F-47 vs F-22: Is the New Fighter Really Better Than the Raptor?

On paper the F-47 beats the F-22 where the US Air Force says it matters most: it should fly about 70 per cent further on internal fuel, be harder to detect and control its own drone wingmen. What nobody outside the programme can say is whether it will out-turn or out-climb the Raptor, because the figures that would settle that have not been released.

This comparison uses only numbers the Air Force has published, plus the F-22’s known record, and marks the gaps.

The short answer

The F-47 is designed to be better than the F-22 at the job the Air Force expects in the 2030s: reaching deep into defended airspace across Pacific distances and surviving against modern radars. The Air Force said on the day of the contract award that the new jet would have significantly longer range, more advanced stealth and higher availability, and would cost less than the Raptor.

The F-22 has one advantage that no specification can match. It exists. The Raptor has been in service since 2005 and has flown combat missions since 2014. The F-47 is due to make its first flight in 2028.

F-47 and F-22 side by side

Our guide to what the F-47 is explains where these figures come from.

Range is the biggest difference

The F-22 was designed in the 1980s to fight over central Europe from nearby bases. Its 590 nautical mile radius is short for the Pacific, where the nearest secure airfields can be more than 1,000 miles from the fight. In practice Raptors need tankers close to the battle, and tankers are large, slow and easy to target.

The F-47’s stated radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles changes that sum. It can start further back, spend longer on station or leave the tanker at a safer distance. Much of the gain is expected to come from a larger airframe with more fuel and from adaptive engines, which industry says can cut fuel burn by around a quarter in cruise.

Stealth and sensors

The Air Force’s own shorthand rates the F-22 as “stealth+” and the F-47 as “stealth++”. Officials have described the new jet’s signature reduction as all-aspect and broadband, meaning it is intended to be hard to see from every direction and against more radar frequencies, including the lower-frequency sets that are better at spotting today’s fighters. The released renderings also show no vertical tails, a common route to that goal.

Sensors are a quieter advantage. The F-22’s core avionics date from the 1990s, and the type is only now receiving infrared search-and-track pods. The F-47 will be built around a newer generation of radar, passive sensors and open software. None of its sensors has been named.

Where the F-22 may still lead

The Raptor remains the benchmark for agility. Its thrust-vectoring nozzles and high thrust-to-weight ratio let it point its nose where other jets cannot, and it cruises above Mach 1.5 without afterburner. The Air Force has not said whether the F-47 has thrust vectoring, how fast it supercruises or what its ceiling is.

A larger, longer-ranged aircraft usually gives up some turning performance. The Air Force appears to accept that trade: the F-47 is meant to win with range, stealth, missiles and drones before a turning fight starts. Until real data emerge, a claim that the F-47 would beat an F-22 in a dogfight is a guess.

Cost and numbers

The F-22 cost about $143 million each by the Air Force’s own figure, and far more once development is included. Production stopped at 187 operational aircraft, less than half the original requirement, and the type has always been expensive to maintain.

The Air Force says the F-47 will cost less than the F-22 and need less manpower and infrastructure to deploy. Outside estimates of $180 million to more than $300 million per jet suggest the purchase price will be the harder half of that promise. The planned buy of at least 185 mirrors today’s Raptor inventory, of which roughly 143 are combat-coded.

Will the F-47 replace the F-22?

Yes, over time. The F-47 is the Raptor’s designated successor in the air-superiority role, but the two will serve together for years. The Air Force is still paying for F-22 upgrades, including stealthy fuel tanks, new sensors and updated electronic protection, to keep the jet credible into the 2030s.

Frequently asked questions

Is the F-47 better than the F-22?

By the figures released so far it has far greater range and is described as stealthier, and it is designed to control drones. Whether it matches the F-22’s agility is not publicly known.

Is the F-47 faster than the F-22?

Both are listed by the Air Force at Mach 2 or above. No supercruise speed has been published for the F-47.

Will the F-47 replace the F-22 Raptor?

Yes. It is the F-22’s planned successor for air superiority, with squadron service expected around 2030 and the Raptor continuing to fly alongside it during the transition.

How much further can the F-47 fly than the F-22?

The Air Force gives the F-47 a combat radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles against 590 for the F-22, about 70 per cent more.

Does the F-47 cost more than the F-22?

The Air Force says it will cost less. Independent estimates of $180 million to over $300 million per aircraft suggest the unit price could be similar or higher; no official figure exists.

How many F-22s does the US have?

About 185 are in the inventory, with roughly 143 assigned to combat units. The rest are used for training and testing.