U.S. Air Force F-22s made their combat debut against ISIL targets in Syria in 2014 and later flew close air support, escort, offensive and defensive counter-air, surveillance, and precision-strike missions for CJTF-OIR in Iraq and Syria.
Role detailsAircraft & UAVs
F-22 Raptor
Also known as
- F-22A
- F-22A Raptor
- Raptor
- F/A-22
- F/A-22 Raptor
- Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor
- YF-22
The F-22 Raptor is a U.S. fifth-generation stealth air-dominance fighter built around low-observable shaping, supercruise, thrust-vectoring F119 engines, integrated avionics, and internal weapons carriage. Designed first for air-to-air control, it also carries JDAM and small-diameter bomb loads for precision strike, with U.S. Air Force sources documenting combat use over Syria and Iraq during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve and CENTCOM material identifying F-22s in the 2025 Operation Midnight Hammer strike package against Iran.
Role in Conflicts
U.S. Air Force reporting identifies the F-22's first combat strike as an attack on ISIL ground targets in Syria, followed by 2015 close-air-support strikes over Syria with satellite-guided small-diameter bombs.
Role details- Side
- United States
U.S. Air Force material published through CENTCOM identified F-22 Raptors as aircraft used in the strike package that carried out Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.
- Side
- United States
F-22 Raptors were reported as part of the U.S. force used by Operation Absolute Resolve in the 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict, where they supported aircraft that dismantled Venezuelan air defenses during the Jan. 3 raid.
Program And Export Notes
The F-22 is a U.S.-only aircraft in public service. U.S. law barred funds from being used to approve or license sale of the F-22A to foreign governments, while Air Force material lists 183 aircraft in total-force inventory.
Operator base
The U.S. Air Force is the public operator identified in the entry's official sources.
Export limit
Public Law 109-289 blocked appropriated funds from approving or licensing F-22A sales to foreign governments.
Successor path
The Air Force selected the F-47 NGAD platform in 2025 as its next air-superiority aircraft.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- United States
- Built by
- Lockheed MartinBoeing
- Type
- Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter
- Service note
- Entered U.S. Air Force operational service in 2005; documented in post-2015 Middle East operations.
- Designer
- Lockheed Martin and Boeing, with Pratt & Whitney F119 engines
- Designed
- Advanced Tactical Fighter demonstration and validation began in 1986; the YF-22 was selected for engineering and manufacturing development in 1991
- Unit cost
- $143 million, U.S. Air Force fact-sheet figure
- Produced
- Low-rate initial production approved in 2001; full-rate production approved in 2005; final production aircraft delivered May 2012
- Number built
- 195 aircraft completed for the U.S. Air Force fleet; USAF fact sheet lists 183 total-force inventory as of August 2022
Specifications
- Crew
- One
- Engines
- Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 afterburning turbofans with thrust-vectoring nozzles
- Speed
- Mach two class with supercruise capability
- Range
- More than 1,850 miles ferry range with two external wing fuel tanks
- Ceiling
- Above 50,000 feet
- Maximum Takeoff Weight
- 83,500 lb
- Internal Fuel
- 18,000 lb
- Dimensions
- 62 ft 1 in length; 44 ft 6 in wingspan; 16 ft 8 in height
- Armament
- M61A2 20 mm cannon with 480 rounds; internal air-to-air loadout of six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders; air-to-ground loadout of two 1,000 lb GBU-32 JDAMs with AIM-120 and AIM-9 missiles; enhanced configuration described with up to eight small-diameter bombs
Propulsion And Sustainment
The F-22's performance package depends on two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 engines and a fleet sustainment program that keeps the low-observable airframe viable after production ended.
Vectoring nozzle
Pratt & Whitney describes the F119's two-dimensional exhaust nozzle as vectoring thrust up or down by as much as 20 degrees under integrated flight-control management.
Structural repair
AFLCMC reported that the F-22 Structural Repair Program increased total flying-hour serviceability by 8,000 hours on processed aircraft.
Variants
The public F-22 record mostly distinguishes the ATF demonstrator, the production F-22A designation, and the brief F/A-22 naming period rather than export or foreign-service variants.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| YF-22 | Advanced Tactical Fighter demonstrator | The YF-22 was the Lockheed/Boeing demonstrator selected for engineering and manufacturing development in 1991 after the ATF demonstration phase. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet |
| F-22A | Production aircraft | The Air Force fact sheet identifies F-22A as the production designation after the aircraft was renamed from F/A-22 in December 2005. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet |
| F/A-22 | Interim designation | The F/A-22 designation was used for a short period before the December 2005 return to F-22A. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet |
Carried Munitions
The F-22 keeps its principal air-to-air missiles and selected precision bombs in internal bays to preserve low-observable performance.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Radar-guided air-to-air missile | The Air Force fact sheet lists an internal air-to-air load of six AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in the F-22's main weapon bays, documenting the aircraft as a carrier for the AMRAAM family. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet, USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheet |
 | Short-range infrared air-to-air missile | The F-22 carries AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in its side weapon bays, and Defense Department reporting identified an F-22 AIM-9X firing in the 2023 surveillance-balloon shootdown. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet, F-22 fires AIM-9X Sidewinder missile |
 | 1,000-pound GPS-guided bomb | The Air Force fact sheet lists an air-to-ground internal loadout of two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAMs with AIM-120 and AIM-9 missiles. Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet |
 | Small precision glide bomb | Air Force coverage of F-22 precision-strike integration described small-diameter bomb carriage from the internal weapons bay, with an enhanced loadout of up to eight SDBs alongside air-to-air missiles. Sources: Raptor precision strike bomb integration testing begins |
Timeline
F-22 Raptor Key Events
YF-22 selected for development
The Air Force selected the Lockheed/Boeing YF-22 design for engineering and manufacturing development after the Advanced Tactical Fighter demonstration phase.
Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet
Initial operational capability
The Air Force declared initial operational capability in December 2005, the same period when the aircraft's designation returned from F/A-22 to F-22A.
Sources: F-22 Raptor Fact Sheet
Full operational capability
Langley-based F-22 units reached full operational capability, making the squadrons combat ready.
Sources: F-22s at Langley receive FOC status
Final F-22 delivered
The Air Force accepted the final production F-22 at Lockheed Martin's Marietta plant, completing a 195-aircraft fleet.
Sources: Air Force accepts final F-22 Raptor
First combat strike against ISIL
The Air Force said the F-22 made its combat debut with its first strike on enemy ground targets in the coalition fight against ISIL.
Sources: F-22 Raptor brings unique capabilities to the coalition fight against ISIL
F-22s adapt to close air support in OIR
AFCENT reported F-22s over Syria striking field artillery pieces and later hitting Daesh positions in Iraq, while also providing situational awareness to coalition forces.
Sources: F-22 adapts to OIR conflict, 'Cleared Hot' in Iraq, Syria
AIM-9X balloon shootdown
A U.S. F-22 fired an AIM-9X to shoot down the Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon off South Carolina.
Sources: F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast
F-47 selected as next air-superiority platform
The Air Force awarded Boeing the NGAD/F-47 engineering and manufacturing development contract, describing the F-47 as the next air-superiority platform.
Sources: Air Force awards contract for Next Generation Air Dominance Platform
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
F-22 Raptor Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports mission background, contractors, service entry, inventory, armament, dimensions, performance, and other specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22s at Langley receive FOC statusPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports full operational capability for Langley-based F-22 units on December 12, 2007. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air Force accepts final F-22 RaptorPublisher: Pacific Air Forces | Note: Supports final F-22 delivery on May 2, 2012, and the completed 195-aircraft production fleet. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Pratt & Whitney F119 EnginePublisher: Pratt & Whitney | Note: Supports F119-PW-100 propulsion context, thrust-vectoring nozzle details, and F-22 engine integration. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 RaptorPublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports manufacturer background and system role as a fifth-generation air-dominance fighter. | Accessed: 2026-07-03USAF AIM-120 AMRAAM fact sheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports F-22 AMRAAM carriage and general AMRAAM background. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 adapts to OIR conflict, 'Cleared Hot' in Iraq, SyriaPublisher: U.S. Air Forces Central | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: Directly documents F-22s used by the U.S. Air Force for close-air-support and precision-strike missions against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve and the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 fires AIM-9X Sidewinder missilePublisher: Edwards Air Force Base | Note: Supports F-22 carriage and firing context for AIM-9X Sidewinders. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Raptor test force enters new phase of AIM-9X testingPublisher: Air Force Materiel Command | Note: Supports F-22 AIM-9X test and evaluation context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 Raptor brings unique capabilities to the coalition fight against ISILPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: Directly documents the F-22 used by the U.S. Air Force for its combat debut with its first strike on enemy ground targets in the coalition fight against ISIL in Syria, supporting 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve and 2011 Syrian Civil War conflict-use context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Raptor precision strike bomb integration testing beginsPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports F-22 small-diameter bomb integration and internal precision-strike carriage context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina CoastPublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Documents the 2023 F-22 AIM-9X shootdown of the Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon and supports missile relationship context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2007Publisher: GovInfo | Note: Supports the F-22A export restriction by stating that appropriated funds could not be used to approve or license sale of the aircraft to foreign governments. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air Force awards contract for Next Generation Air Dominance PlatformPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports future air-superiority successor context by identifying the F-47 NGAD platform contract award. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Victory in Mosul: 380th AEW Airmen provide vital Coalition supportPublisher: U.S. Air Forces Central | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: Directly documents F-22s used in 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve over Mosul with offensive and defensive counter-air, escort of strike assets, precision strikes, and close air support. | Accessed: 2026-07-03U.S. Airpower soars over the White HousePublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports direct operational use in the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict by identifying F-22 Raptors as aircraft used in the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Hegseth, Senior Officials Welcome Netanyahu to PentagonPublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: Directly supports 2020 United States-Iran Conflict use by identifying F-22 Raptors among assets deployed for Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear sites. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22s Leave Caribbean as Trump Maps Out Venezuela StrategyPublisher: Air & Space Forces Magazine | Note: Supports the 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict by stating F-22 Raptors were used in Operation Absolute Resolve and that they supported the Jan. 3 raid in Venezuela. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Tip of the spearPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Directly supports 2026 United States-Venezuela Conflict use by documenting F-22 post-operation checks in Puerto Rico after military actions in Venezuela in support of Operation Absolute Resolve. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 Raptor gets major upgradesPublisher: Air Force Life Cycle Management Center | Note: Supports sustainment context for the F-22 Structural Repair Program and the 8,000-hour serviceability increase. | Accessed: 2026-07-03CJTF-OIR HistoryPublisher: Combined Joint Task Force - 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve | Note: Supports background on the coalition campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 Raptor takes flight (12460589075).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Air Force image of an F-22 taking off during Red Flag 14-1 used for the primary F-22 image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 test fires AIM-9X.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Wikimedia Commons file page for an F-22 image showing an AIM-9X test fire, used for gallery provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-03F-22 dropping GBU-32 051020-F-7709A-002.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Air Force image of an F-22 dropping a GBU-32 JDAM used for gallery provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-03