F-22
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the US Air Force's air superiority fighter and the first fifth-generation fighter to enter service, in December 2005. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, meaning sustained supersonic flight without afterburner, and thrust-vectoring agility answered a 1981 requirement to guarantee air dominance over Soviet-designed fighters.
The 2009 decision to end production at 195 aircraft, confirmed by Congress that year with the last delivery in 2012, turned the F-22 from a planned 750-aircraft fleet into a limited asset whose scarcity shaped US fighter planning for two decades, pushing volume onto the F-35. Export was barred by the 1998 Obey amendment; the US Air Force remains the sole operator, with upgrades continuing while the F-47 successor program proceeds.
F-22 at a glance
The F-22 was built in a single operational variant, the F-22A, flown only by the US Air Force.
Variant comparison
| Specification | F-22A |
|---|---|
| Configuration | Single-seat, twin-engine stealth air superiority fighter |
| Primary operator | US Air Force |
| Status | In service; production ended 2011 |
| Distinguishing feature | Supercruise and thrust-vectoring agility unmatched in US service |
Production ended in 2011 after 195 aircraft, a decision that shaped the scale of the F-35 programme, and the fleet has since been continuously upgraded to keep its sensors and weapons current until a successor arrives.
Full specifications
Latest F-22 coverage from AeroTime
Frequently asked questions
Production ended in 2011 after 195 aircraft on cost grounds and the absence of a peer threat at the time, a decision later widely debated as competitors fielded stealth fighters.
US law prohibited its export to protect stealth and sensor technology, so the US Air Force is the only operator.
It remains the benchmark for air dominance thanks to supercruise, agility and stealth, though its fleet size and aging systems are why the US is developing a successor.