F-22 Raptor: 20 Years of Air Dominance

[charlielima223]

Despite its small numbers, the F-22 is still a priority for USAF...

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/f-2 ... boss-says/

Much attention has been paid to the Air Force’s plans to junk an older group of F-22 Raptor jets, but newer, more combat-capable versions of the stealth fighter are the service’s “highest priority” for a near-term fight, according to a senior official.

Speaking at the McAleese Defense Programs conference today, Air Force acquisition boss Andrew Hunter called the F-22 the “foundation” of the service’s airpower amid a larger effort to “reoptimize” for competition with China, noting that the jet will serve a vital role until its successor, the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform, comes online.

“F-22 is a critical capability,” Hunter said. “So what’s my highest priority in the near term for that great power competition? I’d probably put F-22 at the top.”

In its fiscal 2024 budget request, the Air Force moved to junk 32 older F-22s in a configuration known as Block 20, arguing that money to modernize those jets would be better spent on NGAD. But Congress blocked that move, forcing the service to continue their upkeep. Hunter’s comments today are likely a preview of what the service will ask for regarding the Raptor in its upcoming FY25 budget request.

Hunter said that Air Force officials will engage Congress on “some” F-22s that aren’t prepared for combat, and appeared to suggest that funding could be used instead to modernize other Raptors in the fleet. Air Force officials have previously said that funds freed up by divesting Block 20 fighters would be spent directly on NGAD.

Speaking later in the day, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin explained that the service is currently focused on keeping certain F-22s “viable and relevant against the threat until Next Generation Air Dominance” arrives. Echoing Hunter, he then said “we’re looking to be able to take those that are the most combat-capable, keep them in the fight, and then leverage some of the resources for those that are going to be cost prohibitive and time prohibitive” to upgrade.

In 2021, the Air Force awarded Lockheed a nearly $11 billion, decade-long contract to modernize the fighter.

IMHO
With such a small pool of modern 5th gen air superiority aircraft, it is better to keep older F-22s around. Even the block 20s with their stealth and sensors could still offer more capability against a high end adversary than even the latest F-15EX by dint of being a VLO platform. Even minor software upgrades to its radar, sensors, and communications would make them more viable, they dont neccessarily need the full increment 3.2b kind of stuff. NGAD is still years away from reaching IOC and even further from FOC. Im sure they aer really pushing the developers to role out the NGAD out of it hanger and into the public by 2030, that doesnt mean that the F-22 needs to be put out to pasture once that happens. It could very well be that F-22s could remain in frontline service well into 2040 when USAF declares their NGAD at full operational capability. A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush.

[disconnectedradical]

Speaking later in the day, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin explained that the service is currently focused on keeping certain F-22s “viable and relevant against the threat until Next Generation Air Dominance” arrives. Echoing Hunter, he then said “we’re looking to be able to take those that are the most combat-capable, keep them in the fight, and then leverage some of the resources for those that are going to be cost prohibitive and time prohibitive” to upgrade.

I wonder what this statement means in terms of leveraging resources, because the new budget that was released for 2025 shows USAF still wants to retire the 32 Block 20 F-22s. One possibility is that they will be kept in flyable storage and can be later regenerated in the depot to keep up fleet numbers or be modified in a simpler way for things like aggressor trainer.

Ideally they are updated to the current Block 30/35 standards, but funding is always the issue here.

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/air ... 0-f22-f16/

[Corsair1963]

Air Force Plans to Divest 250 Aircraft in 2025, Shrinking Fleet to New Low

[...]

Some of the Air Force’s retirement plans are controversial: leaders are once more trying to retire 32 of their oldest F-22s, which they argue are no longer viable in combat. Instead, they want to fund “investments in F-22 sensor enhancements to more closely track and stay ahead of potential adversaries,” according to the Department of the Air Force’s budget request.

“Block 20 airframes lack many of the enhanced capabilities of the Block 30/35 jets,” an Air Force spokesperson said of the rationale. “Upgrading them to Block 30/35 is not feasible due to cost and time constraints.”

Congress has long balked at the prospect of retiring any models of what many see as the world’s best air superiority fighter and passed legislation prohibiting any such retirements until fiscal 2028. However, the Air Force has held firm in its desire to retire the old Block 20 aircraft—reducing the F-22 fleet from 185 to 153 aircraft—for several years.

“We’ll comply with the law, obviously, but we’re putting those F-22s back on the table in order to fit in the other things we think are higher priority,” Kendall said

[...]

Source: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-f ... leet-2025/

[mixelflick]

That's an interesting theory..

I wonder how much work is involved in returning a 5th gen aircraft in flyable storage to service? We see F-117's flying here and there long after their retirement.

It may be USAF themselves doesn't know yet. Seems to me they have enough problems keeping 'em flying already, never mind bringing them back to life so to speak. Although, I'm sure any mothballed F-22's would be kept in climate controlled hangars, special care would be taken etc. Much different than the current specs for aircraft that are stored for a possible return to service..

[charlielima223]

That's an interesting theory..

I wonder how much work is involved in returning a 5th gen aircraft in flyable storage to service? We see F-117's flying here and there long after their retirement.

It may be USAF themselves doesn't know yet. Seems to me they have enough problems keeping 'em flying already, never mind bringing them back to life so to speak. Although, I'm sure any mothballed F-22's would be kept in climate controlled hangars, special care would be taken etc. Much different than the current specs for aircraft that are stored for a possible return to service..

Most likely.

One thing to note is that unlike the F-117 the F-22 was designed to be more maintainer friendly and deployable. A lot of care and specialized hangers were made to accomodate the F-117. This is the primary reason why F-117s were retired back to Tonopah because their specialized hangers are located out there. I dont know how much of a higher level of care would be needed for the F-22 as compared to the F-117. Back in 2018 they were abe to take the oldest Raptor out of retirement and bring it back to full test flying status

https://www.aerospacetestinginternation ... skies.html

Besides as I said earlier, IMHO it would be far better to gives those block 20 Raptors at the school minor software and hardware upgrades to make them more modern than to retire them. They dont need the full increment 3.2b care package but definitely full link 16 comms and some sensor and weapons enhancements. Even if I was in top of the line F-15EX with AIM-260 or latest Tranche Typhoon with the latest CAPTOR E radar armed with Meteor; I still wouldnt want to go against a block 20 Raptor with a slightly upgraded APG-77 armed with AIM-120Cs.

[rowbeartoe]

First time I saw the Raptor to a pedal turn left then right. Impressive to me considering the F-22 vector thrusting is "only" up and down. All in all, an impressive demo from Travis AFB from March 16th, 2024.

[charlielima223]

I said it before and I'll say it again, I would take a modestly upgraded/updated block 20 F-22 over the latest F-15EX.

[charlielima223]

Already mentioned here...

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=59629&p=491701#p491701

Here is the full article...
https://www.twz.com/air/f-22-spotted-wi ... -irst-pods

[charlielima223]

Why spend billions over the course of 6 years just to retire it? A good read and comprehensive summary of the upgrades and enhancements the F-22 is getting.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-22- ... -unlikely/

The Air Force seems to be rethinking its plan to start retiring the F-22 around 2030, as its spending plans for the air dominance fighter go well beyond that date, according to the service’s fiscal 2025 budget request.

The Air Force’s planned F-22 budget through fiscal year 2029 includes $4.7 billion for procurement and $3.1 for research, development, test, and evaluation, for a total of $7.8 billion. While the RDT&E line closes out in FY29, procurement beyond that date—labeled “to completion” in budget documents—comes to $1.2 billion.
****
Pentagon officials agreed that, despite the urgency of the threat, it would be foolish to upgrade the F-22s at such expense and retire them a few months later. One said that the timing of the F-22’s retirement “hasn’t been decided … and it depends on progress with NGAD” and other factors.

Budget justification documents for the F-22 say that the procurement activities over the next five years will upgrade “the air vehicle, engine, Operational Flight Program (OFP), and training systems to improve F-22 weapons, communications, navigation, pilot-vehicle interface, and electronic warfare suite.”

Updates called out in the documents show the Air Force is giving the F-22 stealthy, range-extending drop tanks, infrared sensors, identification, friend-or-foe improvements, better Link 16 connectivity, software upgrades, and electronic warfare and navigation enhancements, as well as new weapons and hardware changes to make it more reliable and available.   
****
A sensor enhancement package for the F-22 includes IRST and possibly radar and other detection systems. Together, they will “improve the F-22’s sensing and tracking and ensures Air Superiority by preserving the first-look, first-shot and first-kill capabilities of the 142 Block 30/35 F-22 aircraft,” according to the justifications.

“The first 71 Sensor Enhancements Group A kits were purchased under F-22’s Rapid Fielding Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) program authority,” the Air Force said. The new sensors are slated for flight demonstration in FY24. A follow-on production decision is scheduled to follow closely.  Developmental Test and Evaluation is scheduled for the third quarter of FY25, and in the last quarter of FY26, Operational Test and Evaluation will begin.

The F-22 will remain as the US Military's premier air-to-air fighter for years to come. As I have remarked in the past, thr notion the F-22 will be retired by 2030 or even start by then is wrong.

[Corsair1963]

Why spend billions over the course of 6 years just to retire it? A good read and comprehensive summary of the upgrades and enhancements the F-22 is getting.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-22- ... -unlikely/

The Air Force seems to be rethinking its plan to start retiring the F-22 around 2030, as its spending plans for the air dominance fighter go well beyond that date, according to the service’s fiscal 2025 budget request.

The Air Force’s planned F-22 budget through fiscal year 2029 includes $4.7 billion for procurement and $3.1 for research, development, test, and evaluation, for a total of $7.8 billion. While the RDT&E line closes out in FY29, procurement beyond that date—labeled “to completion” in budget documents—comes to $1.2 billion.
****
Pentagon officials agreed that, despite the urgency of the threat, it would be foolish to upgrade the F-22s at such expense and retire them a few months later. One said that the timing of the F-22’s retirement “hasn’t been decided … and it depends on progress with NGAD” and other factors.

Budget justification documents for the F-22 say that the procurement activities over the next five years will upgrade “the air vehicle, engine, Operational Flight Program (OFP), and training systems to improve F-22 weapons, communications, navigation, pilot-vehicle interface, and electronic warfare suite.”

Updates called out in the documents show the Air Force is giving the F-22 stealthy, range-extending drop tanks, infrared sensors, identification, friend-or-foe improvements, better Link 16 connectivity, software upgrades, and electronic warfare and navigation enhancements, as well as new weapons and hardware changes to make it more reliable and available.   
****
A sensor enhancement package for the F-22 includes IRST and possibly radar and other detection systems. Together, they will “improve the F-22’s sensing and tracking and ensures Air Superiority by preserving the first-look, first-shot and first-kill capabilities of the 142 Block 30/35 F-22 aircraft,” according to the justifications.

“The first 71 Sensor Enhancements Group A kits were purchased under F-22’s Rapid Fielding Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) program authority,” the Air Force said. The new sensors are slated for flight demonstration in FY24. A follow-on production decision is scheduled to follow closely.  Developmental Test and Evaluation is scheduled for the third quarter of FY25, and in the last quarter of FY26, Operational Test and Evaluation will begin.

The F-22 will remain as the US Military's premier air-to-air fighter for years to come. As I have remarked in the past, thr notion the F-22 will be retired by 2030 or even start by then is wrong.

We will see come 2030 but I doubt it will be around more than a few more years....

"IMHO"

[Tiger05]

IMO the F-22 should be retained once NGAD comes online and not retired early. It would be nearly criminal to retire them when they would still have plenty of airframe life left. The F-22 can be flown safely without modifications to 12.000 hours (and possibly up to 15.000). F-22 nowadays have only used a fraction (about 1/5 or even less) of their projected airframe life... The F-22 can easily last until 2060 even without SLEP.

And with the major upgrades they are getting, i doubt that the F-22 will somehow be obsolete in the 2030s or even 2040s. When NGAD enters service, transfer the Raptors to the ANG and/or Reserve but do not send them to the 'boneyard'.

[darkmount]

So it looks like the USAF wants to keep the F22 as its premier air superiority fighter until at least 2030.

For an F22 fan, that is awesome, but as far as I know, the F35 has many advantages over the F22 that would make it superior in BVR, like better radar, EW, situational awareness, and even better and more sustained stealth.

That said, it's remarkable that despite all these advantages of the F35 over F22, the latter is still touted by the USAF as the air-air king.

[disconnectedradical]

We will see come 2030 but I doubt it will be around more than a few more years....

"IMHO"

So, even with USAF calling the F-22 a top priority and the bridge to NGAD, and spending $7.8 billion from 2025 to 2029, you think you know better and doubled down on your opinion.

[charlielima223]

So it looks like the USAF wants to keep the F22 as its premier air superiority fighter until at least 2030.

For an F22 fan, that is awesome, but as far as I know, the F35 has many advantages over the F22 that would make it superior in BVR, like better radar, EW, situational awareness, and even better and more sustained stealth.

That said, it's remarkable that despite all these advantages of the F35 over F22, the latter is still touted by the USAF as the air-air king.

F-22 supercruising at Mach 1.5 above 55000ft



F-35 with all its sensors cruising between mach 0.8 and mach 0.9 at 40000ft



We all know how that turned out...

All jokes aside. The FACT is that the F-35 with all its said advantages in capabilities was designed/required to be a multi-role aircraft. The F-22 on the other hand was not; it was designed/required to be that next generation air dominance fighter. I can take my AR-15 and stick a bunch of aftermarket modifications/upgrades on it to make it more precise and do more things but as much money as I spend or how hard I try, it just won't reach the levels of accuracy or capabilities of purpose built dedicated rifles or machine guns.

[wrightwing]

So it looks like the USAF wants to keep the F22 as its premier air superiority fighter until at least 2030.

For an F22 fan, that is awesome, but as far as I know, the F35 has many advantages over the F22 that would make it superior in BVR, like better radar, EW, situational awareness, and even better and more sustained stealth.

That said, it's remarkable that despite all these advantages of the F35 over F22, the latter is still touted by the USAF as the air-air king.

All of those systems on the F-22 are being upgraded, and the F-22 is getting JATM first. So it'll see further, empart greater kinematics, from higher altitudes, and with a longer ranged missile. Even with the same missiles, the F-22 can shoot them further. Flying 10-15k higher, and M.8+ faster, gives missiles much more reach.