F-22 Raptor Archives

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 Down: America’s Best Stealth Fighter Was ‘Shot Down’ By A French-Made Mirage 2000 Fighter

In November 2009, an Emirati pilot flying a French-built Mirage 2000 notionally shot down a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor during a joint wargame...

Steve BalestrieriMay 21, 2026

U.S. Air Force Capt. Nick “Laz” Le Tourneau, F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team commander, performs an aerial maneuver during the Cocoa Beach air show in Florida, July 12, 2025. The team joined the community in celebrating Cocoa Beach’s 100th anniversary, marking a century of coastal heritage and patriotic spirit, while showcasing the unmatched power, agility, and precision of America’s fifth-generation fighter and reinforcing public trust in the Air Force’s mission to fly, fight, and win. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Cobin)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

China or Russia Can’t Touch It: The New F-22 Raptor 2.0 Stealth Fighter Has a Message for the U.S. Air Force

Lockheed Martin’s $11 billion F-22 Raptor 2.0 upgrade adds stealth-compatible conformal external fuel tanks and infrared search and track pods on the outer wings...

Steve BalestrieriMay 21, 2026

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach takes off in an F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, May 13, 2026. Wilsbach flew an F-22 sortie, experiencing the total force integration among active-duty Airman and Hawaii Air National Guard counterparts. (U.S. Air Force photo Senior Airman Aden Brown)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The F-22 Raptor Was Built to Dogfight over Europe — Lockheed Martin Is Now Rebuilding It to Fight China over The Pacific

Lockheed Martin unveiled an F-22 Raptor 2.0 configuration at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Warfare Symposium in Denver this February, featuring a new...

Jack BuckbyMay 18, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Stealth F-22 Raptor Fighters Could Have Flown from Navy Aircraft Carriers

The F-22 Raptor fifth-generation warplane is the most potent in America’s arsenal today. Until the sixth-generation warplanes come online (if they ever do), the...

Brandon WeichertMay 14, 2026

U.S. Air Force Capt. Nick “Laz” Le Tourneau, pilot and commander of the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, launches an F-22 Raptor during the night show at EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 26, 2025. The afterburners illuminate the night sky, creating a striking visual as the aircraft accelerates into flight. This takeoff gives spectators a front-row view of the F-22’s power, speed, and advanced capabilities, showcasing the skill of Airmen who operate and maintain the jet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Cobin)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 Readiness Crisis: The U.S. Air Force Built Only 187 F-22 Raptors — Their Mission-Capable Rate Has Hovered in the Low 50% Range

The F-22 Raptor has struggled with readiness rates throughout its service life, with numbers in recent years particularly troubling. Readiness has been a perennial...

Caleb LarsonMay 12, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Russia Spent Years Developing the Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut to Match the F-22 Raptor — Only 1 Prototype Was Built and It Never Saw Combat

In 1997, Russia unveiled the Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut, one of the most unusual fighter aircraft ever built. The aircraft was built with forward-swept wings...

Kris OsbornMay 12, 2026

A live fire demonstration of the Army’s newest and most modernized combat vehicle, the M10 Booker, marks the conclusion of the M10 Booker Dedication Ceremony at Aberdeen Proving Ground, in Aberdeen, Md., April 18, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by Christopher Kaufmann)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Military Can’t Build a Military: The F-22 Raptor, M10 Booker, and Zumwalt Stealth Destroyers Prove It

The U.S. has canceled three major weapons programs in the past 20 years. The F-22 Raptor was capped at 187 airframes — 194 fewer...

Christian OrrMay 12, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, takes off during Checkered Flag 23-1 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 4, 2022. Checkered Flag is a large-force aerial exercise which fosters readiness and interoperability through the incorporation of 4th and 5th-generation aircraft during air-to-air combat training. The 23-1 iteration of the exercise was held Oct. 31 - Nov. 10, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Betty R. Chevalier)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

For 20 Years, the F-22 Raptor Couldn’t Carry External Fuel Tanks Without Losing Stealth — Lockheed Just Solved That Problem

At the Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in February 2026, Lockheed Martin publicly displayed a production-representative scale model of what it informally...

Jack BuckbyMay 11, 2026

Maj. Paul Lopez, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, performs during the Chicago Air and Water Show, Aug. 17, 2019. Founded in 2007, the F-22 Demo Team showcases the unique capabilities of the world's premier fifth-generation fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Samuel Eckholm)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The Air Force Just Sent F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighters to China’s Backyard

The U.S. Air Force has deployed additional F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Kadena Air Base in Japan as part of its ongoing effort to...

Jack BuckbyMay 6, 2026

National Security Journal

All posts tagged "F-22 Raptor"

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 Down: America’s Best Stealth Fighter Was ‘Shot Down’ By A French-Made Mirage 2000 Fighter

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

China or Russia Can’t Touch It: The New F-22 Raptor 2.0 Stealth Fighter Has a Message for the U.S. Air Force

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The F-22 Raptor Was Built to Dogfight over Europe — Lockheed Martin Is Now Rebuilding It to Fight China over The Pacific

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Stealth F-22 Raptor Fighters Could Have Flown from Navy Aircraft Carriers

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 Readiness Crisis: The U.S. Air Force Built Only 187 F-22 Raptors — Their Mission-Capable Rate Has Hovered in the Low 50% Range

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Russia Spent Years Developing the Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut to Match the F-22 Raptor — Only 1 Prototype Was Built and It Never Saw Combat

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Military Can’t Build a Military: The F-22 Raptor, M10 Booker, and Zumwalt Stealth Destroyers Prove It

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

For 20 Years, the F-22 Raptor Couldn’t Carry External Fuel Tanks Without Losing Stealth — Lockheed Just Solved That Problem

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The Air Force Just Sent F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighters to China’s Backyard

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