{"id":1463375,"date":"2022-05-04T08:29:56","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T12:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1463375"},"modified":"2022-05-04T08:30:52","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T12:30:52","slug":"how-do-the-worlds-stealth-fighters-stack-up-against-each-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-do-the-worlds-stealth-fighters-stack-up-against-each-other\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do the World\u2019s Stealth Fighters Stack Up Against Each Other?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-do-the-worlds-stealth-fighters-stack-up-against-each-other%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1463375&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In September 1997, an unusual-looking aircraft \u2014 the world\u2019s first truly <em>stealth fighter<\/em> \u2014 left the runway at Lockheed Martin\u2019s Marietta, Georgia facility. Its wide, angular body looked like it had been ripped right out of the pages of a science fiction story. It blurred the lines between the unusual stealth aircraft the United States was using for attack and bombing missions and the high-performance fighters America relied on for control of the skies. <\/p>\n<p>Before this new aircraft, the F-15 Eagle had previously ruled the roost of America\u2019s air superiority mission. Its astonishing air combat record of 104 wins and zero losses had been enough to make any nation think twice about picking a dogfight with Uncle Sam. But the F-15\u2019s famously massive radar signature (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/silent-eagle-boeings-plan-to-make-the-f-15-a-stealth-fighter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said to cover some 25 square meters<\/a> on a radar screen) had placed its dominance into question. <\/p>\n<p>However, after decades of focus on flying <em>higher<\/em> and <em>faster<\/em> to defeat enemy air defenses, it was time for a change.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/the-4-other-proposed-fighters-based-on-the-legendary-f-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The 4 other proposed fighters based on the legendary F-22<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-introducing-the-world-to-5th-generation-stealth-fighters\">Introducing the world to 5th generation (stealth) fighters<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Lockheed Martin YF-22<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>This new jet, dubbed the <em>F-22 Raptor<\/em>, was such a departure from anything that came before it that it defied classification, serving as the basis for an entirely new generation of fighters to come.<\/p>\n<p>Today, some 25 years later, only <em>three<\/em> other jets anywhere in the world have offered capabilities considered close enough to the Raptor to earn a seat at its generational table. These jets, collectively known as the 5th generation of fighters, combine low-observable designs with advanced data-fusing avionics to offer incredible new capabilities. Included on the list are the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, and the Sukhoi Su-57 Felon.<\/p>\n<p>In order to qualify for this elite fraternity of fighters, a jet must meet these (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-fighter-generations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">generally accepted<\/a>) criteria:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stealth<\/li>\n<li>A high degree of maneuverability<\/li>\n<li>Advanced avionics systems<\/li>\n<li>Multi-role capabilities<\/li>\n<li>Network or data fusion capabilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-fighter-generations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Everything you need to know about fighter generations<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-rank-the-world-s-stealth-fighters\">How to rank the world\u2019s stealth fighters<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5d38d3e9a209d337cd461687?width=600&#038;format=jpeg&#038;auto=webp\" alt=\"How China&#039;s J-20 Stealth Jet Compares to the US&#039;s F-22 Fighter Jet\" \/><figcaption>(U.S. Air Force photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>When comparing stealth fighters, most people tend to focus on the \u201ctale of the tape\u201d just like we would when comparing boxers or cage fighters: hard numbers like top speeds, service ceilings, and thrust-to-weight ratios. These numbers are reported by national governments, military branches, and aircraft manufacturers. While all three of those groups may have reason to overstate or <em>even understate<\/em> capabilities, these figures are generally accepted as accurate by the world at large, which makes them a logical basis for comparison. <\/p>\n<p>But while the following analysis will lean heavily on hard, quantifiable figures as they\u2019re reported, it will also delve into the more qualitative things like how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/what-kind-of-fighter-could-the-latest-military-tech-really-build\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technology and tactics coalesce<\/a> to create capabilities \u2014 and because that sort of discussion is, by its very nature, hypothetical \u2014 and by extension \u2014 somewhat subjective, your list may look a little different from mine. <\/p>\n<p>Because the old football adage \u201con any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team\u201d holds true in a fight just like it does on the gridiron, the <em>real<\/em> king of the skies can only be crowned in combat. Here\u2019s hoping we never actually <em>see<\/em> that happen, but based on publicly available information, here\u2019s how these fighters would likely perform, ranked from <em>worst to first<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/what-kind-of-fighter-could-the-latest-military-tech-really-build\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What kind of fighter could the latest military tech really build?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-4-russia-s-sukhoi-su-57-felon\">#4 Russia\u2019s Sukhoi Su-57 Felon<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"h-the-worst-of-the-world-s-stealth-fighters\">The worst of the world\u2019s stealth fighters<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Su-5720281229.jpg\" alt=\"Why the F-35 Is Clearly Superior to Russia&#039;s Su-57 | The National Interest\" \/><figcaption>Russian Ministry of Defence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Russia has a long and storied history of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/russias-high-profile-weapons-are-all-smoke-and-mirrors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">exaggerating or overtly overstating<\/a> its military capabilities for the sake of media attention: its ventures into the realm of stealth fighters serve as a textbook example of this approach. The Su-57 began development (then known as the PAK FA) as a joint venture between Russia and India until India backed out because the decades-in-the-making fighter failed to live up to expectations. <\/p>\n<p>Since then, things haven\u2019t gotten much better for Russia\u2019s stealth fighter. The entirety of Russia\u2019s Su-57 fleet currently consists of just 12 hand-made prototypes of varying degrees of finish and only<em> two<\/em> serial production jets. That count would have been three now, but the first Su-57 to roll off of Sukhoi\u2019s production line promptly crashed shortly after takeoff. <\/p>\n<p>Radar cross-sections (RCS) are subject to a great deal of debate online and should always be taken with a grain of salt, but expert assessments of the Su-57 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/345140504_The_Calculated_Data_of_the_Radar_Cross-Section_Parameters_of_the_3D_Model_of_the_Sukhoi_Su-57_Jet_Fighter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suggest<\/a> that it boasts an RCS of about .5 square meters\u2014which is <a href=\"https:\/\/theaviationgeekclub.com\/did-you-know-the-su-57-felon-has-the-same-rcs-of-a-clean-f-a-18-super-hornet-and-1000-times-bigger-than-that-of-the-f-35\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about the same<\/a> as a 4th generation F\/A-18 Super Hornet when flying without ordnance and <em>5,000<\/em> times bigger than the F-22 Raptor. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"743\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-26-at-2.41.48-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-49251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-26-at-2.41.48-PM.png 683w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Screen-Shot-2022-04-26-at-2.41.48-PM-276x300-1.png 276w\" \/><figcaption>Su-57 Radar Cross-Section analysis by Alexander Nepryaev, Tver State Technical University<br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Stealthy woes aren\u2019t the Su-57\u2019s only problem \u2014 delays in Russia\u2019s 5th generation engine program have left its Felon fleet operating the same AL-41F1 engines found in Russia\u2019s non-stealth but highly capable 4th generation Su-35S. A Rand Corporation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rand.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/russias-su-57-heavy-fighter-bomber-is-it-really-a-5th.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analysis<\/a> of the aircraft\u2019s advanced 360-degree sensor suite posits that the system itself remains incomplete as well, likely hindered by international sanctions placed on Russia following its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. These issues are sure to be exacerbated by deeper-cutting sanctions against Russia after its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/a-complete-guide-to-why-a-no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-wont-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent large-scale invasion<\/a> of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>However, despite the Su-57\u2019s problems, it should be remembered that Russian air warfare doctrine does not lean as heavily on stealth as America\u2019s, and the Su-57 remains extremely difficult to detect when approaching from head-on (as one might during a fighter intercept). Combine that with 360-degree thrust-vector control allowing for fantastic maneuverability once targeted and a thrust-to-weight ratio about comparable to the Super Hornet and it becomes clear that the Su-57 would be no slouch in a scrap with practically any 4th-generation fighter. Although Su-57s have been deployed to Syria, no Felons have reportedly seen any combat to date. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/is-russias-su-57-the-worst-stealth-fighter-on-the-planet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Is Russia\u2019s Su-57 the worst stealth fighter o<\/a><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/is-russias-su-57-the-worst-stealth-fighter-on-the-planet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>n the planet?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-3-china-s-chengdu-j-20-mighty-dragon\">#3 China\u2019s Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"h-a-designer-imposter-fighter-with-real-chops\">A designer imposter fighter with real chops<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/origin_0.jpg\" alt=\"China&#039;s J-20 Stealth Fighter Can&#039;t Beat The F-35, But It Can Shoot Farther  | The National Interest\" \/><figcaption>China\u2019s stealth fighters include the J-20 (shown) and forthcoming J-31<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>China\u2019s Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon is the nation\u2019s first operational stealth aircraft, but evidence suggests China wasn\u2019t really <em>starting from scratch<\/em> when they designed it. Between 2008 and 2014, a Chinese-Canadian businessman named Su Bin managed to gain access to classified materials regarding America\u2019s F-22 and F-35 programs (among others) which he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/b-c-man-su-bin-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-u-s-military-secrets-1.3505571\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">provided directly<\/a> to the Chinese government. As a result, many have pointed out that the J-20 was likely designed with blueprints for America\u2019s F-22 Raptor also on the table, leveraging Lockheed Martin\u2019s design methodology.<\/p>\n<p>However, the aircraft itself actually bears a more striking resemblance to a <em>different<\/em> 5th generation fighter: Russia\u2019s defunct MiG MFI, or Project 1.44. As is the case with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.popularmechanics.com\/military\/aviation\/g23303922\/china-copycat-air-force\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">many Chinese aircraft<\/a>, the J-20 is likely a design that borrows heavily from both of these programs. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"634\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/j20comp-634x750-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-49276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/j20comp-634x750-1.jpg 634w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/j20comp-253x300-1.jpg 253w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/j20comp-768x909-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/j20comp.jpg 1023w\" \/><figcaption>Russian MiG 1.44 concept (top) and Chinese J-20 (bottom).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The J-20 entered service in 2017 and has seen considerable production since, with more than 150 airframes now in service. However, China has struggled to field its truly 5th generation engine, the WS-15. It has instead equipped its fleet with either Russian-sourced 4th generation AL-31 engines or improved indigenous equivalents in the WS-10. Early J-20s did not include thrust vector control, but more recent iterations have added the capability in an attempt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/chinas-j-20-stealth-fighter-is-gaining-on-americas-top-jets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to close with<\/a> America\u2019s F-22 Raptor. <\/p>\n<p>The first J-20s saw combat exercises in 2018, with China\u2019s military using the platform to devise stealth fighter tactics. The lack of significant combat experience found at every level of China\u2019s military represents a significant disadvantage when compared to America\u2019s four-decade of experience operating stealth jets and even Russia\u2019s tactical aviation experience in places like Syria. However, the J-20 outclasses the Su-57 in a number of very important ways; most notably, in terms of stealth. <\/p>\n<p>Expert <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ausairpower.net\/APA-2011-03.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">assessments<\/a> of the J-20\u2019s radar cross-section place it somewhere between .08 and .3 square meters. This places it well ahead of Russia\u2019s Su-57 in a head-on comparison (RCS varied depending on the angle from which the aircraft is observed), but well behind both of America\u2019s stealth fighters. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/chinas-j-20-stealth-fighter-is-gaining-on-americas-top-jets\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">China\u2019s J-20 stealth fighter is gaining on America\u2019s top jets<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>#2 America\u2019s F-35 Lighting II<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"h-a-highly-capable-financial-boondoggle\">A highly capable financial boondoggle <\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/626329129f6566001906582b?width=1200&#038;format=jpeg\" alt=\"Learning to Fly F-35 Is Too Much for MiG-29 Pilots: Former Test Pilot\" \/><figcaption>F-35 Lighting II stealth fighters (U.S. Air Force photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lockheed Martin\u2019s F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, has gotten a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/us-may-need-to-cut-f-35-order-to-afford-flying-the-stealth-fighter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bad press<\/a> in recent years thanks to the program\u2019s frequent delays, setbacks, and cost overruns. But something that tends to get lost in the discussions about how <em>expensive<\/em> the F-35 is proving to be, is just how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/f-35-pilot-responds-to-claims-that-the-jet-is-a-failure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">capable this aircraft really is<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>With a reported radar-cross section of 0.0015 square meters, the F-35 appears 5-10 times larger than the F-22 does on radar when approaching from head-on, but that\u2019s still only about the size of a golfball. The aircraft\u2019s stealth gets lots of attention, but the F-35\u2019s biggest claim to fame comes in the form of its onboard systems. The F-35\u2019s AN\/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Fire Control Radar system is widely considered the best in the world. It\u2019s so powerful that it can actually be leveraged for electronic warfare (EW) operations, making the F-35 the only attack aircraft in the U.S. arsenal that can handle its own EW in a fight. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0521_Tirpak_F35_Undisclosed_Location.jpg\" alt=\"Make-or-Break Time for the F-35 - Air Force Magazine\" \/><figcaption>(U.S. Air Force photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Radar data is supplemented by the jet\u2019s AN\/AAQ-37 Electro-optical Distributed Aperture System, which consists of six high-resolution infrared sensors at different points on the airframe to provide a complete 360-degree view of the battlespace. This system can identify and track other aircraft in the area, incoming missiles, and even allow the pilot to look <em>through<\/em> the fighter\u2019s fuselage using his or her helmet-mounted viewing system during nighttime operations.<\/p>\n<p>The powerful computers onboard the F-35 take data fed through both of these systems, as well as from other sensors in space, the air, land, and sea, and fuse it all into a single consumable display presented to the pilot through a combination of a single large screen and a helmet-mounted system. As a result, the F-35 provides better situational awareness than any tactical aircraft in history. And by sharing this data with older aircraft, it makes 4th generation fighters <em>deadlier<\/em> simply by flying alongside them. <\/p>\n<p>Perhaps most important of all, the F-35 outnumbers all other stealth fighters by a wide margin, with more than 700 delivered to the U.S. and its allies since the program began. So, while the F-35 may not match the sheer performance of other stealth fighters, it more than compensates through awareness and volume. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/how-the-f-35-flies-the-line-between-failure-and-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How the F-35 flies the line between failure and success<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>#1 America\u2019s F-22 Raptor<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"h-the-reigning-king-of-the-skies-is-endangered\">The reigning king of the skies (is endangered)<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/19-13456-0009.jpg.pc-adaptive.full_.medium.jpeg\" alt=\"F-22 Raptor | Digital, Dominant, Ready | Lockheed Martin\" \/><figcaption>(Lockheed Martin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>As the world\u2019s first 5th generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor is the oldest design on this list, but its incredible combination of low observability and high performance not only set the standard for all stealth fighters to come, it remains the <em>most capable<\/em> stealth fighter in service anywhere on the planet to this very day. The Raptor is said to carry a frontal RCS of just 0.0001~0.0002 square meters, which is (as we\u2019ve already mentioned) some 5,000 times smaller than expert assessments of the Russian Su-57, at least 800 times smaller than the J-20, and <em>even <a href=\"http:\/\/faculty.nps.edu\/jenn\/ec4630\/rcsredux.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5-10 times smaller<\/a> than the much newer F-35<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>Of course, stealth isn\u2019t everything in fighters, and the Raptor brings a lot more than sneakiness to the fight. While the F-22 doesn\u2019t offer the same degree of situational awareness found in the F-35, its sensor and avionics suite is still considered to be robust enough to give Raptor pilots what the Air Force calls, \u201cfirst kill opportunity,\u201d meaning it can spot enemy fighters and engage them with weapons that reach beyond-visual-range before the bad guy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/how-an-f-22-pilot-scared-iranian-fighters-away-with-just-one-sentence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">even knows it\u2019s there<\/a>. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/210911-Z-DY403-9158.jpg\" alt=\"image\" \/> Air Force > Fact Sheet Display&#8221;><figcaption>(U.S. Air Force photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>But the F-22 is not just a sniper. Thanks to a top speed of Mach 2.25 and the ability to supercruise (fly at supersonic speeds without using its afterburner), the Raptor can cover more distance at greater speeds than its competition while still having enough fuel left in the tank for a fight once it arrives. And even when fighting in close quarters, the F-22\u2019s 180-degree thrust vector control supplements its aerodynamic design to provide excellent maneuverability. <\/p>\n<p>Despite the Raptor\u2019s dominant performance, even in a field of stealth fighters, it exists in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/why-the-air-force-wants-to-retire-nearly-1-5-of-its-f-22-fleet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dwindling numbers<\/a> today. With just 186 total F-22s delivered and fewer than 150 considered combat-capable, the F-22 is already living on borrowed time. Because its production line was devoured by the F-35 and the Air Force\u2019s next air superiority fighter developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance program, the F-22\u2019s reign as king of the skies will likely come to a close within the coming decade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/why-the-air-force-wants-to-retire-nearly-1-5-of-its-f-22-fleet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why the Air Force wants to retire nearly 1\/5 of its F-22 fleet<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-honorable-mentions\">Honorable Mentions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/https3A2F2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com2Fimageserve2F60f77bc3350e3fa482091f012F960x0.jpg3fcropx13d026cropx23d76826cropy13d7226cropy23d431\" alt=\"Russia doesn&#039;t seem sure the Su-75 Checkmate will be stealth - Sandboxx\" \/><figcaption>Su-75 Checkmate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>It should be noted that there are a number of other 5th generation fighter programs in various stages of development, including Russia\u2019s budget-friendly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/russia-doesnt-seem-sure-the-su-75-checkmate-will-be-stealth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Su-75 Checkmate<\/a> and China\u2019s FC-31 Gyrfalcon. However, because these aircraft have yet to reach operational service, they can\u2019t really be ranked against these jets that are already on the job. <\/p>\n<h2>Read more from Sandboxx News<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In September 1997, an unusual-looking aircraft \u2014 the world\u2019s first truly stealth fighter \u2014 left the runway at Lockheed Martin\u2019s Marietta, Georgia facility. Its wide, angular body looked like it<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":489,"featured_media":1898729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1463375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_finder_url":"https:\/\/www.sandboxx.us\/blog\/how-do-the-worlds-stealth-fighters-really-stack-up\/","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1463375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/489"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1463375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1463375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1898729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1463375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1463375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1463375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}