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Arsenal/Fighter/F-22 Raptor
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United States · Active with the U.S. Air Force

F-22 Raptor

Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter

A fifth-generation twin-engine stealth fighter combining air dominance, supercruise, exceptional agility and advanced sensor fusion.

Introduced2005
SpeedMach 2+
Range3,000+ km ferry
Crew1 pilot
Platform profile

Technical overview

Manufacturer
Lockheed Martin (with Boeing)
Primary role
Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter
Dimensions
18.9 m length · 13.6 m span
Operators
United States Air Force
Variants
F-22A
Operational status
Active with the U.S. Air Force
Complete platform dossier

F-22 Raptor details

Identity

Full name
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Type
Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter
Manufacturer
Lockheed Martin (with Boeing)
Country of origin
United States
First flight
7 September 1997
Entered service
December 2005
Primary operator
United States Air Force (USAF)
Crew
1 pilot

Primary roles

  • Air superiority
  • Air-to-air combat
  • Precision ground attack
  • Electronic warfare
  • Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR)

Variants

F-22A
Single-seat production air-superiority fighter
Production
187 operational aircraft built; production ended in 2012

Performance

Maximum speed
Mach 2+ (over 2,400 km/h)
Supercruise speed
Approximately Mach 1.5–1.8 without afterburner
Combat radius
Approximately 850–1,100 km, mission dependent
Ferry range
3,000+ km with external fuel tanks
Service ceiling
50,000+ ft (15,000+ m)
Maximum G-force
+9 G

Engine

  • 2 × Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines
  • Approximately 35,000 lbf (156 kN) thrust per engine with afterburner
  • Two-dimensional thrust-vectoring nozzles for exceptional agility

Stealth features

  • Extremely low radar cross-section
  • Internal weapons bays
  • Radar-absorbent materials
  • Infrared signature reduction
  • Serrated weapon-bay and panel edges to reduce radar reflections

Avionics

  • AN/APG-77 AESA radar
  • Advanced sensor fusion
  • Electronic warfare suite
  • Missile launch detection
  • Secure data link
  • Highly integrated glass cockpit

Armament

Internal gun
1 × 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan cannon with 480 rounds
Air-to-air missiles
AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder
Air-to-ground weapons
GBU-32 JDAM and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)

Payload

Weapon carriage
Internal carriage maintains stealth; external stations can be used when stealth is not the priority
External carriage
Can carry external fuel tanks
Maximum takeoff weight
83,500 lb (approximately 38,000 kg)

Strengths

  • Outstanding stealth capability
  • Exceptional dogfighting performance
  • Supercruise without afterburner
  • Advanced sensor fusion
  • Very high situational awareness
  • High survivability in contested airspace
  • Often described as a benchmark for air-superiority fighters

Limitations

  • Very expensive to build and maintain
  • Export is prohibited by U.S. law; operated only by the USAF
  • Small production run of 187 operational aircraft
  • Production ended in 2012

Operators and customers

United States Air Force (USAF)

Interesting facts

  1. Considered one of the leading air-superiority fighters ever built.
  2. Combines stealth, speed, manoeuvrability and advanced sensors in one platform.
  3. Designed to detect and engage hostile aircraft before being detected, providing a strong first-shot advantage.
  4. Expected to remain in U.S. service as the F-47 is introduced gradually during the 2030s.