US Air Force plans to retire its F-22 raptor fleet by 2030 -But why? Is it too early ?

What will replace the USAF's retiring F-22 raptors ?

F 22 is the air superiority fighter of the US air force.

It's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and avionics systems gives the fighter jet an unprecedented air combat capabilities.

Initially it was planned that the service would induct 750 of these fighters. But due to its high cost, ban on export of the latest technology made the decision makers to think on the actual number of fighters to be inducted.

Also the F22 did not have a true competitor from the Russian side or the Chinese side due to their delayed fifth generation fighter program. 

So the F-22 did not have any clear air to air missions. Also the planned development of the much versatile F-35 fighter jet along with its export potential reduced the number of f22 fighter jets being inducted in to the US air force. 

In 2009, it was decided that only 187 air crafts would be produced for operational purposes.

USAF F-22 Raptor

With the advent of the new decade things have change. In 2021 the geopolitical situation is very much different than that compared to early 2000s.

Russia has fielded its new Su-57 fighters and China has operationalized its J-20 fleet. With its growing economy and expansionist idea China is posing a much similar threat  to US along with Russia.

The top officials of the US air force are now convinced that the F22 raptor lacks the magazine depth and range which is needed to carry out the necessary missions in the event of an conflict in the next decade.

By 2030 the F22 platform and most of its technology would have completed 40 years .

As the US official stated the f22 with its limited weapons carrying capacity in its internal bay and limited range will be ineffective in protecting US friendly nations like Taiwan, Japan and Philippines from the Chinese threat that keeps on growing and growing.

The plan to retire the F 22 fleet after 2030 will depend upon how fast the US air force can put its sixth generation fighter jet into production.

Sixth generation fighter program is also commonly described as Next Generation Air Dominance program.

The new gen fighter will also be a air superiority fighter once inducted is planned to replace the F22.

Sixth generation fighter jet (NGAD program) Concept 

US air force currently operates seven types of fighter jets  the F-22 Raptor, F-15 C or D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15 EX Super Eagle, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,  F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt.

 The air force wants to cut down the fighter fleet up to four types of aircraft which will reduce the maintenance cost and  increase the ease of training personals and maintenance crew.

The retirement of the F-22 purely depends on when the service can push the six gen fighter program from its developmental phase to its production phase.

The sixth gen fighter program is highly classified and very few details are known about the fighter jet till now.

Last year in September former Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper had announced that the full scale Next Generation Air Dominance demonstrator has taken its inaugural flight.

Currently it is expected that the sixth gen fighter will be manned, unmanned or optionally manned.

Once the next gen fighter comes in it is all set to replace the F-22 raptor and latest version of F-15 eagle which is the F 15 E X  set to replace all version of the existing  F-15 versions in the US fleet.

The close support fighter A-10 will be available for a little while.

When the sixth gen fighter is inducted it will fly alongside F-35, F15 E X and F-16 fighting falcons. Also unmanned combat drones will also be a common site. 

Of course the F-16 fleet is ageing but instead of upgrading further the Air force plans to buy new F-16 fighter models or a new clean sheet design instead of buying more f 35 to replace the F-16. 

Till 2030 the F-22 raptor will still rule the skies with its unprecedented capabilities and there is a on going plan to upgrade the sensor package to latest standard on the F-22.

 But since much up gradation cannot be done to its air frame which would be an major limitation in future combat situations. The F-22's limitations are not much different from the F-35 which is that it can  carry only six AIM-120C AMRAAM and two AIM-9 missiles internally for air-to-air missions, while the F-35 can carry only four AMRAAMs inside its weapons bay in stealthy configuration.

F-22 Raptor internal weapons bay

If the plan of inducting sixth gen fighter jet goes well and successfully it will replace the F-22 or else the F-22 will have to be used in service much beyond that.