F22

The F-22 Raptor, sometimes written as F22 or f22, is a United States Air Force stealth air superiority fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. It is a fifth-generation aircraft designed to achieve and maintain air dominance through a combination of stealth, supercruise capability, high maneuverability, and advanced sensing. The F-22 is primarily intended for air-to-air combat but can perform limited air-to-ground missions while preserving its stealth profile.

Development of the F-22 began under the US Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter program in the 1980s. Lockheed Martin’s YF-22 competed against Northrop’s YF-23, with the YF-22 selected in 1991. The first flight of the YF-22 occurred in the 1990s, and production aircraft followed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The aircraft entered service in December 2005. Total production was relatively limited, with around 187 aircraft built for the USAF before production ended in 2011, in part due to cost concerns.

Key design features include a highly integrated avionics suite, internal weapon bays to preserve stealth, and two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 engines with thrust-vectoring nozzles that enhance maneuverability. The F-22 employs a passive and active sensor network, including a high-performance AESA radar (AN/APG-77/77A) and a Distributed Aperture System for 360-degree situational awareness, along with radar warning receivers and secure data links for networked operations. Its air-to-air armament is carried internally, prioritizing stealth, with capacity for missiles such as AIM-120 and AIM-9 within the internal bays, and it can carry guided munitions for precision engagement when operating within its mission constraints.

The F-22 remains a cornerstone of the USAF’s air superiority capability, but its high operating costs and limited numbers have shaped its role relative to newer multi-role platforms.