The F-22 Raptor stealth fighter could be “converted” into a bomber

What you need to know: The Lockheed-Martin F-22 Raptor, the U.S. Air Force’s premier stealth fighter, outperforms all comparable airframes in stealth, super-cruise and super-maneuverability capabilities. However, it was never adapted for carrier operations due to budgetary and technical restrictions under the Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) program.

– Although Congress initially pushed for the FB-22 carrier-compatible bomber, the design’s limited combat radius, costly swept wing configuration, and limited internal bomb capacity prevented its development.

-Despite its costly maintenance and small fleet, the F-22 remains an important deterrent against US adversaries, but plans to retire older models are facing resistance.

Why the F-22 Raptor failed to become a carrier bomber

Since its inception, the Lockheed-Martin F-22 “Raptor” has outperformed all comparable aircraft.

As the best operational jet on the planet, combining stealth, super cruise, super maneuverability and sensor fusion into a single airframe, the Raptor remains one of America’s most feared platforms by rival militaries.

However, there is one thing the world’s most capable stealth air superiority fighter cannot do: fly from an aircraft carrier.

Catching up with the Soviets

The single-seat, twin-engine tactical fighter entered service with the US Air Force in 2005 after a lengthy and expensive production process. A product of the US Air Force’s advanced tactical fighter program, the Raptor was intended to outperform advanced Soviet fighters including the Su-27 and MiG-29. At this point in the Cold War, the Air Force determined that its current capabilities might be “insufficient” in the near future unless a more advanced fighter aircraft was in development.

Some of the Raptor’s advanced capabilities include a smaller radar cross-section, which allows the airframe to fly undetected. In fact, the F-22’s cross-section is about five to ten times less prominent than that of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. In addition, the fighter is equipped with two F119 turbofan engines with variable thrust vectoring, which give the pilot an unprecedented advantage in dog fighting. The larger body of the fighter also has three internal weapons bays.

The Raptor’s enormous potential convinced Congress to pressure the U.S. Navy to consider fielding a swept-wing version of the new aircraft as part of the Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) program. As detailed Sandboxx Media“In exchange for the Navy viewing the NATF as a potentially cheaper alternative to developing its own carrier-based replacement fighter, the US Air Force has agreed to evaluate a modified version of the carrier-based stealth bomber being developed as part of the US Navy’s advanced project. Tactical Aircraft (ATA) program as a replacement for the aging F-111.”

This collaborative approach will ultimately lead to joint combat aircraft programs between the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force, resulting in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

However, by 1991, the plan to introduce carrier-compatible FB-22 was abandoned primarily for technical and budgetary reasons. Turning the Raptor into a bomber will have a significant impact on the airframe’s payload and range. Defense expert Sebastian Roblin previously explained why the F-22’s limited combat radius would be detrimental to bomber operations. The Raptor’s 600-mile combat radius is “insufficient for a deep penetration bomber that cannot rely on tanker aircraft to penetrate hostile airspace.”

Bomber FB-22: it would be great, but expensive

Additionally, the Raptor can only carry four small diameter bombs in its internal weapons bay. Any additional ammunition placed on the glider’s wings will reduce the Raptor’s stealth. Engineers also grabbed on how to implement a swept wing similar to the F-14 Tomcat into the FB-22. The swept wing is extremely expensive to maintain, and integrating this design into the airframe would compromise its stealth capability.

While the FB-22 carrier-based bomber would be truly remarkable, it would likely not change the overall capabilities of the US military’s current carrier platforms. Additionally, by 2009, the Air Force had purchased only 187 F-22 airframes—hundreds fewer than originally planned. America’s transition to the Global War on Terror and the continued development of cheaper and comparable platforms have led to a shortage of Raptors. Today the Air Force strives retire its fleet of older model F-22 fighters due to the expensive maintenance of the platform and its decreasing cost. Congress is working to prevent the Air Force from taking such actions.

Despite the limited number of available and operational airframes, the F-22 Raptor continues to deter US adversaries. If the FB-22 had been developed under the NAFT program, the bomber would likely have experienced the same growing pains as its sister platform today.

About the author

Maya Carlin is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel.

Image credit: Artist’s creation FB-22.