The message is clear: The F-22 is a rare fighter because of questionable calls on the production of the warplane. Now, the Air Force only has a fraction of the F-22 Raptors it needs.
Years ago, there was a passionate push to restart the F-22 Raptor fighter production line, an effort ultimately abandoned due to cost concerns. The interest in restarting the program emerged from the recognition that the program was cut way too early and way too short.
The Great F-22 Raptor Mistake That Won’t Ever Be Solved
The US Air Force operates 185 F-22s, a fraction of the initially planned number. The end of the Cold War seems to have generated a fair amount of short-term thinking, as it resulted in the collapse of a number of highly critical and promising platforms, such as the B-2 bomber, F-22 fighter, and Seawolf submarine.
The B-2 fleet size was decreased to merely 20 airframes, and of course, F-22 production was canceled after only a small portion of the anticipated fleet was built. The US Navy Seawolf was entirely abandoned after three boats.
In recent years, many Pentagon weapons developers and defense experts have come to lament these prior decisions, wondering if those responsible for such determinations lived with concern and regret.
The Cold War ended, and Russia was much less of a threat to the country, yet the threat equation was a mere snapshot in time, a brief window when the US did not appear to have a great-power threat. However, any student of history or geopolitical expert could easily have embraced a much more accurate, longer-term worldview based on trends and future predictions.
US-Only F-22 Raptor Fighter?
Neither the B-2 nor the F-22 were made available for foreign sales, which may have significantly impacted the scope and potential future of the programs. In the case of the F-22, the Pentagon made the determination that it would not be available for any foreign sales, even in a scaled-back export variant.
US military decision-makers may have believed the F-22 was built with such a unique and unprecedented mix of advanced technologies that it simply should not be shared with any allies in any capacity. Sure enough, many expert observers argue that the F-22 remains the best and most superior air dominance platform the world has ever seen. Perhaps the F-22 incorporates additional air-war capabilities beyond those discussed publicly.
This air dominance may be the case, given that the F-22 has remained US-only.
F-22 & Air Supremacy
F-22 specs state the Raptor can hit Mach 2.25, a speed placing the aircraft in a very small, elite group of high-speed fighters, including the US F-15 Eagle, F-14 Tomcat, and several Russian aircraft such as the Su-27, Su-35, MiG-31, and MiG-25.
The MiG-31 and MIG-25 are listed as capable of hitting Mach 2.83 speeds. However, they are not stealthy and potentially less agile. Generating thrust without incorporating stealth properties is easier, and the Russian MiGs are heavier planes likely to be much less nimble than an F-22.
Apart from speed, arguably the most considerable F-22 advantage may pertain to its impressive thrust-to-weight ratio, meaning its speed, propulsion, and engine thrust are very high and effective due to the F-22’s lighter weight. Simply put, the F-22 Raptor operates with unparalleled aerial maneuverability and dogfighting capability, making it perhaps alone in the world as an air-to-air combat platform.
Unlike the F-35, which has reached 19 countries, the F-22 has gone nowhere. Would the program have had a vastly different outcome if the F-22 had been made available for foreign sales?
The answer is likely yes, as allied participation in the Raptor program would undoubtedly have massively expanded aircraft production and likely inspired the US to build higher numbers of the Raptor.
It would likely have had an experience similar to the F-35, which could spread like wildfire across the free world once pilots and allied militaries experienced the aircraft. The other aspect of scaling production is massively lowering costs, which may have enabled US and allied customers to order larger aircraft through lot or block buys.
F-22 Raptor Photo Essay
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. – F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing sit in position on the runway during 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)
Aircraft from the 1st Fighter Wing conducted an Elephant Walk at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Jan. 31, 2025, showcasing the wing’s readiness and operational agility. This demonstration highlighted the wing’s capability to mobilize forces rapidly in high-stress scenarios. The wing’s fleet includes F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talons. As Air Combat Command’s lead wing, the 1 FW maintains unparalleled combat readiness to ensure national defense at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Matthew Coleman-Foster)
Maj. Philip “Stonewall” Johnson, 514th Flight Test Squadron F-22 test pilot, sits in the last F-22 Raptor to complete the F-22 Structural Repair Program Nov. 24, 2020, prior to performing a functional check flight with the aircraft at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The 574th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron processed 135 F-22s through the program by performing structural modifications to increase total flying hour serviceability on each aircraft by 8,000 hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alex R. Lloyd)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Paul Lopez, F-22 Demo Team commander, pulls into the vertical during the Battle Creek Field of Flight air show July 7, 2019. Maj. Lopez has over 1,500 hours flying both the F-15 Eagle and the F-22 Raptor and is in his second year as the commander of the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Samuel Eckholm).
U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Fernando Llama, F-22 Demo Team avionics specialist, preforms an engine run to check all aircraft systems are good-to-go for the 2022 FIDAE Air & Trade Show, April 3, 2022 in Santiago, Chile. Avionics specialists like Llama are responsible for the maintenance of the onboard flight computers, integrated avionics, and many electrical systems and components. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Don Hudson)
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 3rd Wing takes off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Nov 21., 2023. The F-22 Raptor is a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, and is designed to project dominance rapidly and at a great distance to defeat threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Peña)
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
