Why Was The F-22 Fighter Jet Discontinued? Here's What You Need To Know

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The test finished smoothly.

It was reported that a 2017 study concluded that restarting the discontinued F-22 program would cost about $50 billion for 194 additional aircraft, with $10 billion of that expense simply to reinitiate production. And, as is well known, the existing F-22 jets experience ongoing maintenance and reliability problems, which would result in significant costs beyond production costs.

Although the F-22 is impressive, increasingly capable fighter jets are beginning to surpass it. Even with the Air Force's $11 billion investment in F-22 updates, the fleet still lags behind China's J-20 fifth-generation aircraft, as well as numerous stealth fighter programs in China and other countries. That doesn't even consider the potential of future sixth-generation fighter jets.

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The F-35 Fighting Jet Is the Air Force's Top Priority for Now

It's equipped with cutting-edge technology, such as Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and an Electro Optical Targeting System. The Air Force currently has 600 in its inventory and plans to acquire 1,800 more. The problem? The F-35 program isn't inexpensive, with an estimated $2 trillion cost through 2088.

Among the technologies being developed internationally, China's White Emperor, a new aircraft capable of entering space from Earth and launching missiles from there, is being developed, with its production potentially happening as late as the 2030s, leaving uncertainty about the future of the F-35.

Outgoing Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, stated in December 2024 that the F-35 remains a part of the US's military plan despite the significant setbacks associated with upgrading the aircraft. Although he mentioned that a 6th-generation jet might eventually become necessary, he noted that pursuing such a development would be another costly and lengthy process. At present, the F-35 continues to dominate the US skies, but future airspace capabilities could take a different shape, potentially relying solely on unmanned drones at some point.

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