What You Need to Know: The Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor, the U.S. Air Force’s premier stealth fighter, exceeds all near-peer airframes in capabilities like stealth, supercruise, and supermaneuverability. However, it was never adapted for carrier operations due to budget and technical constraints under the Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) program.

-Although Congress had initially pushed for a carrier-compatible FB-22 bomber, the design’s limited combat radius, costly sweep-wing configuration, and limited internal bomb capacity prevented its development.

-Despite its costly upkeep and small fleet, the F-22 remains a significant deterrent against U.S. adversaries, but plans to retire older models face resistance.

Since its inception, the Lockheed-Martin F-22 “Raptor” has exceeded every near-peer airframe.

As the planet’s premier operational jet – combining stealth, supercruise, supermaneuverability, and sensor fusion in a single airframe – the Raptor remains one of the U.S. platforms that rival militaries fear the most.

However, there is one thing the world’s most capable air-superiority stealth fighter cannot do: fly from a carrier.

The single-seat, twin-engine tactical fighter jet entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 2005,........

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