The Air Force Wants to Give the F-22 Raptor an Early Retirement
The future fighter fleet will shrink from seven types to four. See which jets aren't making the cut.
By Kyle Mizokami
May 14, 2021
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The U.S. Air Force plans to slim down its fighter fleet from seven planes to just four.
One of the aircraft the service wants to ditch is the F-22 Raptor.
The Air Force's secret new fighter jet will ultimately replace the Raptor.
The U.S. Air Force plans to consolidate its fighter force from seven current airframes to just four. The effort will include retiring the F-22 Raptor relatively early, but the good news is the Raptor will be replaced by the Air Force’s secret new fighter jet.
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Today’s Air Force is made up of seven fighter types: the F-22 Raptor, F-15C/D Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15EX Super Eagle, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt. It’s a diverse menagerie of aircraft, from high-end air superiority fighters to close air support planes, some of which overlap in purpose.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a36421838/air-force-plans-retire-f-22-raptor-downsizing-fighter-fleet/
