The F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Is Getting So Many Upgrades It Will Now Fly Until 2060

Key Points and Summary – The U.S. Air Force intends to keep the F-22 Raptor operational into the 2060s, relying on continuous upgrades to maintain its status as the world’s premier air-dominance fighter.

-With enhancements to its stealth coatings, avionics, and software—including the critical 3.2b weapons upgrade—the Raptor remains capable of outmatching advanced threats like China’s J-20.

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, flown by Capt. Samuel “Razz” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team pilot, deploys flares over the Gulf of Mexico during the 2024 Gulf Coast Salute Air Show at Panama City Beach, Florida, May 4. The F-22’s unique combination of stealth, speed, agility and situational awareness, combined with lethal long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry, makes it one of the most advanced fighters in the world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stefan Alvarez)

A Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptor pulls away from a KC-135 Stratotanker after receiving fuel April 21, 2021, near Oahu, Hawaii. The fifth-generation aircraft, operated by Airmen from the 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons, integrated with a Royal Australian Air Force command-and-control aircraft during exercise Pacific Edge 21. The exercise was held to enhance air-combat proficiencies through the integration of allied units and further the interoperability between the two countries’ aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. John Linzmeier)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Josh Gunderson, F-22 Demo Team pilot and commander, pulls into a vertical climb during the Thunder Over New Hampshire Airshow, Sept. 12, 2021, at Portsmouth International Airport, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The F-22 Raptor’s two Pratt and Whitney F119 Turbofan engines bring a combined 70,000 pounds of thrust, allowing the aircraft to takeoff straight into the vertical. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Don Hudson)

-Pentagon officials argue that retaining the full F-22 fleet is essential to prevent a dangerous airpower deficit while the military waits for future sixth-generation platforms to arrive in sufficient numbers.

Flying Into the 2060s: Why the Air Force Refuses to Retire the ‘Upgradeable’ F-22 Raptor

The U.S. Air Force intends to fly the F-22 well into the 2050s and 2060s. Such extended service is possible because the Raptor has proven to be continually upgradeable.

Today’s F-22 is an almost entirely different aircraft from that which first took flight nearly 30 years ago; it has received new avionics, sensors, software, coating materials, and weapons.

The F-22’s Mach 2.25 speed and superior thrust-to-weight ratio enable the aircraft to vector and maneuver in flight, which contributes to its ability to prevail in air-to-air engagements and secure air superiority.

The F-22 may still be the best air-dominance platform the world has ever seen.

It would likely prevail against high-speed Russian Su-27s and Su-57s and could outmatch the Chinese fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon.

F-22s Counter China

Aside from pure capabilities, there are other reasons the Pentagon should sustain the F-22 for as long as possible, and these are related to production.

It may take several years for the future F-47 and F/A-XX to be delivered in sufficient numbers, like the F-35 has been, but the potential for great power conflict means the Air Force must be ready to mass fifth- and sixth-generation airpower.

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) operates roughly 300 J-20 stealth jets and is fast-tracking the J-35, as well as two new sixth-generation aircraft about which little is known.

China is well known for the civil-military fusion of its technological development, as well as its ability to accelerate platform production very quickly.

Therefore, retiring the F-22 not only would remove crucial capabilities but would also leave the Air Force with a potential airpower deficit relative to the PLAAF. 

Keep Entire F-22 Fleet

These are just a few of the reasons the Pentagon wants to fully upgrade the Air Force’s entire fleet of F-22s, including older airframes. 

Thanks to some structural maintenance and reinforcements, the airframes of the F-22s have remained viable.

Many of the F-22’s core attributes have withstood the test of time, as its speed, stealth, and aerial maneuverability make it hard for even advanced modern air defenses to track.

The F-22’s supercruise enables the aircraft to maintain mach-speeds without needing an afterburner.

F-22 Upgrades

Upgrades to the Raptor have been going on for years and have arrived in successive waves.

Lockheed Martin has embarked upon several efforts in recent years to maintain, reinforce, and upgrade the aircraft’s stealth coating.

Nearly 10 years ago, Lockheed and the Air Force implemented a massive, fleet-wide weapons-oriented software upgrade to the Raptor called 3.2b. 

The 3.2b software effort greatly expanded the capabilities of the F-22’s AIM-9X and AIM 120D air-to-air missiles.

Range, fire control, targeting precision, and anti-jam hardening were among the vital software upgrades that massively improved the capabilities of the Raptor’s weapons.

These upgrades have now been operational across the fleet for many years.

First Shot – First Kill 

The Raptor is associated with the famous phrase “first shot, first kill:” Its stealth and speed position it to deliver crippling, effective first strikes.

Speed of deployment is also critical for the Raptor, which is why the Air Force pioneered and maintained a “Rapid Raptor” program to ensure the F-22 could arrive and attack any location worldwide within 24 hours.

F-22 Raptor Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor performs an aerial demonstration during Altus airshow at Altus Air Force Base, Nevada, April 12, 2025. Aviation Nation is an airshow held at Nellis Air Force Base, showcasing the pride, precision and capabilities of the U.S. Air Force through aerial demonstrations and static displays. The F-22 Raptor performed there to highlight its unmatched agility and air dominance as part of the Air Force’s efforts to inspire, recruit and connect with the public. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Cobin)

An F-22 Raptor aircraft takes off from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Aug. 8, 2024. The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for air dominance, with capabilities in precision attack, advanced avionics, and unparalleled maneuverability. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Pagan) Screenshot

This was accomplished by ensuring that F-22s and their necessary supplies and maintainers were strategically positioned worldwide.

In more recent years, the F-22 Raptor has dramatically improved its ability to share data with the F-35 using two-way LINK 16 functionality.

Previously, datalink connectivity was limited to one-way communication, but the Air Force upgraded this capability in recent years.

Furthermore, the F-22 has received a greatly enhanced Advanced Electronically Scanned Array radar capable of tracking multiple targets and threat trajectories simultaneously.

About the Author: U.S. Air Force Expert Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is 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