Video: The Air Force wants to push the F-22 further

The U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor is the best fighter jet in air superiority missions in the world. The first stealth fighter jet to take to the skies, the F-22 Raptor is at the forefront of America’s air power.

The aircraft is set to be replaced by the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft. However, concerns about the NGAD’s cost – it could come with a price tag of $300 million per aircraft – have raised questions about the viability of the program.

If it doesn’t go forward or if it gets delayed, the F-22 Raptor would need to ensure America’s air superiority edge.

“With the future of America’s next air superiority fighter now in question, America’s king of the skies, the F-22 Raptor, is set to extend its reign well into the 2030s, thanks to a slew of upgrades already underway –and the list keeps getting longer, with some $10.9 billion allocated to improving the Raptor fleet by 2031,” Allex Hollings, Sandboxx New’s Editor-in-Chief and host of AirPower on YouTube, said in a recent video.

However, the U.S. Air Force has only 150 F-22 Raptor fighter jets in active service, and the upgrades might not be enough for America to maintain air superiority in the event of a near-peer conflict with China or Russia.

If you want to learn about the capabilities of the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet and its upcoming upgrades, watch Sandboxx New’s recent episode of AirPower on YouTube today.

Feature Image: An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 525th Fighter Squadron takes off at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 27, 2023. The F-22 is a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, and is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances to defeat threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)