The American air force is eager to replace the F-22 Raptor, which has been in service for less than 30 years. 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. However, the Air Force is optimistic that the warplane being developed to replace the F-22 will be better suited for future conflicts, particularly in the vast western Pacific Ocean during a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan.
The development process of the $300-million-a-copy F-22 was long and arduous. It originated from the Advanced Tactical Fighter initiative in the 1980s, first flew in demonstrator form in 1990, completed development in 2005, was deployed to Japan in 2006, and production of just 195 planes was finished in 2012. 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.