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    HomeMilitaryF-22 Raptor: Pivotal in U.S. Air Superiority as Bridge to Next-Gen NGAD

    F-22 Raptor: Pivotal in U.S. Air Superiority as Bridge to Next-Gen NGAD

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    Two F-22 Raptors in high attitude above the clouds
    Two F-22 Raptors in high attitude above the clouds

    In a strategic gambit to maintain air dominance, the United States Air Force is laying out plans to modernize its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors, bolstering the “foundation” of American airpower amid intensifying competition.

    Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions and technological advancements, the F-22 is seen as a critical asset to be preserved until the advent of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.

    Andrew P. Hunter, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, delineated the F-22’s central role in ensuring U.S. air superiority.

    Two F-22 Raptors fly over the Pacific Ocean after a refueling mission March 9, 2009. The Raptors are deployed from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. During their deployment, the stealth fighters, along with associated maintenance and support personnel, will participate in various exercises that provide routine training in an environment different from their home station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald/Released)

    “I’d probably put F-22 at the top,” Hunter stated regarding his near-term priorities for great power competition.

    Recognizing the Raptor’s “critical capability,” the Air Force has decided to reallocate funds from retiring older Block 20 jets towards the development of the NGAD system, a cutting-edge endeavor that promises to usher in sixth-generation fighter capabilities, complete with a fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs).

    080921-N-4469F-017 VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Sept. 21, 2008) An F-22 Raptor shows the crowd how it remains stealthy while carrying weapons in flight by cycling it’s weapons bay doors during the 50th Anniversary Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show. The three-day event marked 50 years of air shows at NAS Oceana and included performances by the Navy’s flight demonstration team the Blue Angels and the Navy’s parachute jump team, the Leap Frogs, as well as a variety of aerial demonstrations and static displays of military and civilian aircraft. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Edward I. Fagg/Released)

    The NGAD program, set to run up a bill of around $28.5 billion between fiscal years 2025-2029, is poised to be a game-changer, featuring over a thousand CCAs to augment the new airframe’s combat efficacy.

    An F-22 Raptor soars through the air July 1, 2010, on its way home to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The first two F-22s, the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet, were dedicated July 9, 2010, at a ceremony here. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Gustavo Gonzalez)

    Secretary Frank Kendall revealed the service’s ambition to have these CCAs combat-ready by 2028.

    FILE PHOTO — The F-22 is an air-superiority fighter with improved capability over current Air Force aircraft. From the inception of the battle, the F-22’s primary objective will be to establish air superiority through the conduct of counter air operations. The F-22 also has an inherent air-to-surface capability. A combination of improved sensor capability, improved situational awareness, and improved weapons provides first-kill opportunity against the threat. (U.S. Air Force photo)

    Amid these future-focused plans, the Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin underscored the ongoing necessity of keeping the F-22 fleet “viable and relevant against the threat until Next Generation Air Dominance enters service.”

    Reports indicate that the Air Force is set to invest over $9 billion in upgrading the existing fleet of F-22 Raptors by the end of the decade.

    The upgrades will involve the integration of stealthy external fuel tanks for enhanced range, new sensors, and internal pods, as well as enhancements to the fighters’ stealth features.

    These improvements are critical to ensure that the Raptor remains the tip of the spear in air-to-air confrontations, particularly against sophisticated threats from adversaries.

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

    The documents list updates in which the Air Force plans to outfit the F-22 with stealthy, range-extending drop tanks, infrared sensors, enhancements in identification, friend-or-foe systems, improved Link 16 connectivity, software upgrades, electronic warfare and navigation improvements, as well as new weapons and hardware modifications to enhance reliability and availability.

    The Air Force appears to be reconsidering its decision to begin phasing out the F-22 around 2030, as evidenced by its budget projections for the air dominance fighter extending well beyond that timeframe, as outlined in the service’s fiscal 2025 budget request.

    An F-22 Raptor flies over Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 23 on a routine training mission. The F-22 is deployed from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway)

    The budget includes substantial investments in research, development, test, and evaluation, with procurement set to continue “to completion,” signaling that retirement of the F-22 around 2030 is increasingly unlikely.

    Relevant articles:
    F-22 Raptor: The Fighter Jet the Air Force Needs Until NGAD Flies, The National Interest
    NGAD 6th Generation Fighter Will Replace F-22 Raptor. It Won’t Come Cheap, nationalinterest.org
    F-22 Retirement in 2030 Unlikely as USAF Looks to Spend $7.8 Billion on It Before Then, Air & Space Forces Magazine
    NGAD Means the F-22 Raptor Fighter Must Fly Into the History Books, The National Interest

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