12. Raptor F-22
Joined the Service in 1997
Not retired: N/A
Price: *$350 million
The USAF received this single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth fighter as a product of the ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter) programme. Although the F-22 Raptor’s primary purpose was air superiority, it may also be used for electronic warfare, ground attack, and signal intelligence.
©Emily Hilton / Foter.com F-22 Raptor
Although Boeing Co. supplied the wings, avionics, training system, and aft fuselage, Lockheed Martin Corp. held the main contract. Officials from the USAF claim that the F-22 is a “critical component” of the branch’s tactical strength. Out of the 195 that have been made, 187 are in use. In 2011, the programme was discontinued due to the development of the F-35, among other reasons.
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