The American air force has announced the planned early retirement of the F-22 Raptor, which is less than 30 years after its first deployment. This has disappointed many observers of American air power, as it’s not uncommon for modern American fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-16 or Boeing F-15 to fly for 40 years or more with upgrades.
The Air Force’s decision to replace its best fighter suggests where and how USAF leaders anticipate future wars will unfold, particularly in the vast western Pacific Ocean during a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan. The military believes that the warplane being developed to replace the F-22 will be better suited for this type of conflict.
The $300 million F-22 had a long development process, originating from the Advanced Tactical Fighter initiative in the 1980s and first flew in demonstrator form in 1990. It completed development in 2005 and was deployed to Japan in 2006, with production finishing in 2012. The type engaged in combat for the first time during the air campaign against Islamic State in 2014 and is currently deployed to both the Pacific region to deter China and Europe to deter Russia.
Despite its advanced design and exceptional performance, the F-22 is essentially a Cold War jet at its core. It was designed by Lockheed to confront the Soviet Union from bases in Europe, so limited endurance was not a major issue. An F-22 can only fly about 600 miles on internal fuel, which is sufficient for combat over Germany and Poland.