How Many F-22 Raptors Does the US Have Today?

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F-22 Raptors Elephant Walk at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

The F-22 Raptor is often described as the crown jewel of the United States Air Force (USAF). Known for its unmatched stealth, agility, and advanced avionics, it remains one of the most formidable air superiority fighters in the world. But despite its reputation, the Raptor’s biggest weakness is its limited fleet size. In 2025, many aviation enthusiasts and defense analysts continue to ask: How many F-22 Raptors does the United States actually have?

This article takes a deep dive into the current F-22 fleet size, its history, reasons behind the production halt, and what the future holds for America’s premier air dominance fighter.

The Origins of the F-22 Program

The story of the F-22 begins in the late 1970s and 1980s during the Cold War. The U.S. military feared that the Soviet Union was developing advanced fighters that could challenge the F-15 Eagle, then the backbone of American air superiority.

To stay ahead, the Air Force launched the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program. The goal was ambitious: design a fighter that combined stealth, speed, maneuverability, and advanced sensors into a single platform.

Two designs competed in the program:

• The YF-22 by Lockheed (partnered with Boeing and General Dynamics).
• The YF-23 by Northrop and McDonnell Douglas.

After rigorous testing, the YF-22 won in 1991, and development moved forward toward full-scale production.

Production Numbers: From Big Plans to Small Reality

When the F-22 program began, the Air Force envisioned over 750 Raptors replacing F-15C/D fighters. However, the end of the Cold War, combined with rising costs, changed those plans.

Eventually, the total number of F-22s built was:

• 187 operational aircraft.
• 8 test and evaluation aircraft.

That brings the grand total to 195 aircraft. This is a tiny fleet compared to older fighters like the F-16 Fighting Falcon (4,500+ built) or even the F-15 Eagle (1,500+ built).

How Many F-22 Raptors Are There in 2025?

Fast forward to 2025. While the original fleet numbered 195, not all are still in active combat service.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 183 F-22s remain in the U.S. Air Force inventory.
• Of those, about 125–130 are combat-coded (meaning ready for combat missions).
• Around 50 aircraft are used for training, testing, or are undergoing heavy maintenance.
• A handful are grounded or retired due to airframe fatigue or accidents.

So the short answer is: The U.S. has around 183 F-22 Raptors left, with only about 130 combat-ready at any given time.

Why Did the U.S. Stop Producing the F-22?

One of the most common questions is why the Air Force stopped producing such a capable aircraft. There are several key reasons:

1. High Costs
   • The F-22 was extremely expensive. Each aircraft cost over $150 million (flyaway cost), while the overall program cost exceeded $60 billion.
   • This price tag made it politically difficult to justify large-scale procurement.
2. Changing Military Priorities
   • After 9/11, the U.S. focused on counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
   • Stealth air superiority fighters were not seen as critical for fighting insurgents, compared to drones or multirole aircraft.
3. The Rise of the F-35 Program
   • The F-35 Lightning II promised to be cheaper, more versatile, and exportable.
   • Lawmakers and the Pentagon shifted funding toward the F-35, which would serve multiple branches of the U.S. military and allied nations.
4. Export Ban
   • U.S. law prohibited exporting the F-22 to other countries to protect its sensitive technology.
   • This meant America alone had to bear the full cost of the program.

The Role of the F-22 Today

Despite its small numbers, the F-22 remains a cornerstone of U.S. air dominance strategy. It continues to serve in frontline units, particularly in missions requiring stealth and overwhelming first-strike capability.

Missions the F-22 excels at:

• Air Superiority – Defeating enemy fighters before they can even detect the Raptor.
• Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) – Using stealth to strike enemy radar and missile sites.
• Escort Operations – Protecting bombers and other high-value aircraft.
• Deterrence – Acting as a visible reminder of U.S. technological superiority.

Where Are the F-22 Raptors Based?

The Air Force has distributed its F-22 fleet across several key bases:

• Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia – 1st Fighter Wing.
• Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska – 3rd Wing.
• Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada – Training and operational testing.
• Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida – Training (partially affected by hurricane damage in 2018).
• Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii – Pacific presence.

This distribution allows rapid deployment to Europe, the Middle East, or the Indo-Pacific region.

F-22 Upgrades and Modernization

Although the F-22 is no longer in production, the Air Force continues to upgrade the fleet to keep it relevant.

Major upgrades include:

• Avionics and sensor modernization – Improving data fusion and target tracking.
• Radar upgrades – Extending detection range and improving resistance to jamming.
• Electronic warfare improvements – Enhancing survivability in contested environments.
• Networking capabilities – Integrating with the F-35, B-21 Raider, and unmanned systems.
• Weapon system updates – Incorporating newer air-to-air and precision-guided munitions.

These upgrades ensure that the F-22 will remain competitive until at least the mid-2030s.

The Future: Replacement by NGAD

The U.S. Air Force is actively developing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which is expected to replace the F-22.

NGAD will likely feature:

• Advanced stealth beyond current radar detection.
• Artificial intelligence for pilot assistance.
• Drone “loyal wingman” systems.
• Greater range and endurance than the F-22.

The first NGAD aircraft could enter service in the 2030s, at which point the F-22 fleet will begin gradual retirement.

Strategic Importance of the F-22

While small in number, the F-22 fleet is strategically vital. In potential conflicts with near-peer adversaries like China or Russia, Raptors would be the first aircraft deployed to secure air superiority.

In the Indo-Pacific, the F-22’s ability to penetrate heavily defended airspace makes it particularly valuable against Chinese anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) systems.

In Europe, the Raptor provides reassurance to NATO allies, deterring Russian aggression by guaranteeing U.S. dominance in the skies.

Challenges Facing the F-22 Fleet

Despite its advantages, the F-22 faces some serious challenges:

• Aging Airframes – With no new Raptors being built, the fleet is aging, and wear-and-tear is increasing.
• Small Numbers – Only about 130 are combat-ready, far fewer than adversary fleets.
• High Maintenance Costs – Stealth coatings and advanced systems require expensive upkeep.
• Limited Multirole Capability – The F-22 was designed primarily for air-to-air combat, not for extensive ground-attack missions like the F-35.

Conclusion

So, how many F-22 Raptors does the U.S. have in 2025? The answer:

• 183 Raptors remain in the inventory.
• 125–130 are combat-ready for frontline missions.

While this number is far smaller than originally planned, the F-22’s combination of stealth, speed, and unmatched aerial combat performance ensures that it remains the most dominant air superiority fighter in the world.

Until the arrival of NGAD in the 2030s, the Raptor will continue to be America’s first line of defense in the skies.