The F-22 is getting a massive upgrade to stay deadly for years to come

The F-22 Raptor has got to be one of the most capable air superiority fighter in the world. However, an abbreviated production run doomed the Raptor to a short service life, skyrocketing service costs and ensuring the US couldn’t replace airframes as they age out of service. 

It will take years for the US to have enough sixth generation jets to replace the aging Raptor fleet, so they’ve been trying to upgrade the F-22 Raptor that roughly amounts to $13 billion.

Background

The F-22 Raptor may be a supremely capable fighter, but because its production run was cancelled, it was always doomed to an early retirement. 

Today’s Raptors are considered an endangered species – the 150 or so combat-capable F-22s in service are all the Raptors the world will ever see. China’s rapidly growing stealth fighter fleet is now outnumbering America’s flock of Raptors. 

Lacking Vital Capability

New counter-stealth technologies such as infrared search and track targeting are becoming increasingly common not just in fifth generation fighters, but with fourth generations jets as well. 

These systems let fighters detect and target even stealth aircraft that don’t appear on radar screens using nothing more than their heat signature alone. This technology was fairly new when the Raptor program opted to omit it from production. Today, however, the F-22 is the only fifth generation fighter that lacks this vital capability. 

Upgrades

A lot of details on upgrades are still classified, but through budget documents and media interviews, we’re having a pretty clear picture of these capabilities. On the renders released by the US Air Force, it looks like the Raptor’s upgrade program developed stealthy underwing pods to house advanced new systems and new electronic warfare capabilities. 

A low drag tank and pylon program is also being developed to field stealthy fuel tanks to replace the F-22’s existing non-stealth drop tanks. These angular new fuel tanks allow a more substantial increase in the plane’s combat radius without compromising its stealth.

Finally, Lockheed Martin’s A260 joint advanced tactical missile is being added as a potent upgrade to the Raptor’s long-range combat power.