Fighter Aircraft
F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter built by Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force. It combines stealth, supercruise and extreme agility, and is widely considered the most capable dogfighter ever built.
United States|Lockheed MartinOverview
The F-22 was the first operational fighter to combine low observability, supercruise (sustained supersonic flight without afterburner) and thrust-vectoring engines. Its AN/APG-77 AESA radar and sensor fusion let a single pilot detect and engage targets long before being seen.
Only 195 F-22s were built before production ended in 2011, after the program was cut for cost reasons. US law bans its export, so the Raptor flies only with the US Air Force, which plans to keep it in service into the 2030s until the sixth-generation F-47 arrives.
Key Specifications
Variants
The single-seat production fighter operated by the US Air Force.
The prototype that won the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition against the YF-23 in 1991.
Software and weapons upgrades adding AIM-120D and AIM-9X integration and improved targeting.
Operators
United StatesFrequently Asked Questions
How much does an F-22 Raptor cost?
Each F-22 cost about $150 million to build, while the total program cost including development works out to roughly $350 million per aircraft.
How fast is the F-22 Raptor?
The F-22 reaches a top speed of Mach 2.25, about 2,410 km/h, and can supercruise at around Mach 1.8 without afterburner.
How many F-22s are there?
195 F-22s were built, including test aircraft. Around 180 remain in the US Air Force inventory, with fewer than that combat-coded.
Is the F-22 better than the F-35?
The F-22 is faster, more agile and optimized for air-to-air combat, while the F-35 has newer sensors, sensor fusion and multirole strike capability. They are designed to complement each other.
Why was F-22 production stopped?
The Pentagon ended F-22 production in 2009–2011 because of high costs, the end of the Cold War threat it was designed for and a shift in funding toward the cheaper, multirole F-35.
Can the F-22 be exported?
No. The Obey Amendment bans the export of the F-22 to protect its stealth technology, so no foreign air force operates it, including close allies such as Japan and Israel.
