Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

"F22" redirects here. For other uses, see F22 (disambiguation).

F-22 Raptor
An F-22 over Kadena Air Base, Japan, in 2009
General information
Type	Air superiority fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Status	In service
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	195 (8 test and 187 operational aircraft)
History
Manufactured	1996–2011
Introduction date	15 December 2005
First flight	7 September 1997 (1997-09-07)
Developed from	Lockheed YF-22
Developed into	Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA Lockheed Martin FB-22

The Lockheed Martin–Boeing F-22 Raptor is an American twin-engine, jet-powered, all-weather, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft. As a product of the United States Air Force's (USAF) Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed as an air superiority fighter, but also incorporates ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22 airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while program partner Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.

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 as the F-22A. It replaced the F-15 Eagle in most active duty USAF squadrons. Although the service had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs to replace its entire F-15 fleet, it later scaled down to 381 and the program was ultimately cut 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. The last aircraft was delivered in 2012.

The F-22 is a critical component of the USAF's tactical airpower as its most advanced air superiority fighter. While it had a protracted development and initial operational difficulties, the aircraft became the service's leading counter-air platform. Its regular deployments have included Okinawa, the Middle East, and NATO's eastern flank. Although designed for air superiority operations, the F-22 first engaged in combat by conducting airstrikes in 2014 during the US intervention in Syria. The F-22 has carried out and supported airstrikes in the war in Afghanistan in 2017, 2025 strikes on Iran, 2026 strikes on Venezuela, and the 2026 Iran war. The F-22 is expected to remain a cornerstone of the USAF's fighter fleet until its successor, the Boeing F-47, is expected to enter service around 2030.