The F-22 Raptor Is Getting New Stealth Tanks and Targeting Pods
Aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton has captured the closest photographs yet of an F-22A Raptor flying with both stealthy external fuel tanks and stealthy equipment pods, providing the clearest view to date of upgrades that address two longstanding limitations of the aircraft. The F-22 was photographed refueling from an Edwards Air Force Base NKC-135R Stratotanker and carried visible reference marks across the airframe indicating it remains in active test configuration.
Check out the full Raptor accessory line, just in time for Summer 🙌 #F22 #F22raptor pic.twitter.com/ml7cN6W7ki
— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) March 21, 2026
What the Pods Are
The two equipment pods are identical in shape but differ in one significant detail. Only one appears to have a transparent aperture at the front consistent with an infrared search and track system or other optical targeting capability. The F-22 was originally designed with an integrated IRST system similar to the F-35’s Electro-Optical Targeting System but the capability was canceled during development for budget reasons. The result is an aircraft that currently has no way to optically scan for or designate its own targets, relying instead on GPS-guided munitions or external targeting support.
The pods may provide additional capabilities beyond infrared search. Electronic warfare functions and networking for collaborative combat aircraft operations are both possible given the pod geometry. Only one pod appears to carry the optical system, leaving the function of the second pod less clear from the photographs alone.
What the Tanks Address
The F-22’s existing drop tanks were designed primarily for ferry flights rather than combat operations. They carry no stealth features. When jettisoned both the tank and pylon can be ejected from the aircraft, which reduces radar cross-section but leaves the mounting points exposed, keeping the aircraft short of its clean stealth configuration. The new stealthy tanks address this by reducing the radar signature penalty associated with carrying external fuel.
Legacy fighters including the F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 almost always fly with external fuel tanks. The F-22 nearly always flies combat missions clean despite having a longer combat radius on internal fuel than those aircraft. Additional range provides mission planners flexibility that the current configuration does not offer, particularly for the kind of long-range strike and combat air patrol missions being conducted over Iran in Operation Epic Fury.
Development Timeline and Current Context
The stealthy tank and pod combination was first observed together in flight as far back as March 2024. The pace of testing appears to be increasing. Hamilton’s latest photographs provide significantly more detail than any previous imagery and the aircraft continues flying from Edwards under test squadron support.
Model of the F-22 Raptor with LO drop tanks and IRST pods at the AFA Warfare Symposium pic.twitter.com/lcqhHL7kWI
— Alex Hollings (@AlexHollings52) February 23, 2026
The increased operational demands placed on US air power under the current administration’s foreign policy posture may be accelerating the development timeline. F-22 Raptors are currently participating in Operation Epic Fury and the targeting and range capabilities these upgrades provide would have direct operational value in that environment.
