By Yaseen Jangikhan
The F-22 Raptor is widely regarded as one of the most advanced fighter jets on the planet. With the F-22 Raptor being one of the most advanced fighter jets on the planet, why would the U.S. military want to retire it so soon? We could think of the main reason for the U.S. military deciding to retire the F-22 Raptor as the cost and maintenance needed to keep it the superior king of the skies is very expensive. However, there are multiple reasons why the U.S. military is deciding to retire the F-22 Raptor very early.
To start with, the cost of maintaining it is very expensive-almost every flight hour-the U.S. military is paying 30,000 dollars an hour. The F-22 Raptor’s stealth wrap is a key reason, as when they do remain in good condition, over time the material on the stealth wrap can tend to wear out, affecting its stealth capabilities, which is a big desire to keep it the most powerful aircraft in the skies. There are many advanced fighter jets being made that pose countless threats to the F-22 Raptor. Without knowing what threats they are, the F-22 Raptor would have to constantly update its coding and software. As potential threats rise, it would be a bigger risk with outdated software. That is a big bill with the 120 active F-22’s, and that would cost billions of dollars. Overall, even a little change in the design, shape, and size of the aircraft would affect its stealth capabilities, which is a big risk they have to avoid. The design is outdated, as they started building in the 1990s. Communication systems are very important as the F-35 Lightning II is starting to become more involved in combat missions; they have a completely different communication system than the F-22, so it would be tough for both pilots to establish good teamwork on a mission.
Overall, these are the reasons the U.S. military is turning to retire the F-22 Raptor very early, as the cost is just too high to keep it the superior king of the skies. The U.S. is starting to rely more on the F-35 as it is being used in more combat missions, it costs less to maintain, and it is the dominant fighter aircraft right now. The U.S. military is already starting to design and build 6th generation fighter jets, which are the future.
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