Key Points and Summary – The Trump administration is backing an “F-22 Super” upgrade to keep the Raptor dominant until the 6th-gen F-47 arrives.
-This “Viability” program, which has received initial funding, aims to enhance the F-22 with new stealth coatings, advanced sensors, an Infrared Defense System, and new stealthy, range-extending fuel tanks.
F-22. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-While the F-22 fleet currently suffers from low combat-coded numbers and readiness issues, these upgrades are intended to create a more lethal “Day One” fighter.
-The “Super” should be upgraded to control drones (CCAs), carry hypersonic missiles, and be exported to allies.
What’s Great About the F-22 “Super”
The F-22 Raptor is an excellent airplane, but instead of retiring it early, before the F-47 NGAD comes online, the Donald Trump national security team aims to make a “Super” F-22 that can instill confidence in an Air Force transitioning to sixth-generation flight.
The F-22 has always been super stealthy and a pilot’s dream.
Being assigned to the F-22, whether as an aviator or a technician/maintainer, is considered an elite duty assignment.
The F-22, due to its highly advanced technology, is not available for export, but that could change with the F-22 Super.
Will the White House Get What It Wants?
The Air Force has even set aside $90 million for the F-22 “Viability” program.
So that shows that Trump may get his wish for a more “beautiful” airplane with new upgrades.
The F-22 Super will feature an even better stealth coating for enhanced radar evasion.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor backs away from a KC-135 Stratotanker after conducting an in-flight refueling during a training mission over central New Mexico on Oct. 23, 2013. The Raptor is assigned to the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The Stratotanker is assigned to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. DoD photo by Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier, U.S. Air Force. (Released)
There will be an improved radar and sensor suite, plus electronic warfare capabilities will be stronger.
The F-22 Super Is Spoiling for a Real Fight
One criticism of the F-22 is that it has little combat experience aside from a Chinese spy balloon “kill” in 2023.
That is not necessarily a fair judgment about the Raptor.
The airplane has spent its time on active duty during the Global War on Terror, when the Taliban and other insurgents in the Middle East had no adversarial aircraft to threaten the Raptor. Plus, the F-22 was not fully equipped with ground strike capability.
F-22 Super Fighting on Day One of Combat and Not In Reserve
This could all change with the rise of great powers like Russia and China.
The Air Force needs the F-22 Super to be a Day One aircraft in a potential conflict, capable of taking on fifth-generation fighters like the Chinese J-20 and the Russian Su-57. Dogfighting capabilities need to be improved with the “Super,” and it looks like Trump will get his wish for a more lethal, powerful fighter jet.
The Super will also have an Infrared Defense System for better survivability. This will improve search, track, and battle control in combat. Range-extending drop tanks will be stealthy to maximize radar evasion.
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. – F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing sit in position on the runway fduring the Elephant Walk at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Jan. 31, 2025. The surge was designed to showcase the wing’s operational readiness and its ability to rapidly mobilize airpower. The 1st FW operates F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talons, maintaining combat capabilities that enable the U.S. Air Force to execute missions across the globe. With a focus on air superiority, the 1st FW plays a critical role in defending the nation’s interests. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Matthew Coleman-Foster)
The Super needs to improve its F-22 readiness. This maintenance downtime has dogged the program for years.
The F-22 Readiness Problem
“This is a new start effort for which the service is asking for $90.34 million in funding in the upcoming fiscal cycle,” the FY2026 Air Force budget request report said. “The Air Force currently has 185 F-22s, but only 143 are combat-coded, with the rest being dedicated to training and test, and evaluation activities. A significant portion of the overall fleet is typically down for maintenance, as well. The small Raptor force is already highly capable and heavily in demand.”
F-22 Super: How Many?
It’s not clear how many F-22s will get the Super upgrades and receive the higher-level standard with updated features.
The upgrade process could take years, and the F-22 could still have readiness problems with low combat-coded numbers.
Some of the older models may be forced to retire to alleviate budget needs that would send more dollars to the Super program.
Plus, $90 million for the next fiscal year is not a king’s ransom.
There will need to be more dollars cut loose for the Super project in the years to come. But as long as Trump is president and Republicans control the two Armed Services Committees in Congress, look for the Super to have “wings.”
What I Would Like to See in the F-22 Super
The F-22 is not known for ground-strike capabilities; it is actually more of an air superiority jet.
But it can deliver JDAMs and Small Diameter Bombs. It would be better to deploy air-launched land-attack cruise missiles and some of the new air-to-ground hypersonic missiles.
I would also like to see the Super be able to control a Loyal Wingman drone, such as the new unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
Chinese and Russian fighters will be able to fly with Loyal Wingmen, and the F-22 needs that capability too.
I recommend exporting the F-22 Super. This would take an act of Congress, but our allies need another choice beyond the F-35. This would be an additional American option for NATO members, and would be especially valuable for the Japanese, South Koreans, and Taiwanese in East Asia. Ukraine could also fly it. In fact, Ukraine has just agreed to buy Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripens. This is a great airplane, but it is not fully stealthy like the F-22 Super would be.
What if the F-22 Super also had a naval aircraft carrier version? This would give the Navy an aircraft that could replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet until the sixth-generation F/A-XX comes online. The F-22 Super could supplement the F-35C on aircraft carriers to form whole stealth-fighter air wings.
The F-22 Super should also have more artificial intelligence and even quantum computing in the cockpit. This would allow it to fire hypersonic missiles better and control the Collaborative Combat Aircraft. AI and quantum computing would be an expensive addition to the F-22, but it is technically feasible.
The Super F-22 Will Be Special
In all, the F-22 Super is exciting. Trump is getting involved in specific defense acquisition major end items, and he now has his own wish list instead of relying on what the Air Force generals tell him.
He saw how successful the B-2 bomber was against Iranian nuclear sites, and he wants more presidential toys that he picks specifically.
It seems that, with the White House doing the heavy political lifting, Republicans on Capitol Hill will support his desire for improved airplanes, which means we could see an F-22 Super before the F-47 NGAD flies regularly in the late 2020s.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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Ron Barredo
October 25, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Half your article is pointless. The F-22 production line has been shutdown and dismantled for years. There would be no such thing as an export model or a naval variant. All that can and would be upgraded are existing aircraft of which there are only ~187 aircraft that are not all combat coded or the latest block.
Leon Baia
October 26, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Exactly!