In recent years, many observers of American air power have expressed their disappointment over the planned early retirement of the Raptor, which is set to occur less than 30 years after its first deployment. This has come as a surprise to some, given that modern American fighters such as the Lockheed Martin F-16 and Boeing F-15 are capable of flying for 40 years or more with upgrades.
However, it seems that the Air Force is eager to replace its best fighter with a new model that is better suited for future conflicts. In particular, there are concerns about how US forces will fare in a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan in the vast western Pacific Ocean.
To address these concerns, the Air Force has been working on developing a new warplane to replace the F-22. The $300-million-a-copy F-22 had a long development process, originating from the Advanced Tactical Fighter initiative in the 1980s and first flying in demonstrator form in 1990. It was completed in development by 2005 and deployed to Japan in 2006, where it remains operational today. However, production of just 195 planes was finished in 2012 and it engaged in combat for the first time during the air campaign against Islamic State in 2014 before being deployed to both Pacific region and Europe to deter China and Russia respectively.
Despite its advanced design and exceptional performance, it’s worth noting that at its core, the F-22 is essentially a Cold War jet designed by Lockheed to confront Soviet forces from bases in Europe. As such, its limited endurance of only about 600 miles on internal fuel was not an issue back then but may become one now as we face new threats beyond our borders.