Key Points and Summary – The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the pinnacle of 5th-generation air superiority, combining stealth, supercruise, and extreme maneuverability into one of the most advanced fighters ever built.
-It can sustain speeds over Mach 1.5 without afterburners, and its thrust-vectoring nozzles give it an unparalleled edge in dogfights.
-Despite these dominant features, the F-22 has seen surprisingly limited combat, first used against ISIS in 2014.
-Its primary role has been as a powerful strategic deterrent, deploying globally to counter Russian and Chinese assertiveness and reassure U.S. allies.
The F-22 Raptor: The Best Fighter on Earth in 2025?
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is one of the most iconic aircraft in the U.S. Air Force’s fleet.
As one of the first fifth-generation fighter jets, the F-22 represented a quantum leap in stealth and sensor-fusion technologies, making it one of the most advanced aircraft to this day.
One aspect that has contributed to its success is its powerful engine suite, which enables the aircraft to achieve supersonic speeds without compromising maneuverability.
This gives the F-22 the edge in both long-range and short-range combat engagements.
How Fast Can the F-22 Raptor Fighter Go?
The F-22’s design is centered around stealth. Its shape, materials, and internal weapons bays are all optimized to reduce its radar cross-section, allowing it to operate in contested airspace with minimal detection.
This stealth capability is complemented by its supercruise feature, which allows the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners.
While most fighters require afterburners to exceed the speed of sound, the F-22 can cruise at speeds above Mach 1.5 for extended periods using its Pratt & Whitney F119 engines.
Its maximum speed is approximately Mach 2.25, or around 1,500 miles per hour, although this is typically reserved for short bursts rather than sustained flight.
In addition to speed and stealth, the F-22 is known for its exceptional maneuverability. This is primarily due to its thrust-vectoring nozzles, which enable the pilot to direct engine thrust in various directions.
This gives the aircraft an edge in close-range dogfights, allowing it to perform tight turns and evasive maneuvers that would be impossible for most other jets.
Its agility is further enhanced by a sophisticated flight control system and a lightweight airframe made from advanced composite materials.
Electronics and Armaments
The F-22 is equipped with a powerful suite of sensors and avionics that provide the pilot with a comprehensive view of the battlespace.
Its radar, the AN/APG-77, is capable of tracking multiple targets at long ranges while remaining difficult to detect. The aircraft also features sensor fusion technology, which integrates data from various sources to present a unified picture to the pilot.
This level of situational awareness is a key advantage in modern air combat, where information dominance can be as important as raw firepower.
Speaking of firepower, the F-22 is armed with a mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. For air superiority missions, it typically carries six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders.
These are housed in internal bays to preserve the aircraft’s stealth profile. For ground attack missions, it can carry two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAMs. It also has a 20mm M61A2 Vulcan cannon for close-range engagements.
While its ground attack capabilities are more limited than those of dedicated strike aircraft, the F-22 can still deliver precision strikes against high-value targets.
The F-22’s Combat History
Despite its impressive capabilities, the F-22 has seen relatively limited combat use. Its first operational deployment occurred in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the aircraft saw its first combat mission.
On September 23 of that year, an F-22 conducted a precision strike against an ISIS command-and-control facility in Syria. This marked the beginning of its involvement in Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
In the years that followed, the F-22 continued to operate in the Middle East, flying missions out of Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. Its roles included stealth penetration of contested airspace, precision targeting of enemy infrastructure, and air superiority patrols to ensure control of the skies. These missions demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to perform “first-day-of-war” operations, neutralizing enemy air defenses and clearing the way for other coalition aircraft.
Beyond combat, the F-22 has played a significant role in strategic deterrence and global power projection. It has been deployed to the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and Guam, as part of efforts to counter growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. These deployments often involve joint exercises with allied air forces, such as the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and serve as a visible demonstration of U.S. military commitment to regional stability.
America’s Powerful Deterrence
In Europe, the F-22 was deployed to bases all over Europe in response to Russian aggression, particularly following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
It has participated in NATO exercises and flown missions in Eastern Europe to reassure allies and deter potential adversaries. These deployments highlight the aircraft’s strategic value, even in the absence of direct combat.
To enhance its rapid deployment capabilities, the U.S. Air Force developed the Rapid Raptor concept. This involves deploying a small package of two to four F-22s along with a C-17 Globemaster III for logistical support.
This enables the Air Force to respond quickly to emerging threats worldwide, leveraging the F-22’s capabilities without the need for an extensive support infrastructure.
Design and Development
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter aircraft that represents the pinnacle of American air superiority design. Developed under the United States Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the F-22 was conceived during the Cold War as a response to the growing threat posed by advanced Soviet aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems.
The goal was to create a fighter that could dominate the skies in any future conflict, combining stealth, speed, agility, and cutting-edge avionics into a single platform.
The ATF program began in the early 1980s, and after a competitive fly-off between the YF-22 and the Northrop YF-23, the YF-22 was selected in 1991 as the basis for the new fighter. Lockheed Martin, in partnership with Boeing and General Dynamics, led the development and production of the aircraft. The first production F-22 flew in 1997, and the aircraft officially entered service with the U.S. Air Force in December 2005.
We Visited with an F-22 Raptor
On July 19-20, we had the opportunity to get up close to the F-22A Raptor at the U.S. Air Force Museum. Here is just a sample of the amazing photos we were able to take:
YF-118G Bird of Prey and F-22 Raptor. Image Taken at U.S. Ai Force Museum on 7/20/2025.
F-22 Fighter. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: National Security Journal Original Photo.
F-22 Raptor at the U.S. Air Force Museum.
F-22 Raptor National Security Journal Image
F-22 Raptor at US Air Force Museum. Image taken by National Security Journal.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
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