F-22 Raptor: The USAF's Most Advanced Air Superiority Fighter (expected July 2026)

The F-22 Raptor is the ultimate combination of stealth, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, earning itself a reputation as the world’s premium air dominance fighter. First flown in 1997, the F-22 descended from the Lockheed YF-22 and was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005. With a top speed of more than Mach 2 and a range of 1,600 miles, the F-22 Raptor was immediately a force to be reckoned with. Yet it was never procured in large numbers, and today equips only two full USAF fighter wings in Virginia and Alaska. Although the force had originally planned to buy a total of 750 to replace its entire F-15 fleet, it later scaled down to 195 aircraft – 187 of them operational models – in 2009 due to political opposition from high costs, a perceived lack of air-to-air threats at the time of production, and the development of the more affordable and versatile F-35 Lightning II. As of early 2026, the Raptor faces a billion-dollar modernisation programme (‘Raptor 2.0’) extending its viability into the 2030s. This highly illustrated landscape title looks at what makes this aircraft so special and considers its current and future roles.