Lockheed Martin's F-22 fighter jet program was created via the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program. The United States government made this program for the United States Air Force (USAF) to combat enemy threats and ensure air superiority by developing the next generation of fighters. In 2011, Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-22, halted the type's production, and later, the USAF announced that they would phase out the jet from service by 2030. But why was the F-22 program canceled in the first place?

Background

The ATF program was first established in 1981 by the US Government for the USAF after recognizing that, to compete with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, they needed to address its aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle fighter jets with newer and more technologically advanced fighters. In collaboration with Lockheed Martin, the USAF would order 750 examples of the next-gen aircraft, named the F-22 Raptor.

Lockheed Martin's new fighter took to the skies on its maiden voyage in 1997. Nevertheless, it wasn't formally introduced into service with the USAF until December 2005. By this time, the United States no longer had to deter any nation, as the military was fighting in countries where the F-22 was unnecessary, with enemy nations that did not have sufficient air defense or fighters. Moreover, budgetary constraints in 2009 cut the order to just 186 examples of the Raptor, with just 150 of them being able to serve in combat.

That said, upon entering service, the F-22 was nothing like the older fighter jets earning the designation as a 5th generation fighter jet. Today, only three other fighter jets with sufficient advanced capabilities have been introduced to have the coveted 5th generation designation.

In 2011, following the completion of the 187th F-22, production of the type was officially put on hold due to increasing costs, growing support for the more cost-effective F-35, and pressure from taxpayers that the plane had limited relevance in counterinsurgency warfare. As such, the F-22, created to be the backbone of the USAF fleet, was suddenly overtaken by the F-35, and Lockheed Martin cannibalized the F-22 production line for the cheaper F-35. Furthermore, the USAF announced that, eventually, the F-22 would be replaced by the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter.

Program hurdles

According to the USAF, the F-22 program will begin to retire its F-22s by 2030 due to high operating costs and obsolescence in many areas. Because the F-22 was not produced in significant numbers, the price to make each plane was immense. This was coupled with the stealth materials onboard the F-22 that increased maintenance costs,

Another factor is the rapid advancement of more modern technology. As the F-22 program progressed, more advanced fighter jets, such as the F-35 Lightning II, were developed. Compared to the F-22, these newer jets boasted at least the same capabilities as the F-22 but at a significantly lower cost.

Although the USAF announced that the F-22 is set to begin at the turn of the decade, it invested over $11 billion in updates for its F-22 fleet in 2022. These upgrades included new external fuel tanks and pylons, infrared search and track capability, a new electronic ware suite, and new beyond visual range air-to-air weapons. Even with all of these upgrades, the avionics of the F-22 remain outdated. And because the aircraft was not designed with modularity, it faces a significant limitation when improving its systems.