The F-22 Raptor has served as the apotheosis of American airpower for over two decades—a stealth fighter with phenomenal maneuverability designed to own the skies. Born in the waning days of the Cold War and entering service as the first genuine fifth-generation fighter, it wedded speed, maneuverability, and advanced technology in a fashion none other could match.
But with the jet growing older, the Air Force now has some uncomfortable choices to make: does it keep investing money in upgrade cycles, or start thinking about its eventual retirement?
The Raptor’s biggest strength is also its weakness. Built primarily for air-to-air combat, it is an excellent dogfighter and air superiority fighter, but not necessarily a very multi-capable role aircraft. Stealth requires that all of the guns and most of the sensors be relocated inboard, which compresses payload capacity.
Add weight-down missiles or bombs on the outside, and the aircraft gives up the very stealth that so effectively works. Thu, the old planes like the F-15 are used for missions where there is a need for greater firepower or stealth becomes unnecessary.
It is difficult to modernize the F-22. Its avionics are based on old parts, so it is difficult and expensive to add new technology. Replacing its stealth coating and composite panels takes skilled labor, which incurs expense and downtime.
Cost is one of the major reasons the Air Force is considering the retirement of some part of the fleet. Officials have indicated that they would retire 32 Block 20 Raptors—training planes with old sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare systems. Upgrading these planes to the point of full combat capability would take close to a decade and some $3.5 billion, money that could be invested in supporting newer platforms.
Shuffling funds around would advance projects like the F-35 and Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. The offer has not been without its critics, however. Members of Congress have questioned why relatively young airframes would be retired and requested studies on how practical it would be to keep using them. This is reflective of a larger issue: The U.S. fighter fleet is shrinking and aging, and that leaves readiness for high-end combat in question.
Despite the negotiations, the F-22 is not leaving anytime soon. The Air Force continues to invest billions in upgrades like increased range, improved sensors, stealthy fuel tanks, new electronic warfare systems, and advanced communications. They are intended to make the F-22 a contender until something truly replacement-worthy appears.
That replacement will come in the form of the NGAD program, a sixth-generation fighter effort intended to outmatch existing platforms. With increased range, next-gen stealth, throttleable engines, and potentially directed-energy, the NGAD has already flight-tested a test article, with production contracts in process. But with estimates ranging as high as $300 million per aircraft, the program is under criticism for cost and affordability.
For the time being, the Raptor is an isolated player. Any delay or funding issue with NGAD would mean longer than expected flying upgraded F-22s and F-15EX fighters. Meanwhile, other nations are developing advanced stealth aircraft and longer-range missiles, narrowing the technological edge the United States has had for decades.
The F-22 controversy is not a controversy of relevance—it’s a controversy of strategy. It’s the art of maintaining ongoing air superiority and prudently investing in the aircraft of tomorrow. What is decided on in the next two years will determine American airpower for decades to come.