F-22 one of the most expensive airplanes ever. Because of that, the U.S. has not sold any to other countries — the Raptor's secrets are too valuable.

You can see F-22s at airshows across the United States. When they fly, the engines roar so loud that you can feel the sound through your feet, and the jet leaves swirling vortex trails as it spins through the sky.

Fun Facts

  • The F-22 can fly faster than 1,500 mph — twice as fast as a passenger jet.
  • Its paint is special — it absorbs radar waves so enemy radars only see a tiny dot on their screens, smaller than a bird.
  • The pilot's helmet costs $400,000 — more than most family houses.
  • The Raptor can climb to over 65,000 feet, twice as high as a normal airplane flies.
  • Each F-22 needs about 30 hours of maintenance on the ground for every 1 hour it flies.
  • The plane has no rear-view mirror — instead, its computers warn the pilot if anything sneaks up from behind.
  • Only 187 were built because the price was too high — Congress canceled new orders in 2009.

Kids’ Questions

Why is the F-22 hard to see on radar?

Radar works by sending out invisible radio waves and listening for them to bounce back off objects in the sky. The F-22's body is shaped with lots of flat angles instead of curves, which makes the radio waves bounce in all kinds of directions instead of straight back. Its paint also soaks up the waves like a sponge. Together, this makes the giant fighter look as small as a marble on enemy radar screens.

Is the F-22 the world's best fighter jet?

Most pilots and experts say yes, especially for fighting other planes in the air. The F-35 is newer and can do more jobs (like land on aircraft carriers or fly straight up like a helicopter), but the F-22 is the fastest and best at pure dogfighting. Russia and China are building their own stealth fighters too, but none have proven better in real flight tests.

Can a regular person fly an F-22?

No — only specially trained U.S. Air Force pilots are allowed near one. Pilots train for years on simpler jets first, then take a long course just to learn the F-22's computers and flight rules. Even movie stars who play pilots in films get to ride along in the back seat of a different jet, not at the F-22 controls.

Variants

YF-22
Two prototype aircraft built for the ATF flyoff against the Northrop YF-23. First flew September 1990. Selected April 1991 for full-scale development.
F-22A (Block 10/20)
74 training-coded aircraft. Block 10 lacked combat-capable Block 3.0 software; Block 20 added it. Many Block 20s have since been upgraded to Block 30/35.
F-22A (Block 30/35)
112 combat-coded production aircraft. Carry the full air-to-air and limited air-to-ground (SDB, JDAM) capability set. Subject to ongoing software and hardware upgrades.
F-22B (cancelled)
Two-seat variant cancelled in 1996 to reduce development costs. Two airframes were converted to single-seaters before completion.

Notable Operators

United States Air Force (sole operator)
Permanent congressional export ban (1997) prevents foreign sales. Active squadrons at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (Virginia), Tyndall AFB (relocated post-2018 hurricane to Eglin AFB), Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (Alaska), and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (Hawaii).

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast is the F-22 Raptor?

The F-22 cruises at Mach 1.8 without afterburner (a capability called supercruise) and reaches Mach 2.25 with afterburner, per the USAF fact sheet. Few production fighters can sustain supersonic flight without afterburner; the F-22 was the first operational aircraft to do so as a routine combat capability.

Why was the F-22 production stopped?

Production ended in 2012 after 187 production aircraft due to a combination of factors: very high unit cost (roughly $360 million per aircraft when development is amortised), the rising priority of the cheaper and more flexible F-35 programme, perceived absence of a near-peer air-to-air threat at the time, and political opposition in Congress to continued procurement.

How much does an F-22 Raptor cost?

The total programme cost was approximately $67 billion across 187 production aircraft (GAO report), putting the average flyaway-plus-development cost at roughly $360 million per airframe. The marginal cost of an additional production F-22 in 2009 was estimated at $138 million. Operating costs run approximately $85,000 per flight hour — more than double the F-35A.

F-22 vs F-35: what's the difference?

The F-22 is a dedicated air superiority fighter optimised for high-altitude, high-speed engagements with the most capable enemy aircraft. The F-35 is a multirole fighter designed for affordability, export, and a balance of air-to-ground and air-to-air capability across three variants (conventional, carrier, and STOVL). The F-22 has stronger pure air-to-air performance — supercruise, thrust vectoring, larger weapons bay — while the F-35 has more advanced sensor fusion, networking, and ground-attack capability.

Why is the F-22 not exported?

Congress passed the Obey Amendment in 1997 prohibiting any foreign sale of the F-22 to protect its classified stealth and avionics technology. The ban has remained in force despite formal expressions of interest from Australia, Japan, and Israel. Allied nations seeking American stealth fighters have been directed to the F-35 instead.

When will the F-22 be retired?

The USAF plans to begin retiring the F-22 fleet around 2030 as the Boeing F-47 sixth-generation fighter enters service. Phased retirement is expected through the 2030s. The USAF has separately sought to retire 32 older Block 20 training aircraft beginning in 2024, though Congress has periodically blocked or delayed those plans.

What is supercruise on the F-22?

Supercruise is the ability to sustain supersonic flight without using afterburner. The F-22 can cruise at Mach 1.8 in dry thrust, which extends combat range, reduces infrared signature, and lets the aircraft arrive at engagement zones faster while still carrying the fuel for tactical manoeuvring. Most fighters can briefly exceed Mach 1 in afterburner but burn fuel too quickly to sustain it.

What weapons can the F-22 carry?

Internal weapons bays carry up to six AIM-120 AMRAAM beyond-visual-range missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range missiles, plus two 1,000 lb GBU-32 JDAM precision bombs or eight 250 lb GBU-39 small-diameter bombs in the air-to-ground configuration. An internal 20mm M61A2 Vulcan cannon completes the loadout. External hardpoints exist but are rarely used since they break stealth.

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