The F-22 Raptor, still the world's stealthiest fighter, faces retirement as production line stays closed

Key facts

• The F-22 Raptor is 15 times stealthier than the F-35 and 100 times stealthier than China's J-20.
• Only 195 F-22s were built, far below the original plan of 750.
• Production line shut down in 2009 due to changed strategic priorities.
• The F-47 NGAD, a sixth-generation fighter, is in limited production and will replace the F-22 within a decade.
• Boeing secured a contract worth over $20 billion to develop the F-47 NGAD.
• F-22 operating costs are high due to small fleet size and older stealth materials.
• The F-22 cannot be retrofitted with the F-35's more durable stealth materials without replacing composite panels.

A Cold War marvel now facing obsolescence

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, the most advanced air superiority fighter ever built, is approaching the end of its service life. Designed during the Cold War to counter Soviet fighter jets and air defenses, the Raptor remains the stealthiest aircraft in the world—15 times stealthier than the F-35 and 100 times stealthier than China's J-20. Yet the U.S. Air Force plans to retire the fleet sooner rather than later, citing high operating costs and technological obsolescence.

Why the production line closed after just 195 jets

The Air Force originally intended to buy 750 F-22s, but the end of the Cold War and the shift to counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan changed priorities. By 2009, the threat of massed Soviet fighter formations had evaporated, and the Raptor's lack of ground-attack capability made it less useful for the wars the U.S. was fighting. Congress also pushed to prevent the export of the Raptor's sensitive technologies, further limiting production. The tooling was destroyed, making it impossible to build more without a costly restart.

High costs and aging materials strain the fleet

At roughly $140 million per jet, the F-22 is extremely expensive to build and maintain. The small fleet of 186 operational aircraft (plus 9 test and training airframes) lacks economies of scale, driving up logistics and supply chain costs. The Raptor uses older stealth materials that require more maintenance than the F-35's advanced coatings. Retrofitting the entire fleet with the F-35's more durable material stack would require replacing every composite panel, a prohibitively expensive and time-consuming process.

The F-47 NGAD: a sixth-generation replacement

In early 2024, then-President Donald Trump confirmed that Boeing had won a contract worth over $20 billion to develop the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. The sixth-generation stealth aircraft has been flying in secret for five years and is slated to replace the F-22 within the next decade. Trump stated, "The F-47 will be the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built. America's enemies will never see it coming." The F-47 will feature state-of-the-art stealth, engines capable of exceeding Mach 2, and the ability to control drone wingmen.

Limited production and a looming capability gap

The F-47 is already in limited production, but the transition will take years. The Air Force initially planned to retire the F-22 by 2030, but that timeline may be extended by a few years to avoid a gap in air superiority. The Raptor has received upgrades, including Block 20 aircraft and conformal fuel tanks, to extend its service life. However, the fundamental challenges of high operating costs and aging technology remain. The Raptor's unmatched maneuverability and stealth still make it a formidable dogfighter, but its days are numbered.

The strategic shift back to great-power competition

The decision to retire the F-22 reflects a broader shift in U.S. defense strategy. After years of focusing on counterinsurgency, the Pentagon is now preparing for potential conflicts with China and Russia. The F-47 NGAD is designed to counter advanced adversaries with integrated air defenses and stealth fighters. The Raptor, while still dominant in air-to-air combat, cannot match the network-centric warfare capabilities of next-generation platforms. The Air Force is betting that the F-47, with its drone control and advanced sensors, will maintain American air dominance for decades to come.

An icon of air power heads for the history books

The F-22 Raptor will be remembered as a pioneering stealth fighter that redefined air combat. Its retirement, though accelerated by cost and obsolescence, marks the end of an era. The Raptor's legacy lives on in the technologies and tactics that will shape the F-47 and future fighters. For now, the world's best dogfighter still rules the skies—but its replacement is already on the runway.

The bottom line

• The F-22 Raptor remains the stealthiest fighter ever built, but only 195 were produced.
• Production ended in 2009 due to a shift in strategic priorities and congressional export restrictions.
• High operating costs and aging stealth materials are driving the Air Force to retire the fleet.
• The F-47 NGAD, built by Boeing, is in limited production and will replace the F-22 within a decade.
• The F-47 features Mach 2+ speed, advanced stealth, and the ability to control drone wingmen.
• The retirement of the F-22 reflects a strategic pivot back to great-power competition with China and Russia.