3 barriers prevent the US from producing more F-22 stealth fighters
F-22 fighter participates in exercise Red Flag 17-1
General Hawk Carlisle, commander of US air operations, recently urged the Pentagon to resume the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter production program to help the US maintain air superiority against potential opponents, in
Manufacturing technology is hidden
The F-22 is considered the best fighter America has ever built, with a unique combination of stealth technology, speed, maneuverability and sensor systems.
Lockheed Martin Corporation and the US Air Force have done everything to secure F-22 fighter manufacturing technology.
The F-22 fighter is very difficult to maintain.
An air force official said that during a maintenance session, engineers needed to manufacture a new special part to replace damaged parts on the F-22.
This has happened several times, but it still hasn’t been resolved.
Outdated electronic system
The F-22’s electronic equipment was considered outdated, even before it went into operation in December 2005.
The central processor in the computer system on the F-22 only runs at 25 MHz because it takes too long from design to production.
The F-22’s electronic system needs to be completely upgraded before restoring the production line.
Old body frame
The basic fuselage of the F-22 uses a design from the 1980s. This fighter has become outdated because stealth technology, jet engines, electronic systems and fuselage design have advanced.
If the US Air Force invests tens of billions of dollars in an aircraft, they must ensure that technology will still be able to deal with threats that arise decades later.
The fuselage frame has become old.
These reasons make it difficult for the US Air Force to restart the F-22 production line.
Instead of reviving the F-22, the US has begun building a new generation fighter codenamed F-X.
