The Raptor 2.0: Inside the F-22’s Mojave Desert Stealth Upgrades
New pictures have emerged of the upgraded F-22 Raptor. Aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton snapped the images of the F-22s flying above the Mojave Desert, near Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Per The War Zone, Hamilton “shared new pictures of the F-22 with the stealthy underwing fuel tanks and sensor pods, as well as the B-52 carrying the LRSOs, taken as they flew over the Mojave Desert.”
The pictures featured the planes lining up with a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker.
What’s in the Upgrades
TWZ provided some details about the new upgrades.
“When it comes to the new underwing stores for the F-22, these are capabilities that have been in development for years now,” The War Zone reported. “However, the Air Force and prime contractor Lockheed Martin have only recently begun to talk about them openly. The tanks and pods are part of a larger upgrade plan for the Air Force’s F-22 fleet, which Lockheed is also now referring to as ‘Raptor 2.0.’ The complete package also includes a new Infrared Defensive System (IRDS) integrated into the aircraft itself, as well as enhanced radar, electronic warfare, and other capabilities that you can read more about here.”
Earlier this year, TWZ discussed the upgrades, and specifically the tanks, with Katie Ciccarino, Vice President of the F-22 Program at Lockheed Martin, on the sidelines of the 2026 Warfare Symposium.
An F-22A Raptor sits in a hangar during a load competition on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 23, 2026. Load competitions test Airmen’s ability to safely and efficiently build munitions, strengthening readiness for real-world taskings. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Theodore Gowdy)
“So the way that I would describe it is, they are low-drag tanks. So the way you could interpret that is, they wouldn’t necessarily be required to punch [be jettisoned] to be in a combat scenario,” Ciccarino told the outlet. “They are [jettisonable] if you needed to be in a scenario where you had to, but the idea would be that you don’t have to, and you can perform any of the same maneuvers that you would on a clean wing with these tanks.”
The Air Force originally planned to deliver the new stealthy external fuel tanks to F-22 squadrons this month. But according to TWZ, it will take longer.
“In its annual budget request last year, the service said it was “closing out technical discrepancies under EMD [engineering and manufacturing development phase] contract to integrate [a] fix prior to RAA [required asset available] delivery,” but did not elaborate,” TWZ reported. “At that time, the Air Force said it expected to begin operational testing of the tanks in the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2025, which ended on September 30 of last year.”
What is the F-22?
According to the U.S. Air Force, “The F-22 Raptor is combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, coupled with improved supportability, represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities. The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions allowing full realization of operational concepts vital to the 21st century Air Force.”
The Raptor, the Air Force says, “cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.”
Military.com reported in February that F-22 Raptors had been scheduled to participate in this year’s pre-Super Bowl flyover, but that they were pulled due to “operations.” The silhouette of the F-22 remained on the official commemorative flight suit patch.
“We wanted 5th-generation aircraft from the Air Force and 5th-generation aircraft from the Navy,” Katie Spencer, the Sports Outreach Program manager for the Department of the Air Force, told the Military Times before the game. “But as things happen in our military, you know, operational tempo has increased, and so the F-22s got pulled for some operational assignments.”
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)
Raptors in Epic Fury
Some F-22 Raptors are participating in Operation Epic Fury, the current U.S. military campaign in Iran.
On February 24, just before the current campaign started, the New York Times reported that the United States had sent a group of F-22 Raptor jets to Israel as part of the large military buildup that took place before the campaign.
“Flight tracking data and videos show what appears to be the first known deployment of this type of aircraft, one of the most advanced U.S. fighter jets, during the escalating tensions with Iran. Videos and photos captured by plane spotters show a dozen F-22s taking off from their temporary station in Britain,” the Times reported.
The jets had been in Britain. F-22s also played a role in Operation Midnight Hammer, last summer’s bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The low-observable capabilities of the F-35s, F-22s and B-2s, combined with intelligence, cyber operations, and tactics, protected the strike package,” the 388th Fighter Wing said in a statement after that operation.
As for the delivery of the F-22s to Israel, “it indicates preparation for a more aggressive stance toward Iran and potential cooperation with Israel in an attack,” Lieutenant General David A. Deptula, a retired Air Force officer and the dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told the Times before the operation started. “It signals that the U.S. is serious about attacking if Iran does not agree to U.S. terms.”
A P-51D Mustang and F-22 Raptor participate in a traditional “Heritage Flight” during the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 24, 2022. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, “Marines Fight, Evolve and Win,” reflects the Marine Corps’ ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Adam Bowles)
Once the Iran war began, U.S. Central Command issued a list of the aircraft, including the F-22, that participated in the first 24 hours.
According to Business Insider, “US Central Command said forces involved in Operation Epic Fury struck over 1,000 Iranian targets with destroyer-launched Tomahawks, stealth B-2 Spirit bombers armed with 2,000-pound bombs, and US-made drones modeled after Iranian Shaheds, among other assets and munitions. It called the drones ‘American-made retribution’ as the US struck Iran with a weapon Tehran designed.”
“Beyond the B-2 bombers, the list of aircraft includes fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor, as well as a mix of attack aircraft and fourth-gen fighters,” Business Insider added.
19FortyFive analyst Jack Buckby wrote in early March about how the B-2 Spirit and F-22 Raptor helped decapitate Iran’s air defenses in the early hours of the military campaign.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
