The F-22 Raptor's story is marked by its unmatched combat capabilities overshadowed by strategic and budgetary constraints, limiting its role in U.S. air power and leading to its early production halt in 2011.
China may not fear American technology or hardware, but the air service still deployed its F-22 Raptors, operated by the 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons, back to Kadena in late March.
As the first stealth fighter jet in history, the F-22 Raptor revolutionized airpower. The fifth-generation fighter combined stealth with unparalleled air superiority capabilities.
Despite interest from key U.S. allies like Australia, Israel, and Japan, the F-22 Raptor was never sold abroad, primarily due to concerns over protecting its advanced technological secrets and maintaining regional military balances.