Summary and Key Points: Senior Defense Editor Christian D. Orr re-evaluates the controversial 2012 Red Flag Alaska exercise, where German Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons achieved notional kills against USAF F-22 Raptors.
-Orr explains that these victories occurred within the “merge” (Within Visual Range) under rules that neutered the Raptor’s stealth and situational awareness.
-Contrasting this with Operation Epic Fury in March 2026, he cites the first-ever manned kill by an F-35I Adir, which downed an Iranian Yak-130 over Tehran.
-This real-world engagement reinforces that 5th-generation platforms dictate combat long before 4.5-generation adversaries can react.
Raptor Goes Down: Air Force F-22 Raptor Was ‘Shot Down’ by a German Eurofighter Typhoon
In professional boxing, the question of whether a good little man can beat a good big man is usually answered with a no; Michael Spinks’s knocking out Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title in September 1985 was the exception, not the rule, and Spinks then lost the title to Mike Tyson quickly and embarrassingly shortly thereafter.
Yes, I know, Rocky Balboa pulled off the feat regularly, but that’s Hollywood hokum for ya, just like Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo character (though the latter certainly did help immortalize the M60 machine gun via iconic imagery).
So then, going from boxing to a far deadlier form of fighting—and thus going with another dreaded sports-to-military analogy—we have the question of whether a 4th Generation non-stealth jet fighter can beat a 5th Generation stealth fighter jet in air-to-air combat.
Thus far, we have only one real-world example, in which the answer was a resounding “H—, no!” (More on this in a bit.)
But in combat training exercises, there have been exceptional cases in which the proverbial “good little man” Gen 4 fighter pilot has defeated the proverbial “good big man” Gen 5 fighter jock.
In one well-publicized incident, 4.5 Generation Eurofighter Typhoons “killed” several Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors.
But what to make of those Typhoons’ victories? Is it as truly Earth-shattering as the F-22’s many detractors make it out to be, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor from 94th Fighter Squadron Langley Air Force Base, Va., takes off to perform an aerial demonstration for an estimated 180,000 spectators at the Australian International Airshow, March 2, 2013 at Avalon Airport in Geelong, Australia. The F-22 demo team are currently deployed to the 18th Fighter Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan to support pacific theater operations. This is the first official demonstration of the F-22 Raptors capabilities at an airshow outside the United States. The Australian International Airshow 2013 (AIA13), is held biennially, and is one of the largest international trade shows in the Pacific. The Airshow is expected to draw 350,000 visitors and has featured 500 defense exhibitors from 35 countries and is designed to bolster business opportunities in the international aviation sector. U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) participation in AIA13 directly supports theater engagement goals and objectives and further enhances relationships with other Pacific nations. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth/Released)
An F-22 Raptor flies over Alaska terrain after refueling Jan. 5, 2013. The F-22 is assigned to the 3rd Wing and flown by a Reserve pilot assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)
U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors, E-3 Sentrys, C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130J Herculeses and C-12F Hurons participate in a close formation taxi known as an elephant walk at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 5, 2020. This event displayed the ability of the 3rd Wing, 176th Wing and the 477th Fighter Group to maintain constant readiness throughout COVID-19 by Total Force Integration between active-duty, Guard and Reserve units to continue defending the U.S. homeland and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonathan Valdes Montijo)
F-22 Raptor. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Scoop
The incident took place during the 2012 iteration of the RED-FLAG Alaska exercises, which, as described by the Eielson Air Force Base info page, “is a joint/coalition, tactical air combat employment exercise which corresponds to the operational capability of participating units.
In other words, exercises often involve several units whose military mission may differ significantly from those of other participating units.”
Therein, German Luftwaffe pilots flying Eurofighters attained multiple notional kills against their U.S. Air Force counterparts flying F-22s.
Die Deutschlander drivers utilized high-G maneuvers and a superior thrust-to-weight ratio to exploit the within-visual-range (WVR) “merge” to negate the Raptor’s low-observable advantage.
It was a shocker for the Americans, and a major source of bragging rights for the Germans, who went so far as to paint F-22 kill markings on their fuselages after telling the press that they had “Raptor salad for lunch.”
Deeper Dive on F-22 vs. Eurofighter Typhoon Drill
But beyond the boasting and braggadocio, what did all these really mean? Was it an indicator that either (A) 5th Generation stealth technology was overrated and/or (B) Western European aerospace technology was superior to American aerospace technology?
Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Pair. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors assigned to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron conduct a two-ship formation during the NATO Air Shielding media day, Oct. 12, 2022 at Łask Air Base, Poland. The Raptors uphold the Air Shielding mission alongside Polish F-16s and Italian Eurofighter Typhoons. The event showcased the importance of NATO’s Air Shielding mission and the interoperability among the U.S. and NATO Allies to international media through trilateral aerial demonstrations and interviews with service members. The U.S. remains dedicated to our security commitments with our NATO Alliance and postured to defend NATO territory. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Danielle Sukhlall)
Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft NATO. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Eurofighter Typhoon. Image Created by Ideogram.
Well, in the words of iconic former ESPN College GameDay analyst Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend.”
The ever-savvy Alex Hollings of Sandboxx News adds some proper perspective and context in a February 11, 2026, article titled “WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WHEN F-22 RAPTORS SQUARED OFF AGAINST THE EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON?”
To wit:
“Most importantly, they occurred within visual range with a number of reports stating that the Raptor was carrying stealth (and aerobatics) hindering external fuel tanks…This distinction is essential because it means the fighting began under a forced pretense that effectively neutered the Raptor’s greatest strength: its ability to use stealth and situational awareness to dictate how an engagement begins and, if the reports of fuel tanks are true, its aerobatic maneuverability … In real life, F-22 pilots would almost certainly be aware of the Typhoon before the Typhoon was aware of it, allowing the Raptor to put itself into an advantageous position before the fighting began (or simply taking out the Typhoon from beyond visual range). And it goes without saying that no pilot would dogfight for their lives with external fuel tanks still hanging from their wings.” [emphasis original]
Hmm, definitely sheds some additional light on the subject, jawohl?
And since we started this article with a boxing analogy, we now roll with Alex’s scholastic wrestling analogy:
“Starting in a defensive (or disadvantaged) position, on the other hand, is when one wrestler begins the period on their hands and knees, with their opponent next to them on one knee with an arm over their back (the advantage). In the case of these specific exercises, the F-22 played the role of the disadvantaged wrestler starting from its knees – playing to the Eurofighter’s strengths, rather than its own.”
Meanwhile, Back in the Real World …
Going back to that lone real-world example of a Gen 4 vs Gen 5 fight we mentioned earlier, it happened in the first week of Operation Roaring Lion, AKA Operation Epic Fury.
And, not surprisingly at all, the scoreboard as of today reads: Gen 5 Stealth 1, Gen 4 Non-Stealth 0. As reported by Thomas Newdick of The War Zone (TWZ) on March 4, 2026, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35I Adir (“Mighty One”) made short work (kinda like the Tyson-Spinks fight) of an Iranian Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer over Tehran.
And oh yeah, one other thing: the Germans certainly aren’t stealth skeptics as a result of that 2012 Red Flag exercise; in fact, they’re in the process of buying F-35s!
Perspective, jawohl?
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (with a concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He is also the author of the newly published book “Five Decades of a Fabulous Firearm: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beretta 92 Pistol Series.”
