F-22A Raptor

The F-22A Raptor (also designated F-22 or F/A-22A) is a fifth-generation air superiority fighter aircraft. The F-22A is notable for its high speed and moderate degree of stealth technology, as well as its use of radar-guided missiles.

As an advanced and well-known aircraft, the F-22A has been the aircraft of choice for many Ace Combat protagonists, featured on many game covers, and involved in numerous conflicts throughout the series.

Strangereal
In the Strangereal universe, the F-22A saw much earlier development than in our real world, having entered service by the mid- to late-20th century. It was slowly adopted as a valuable aircraft for high-ranking pilots, seeing limited combat as early as the Belkan War in 1995 and the Usean Continental War in 1998.

By the start of the 21st century, the F-22A was produced in larger quantities around the world for many air forces. The ISAF Air Force provided an F-22A for the famed ace, Mobius 1, towards the end of the Second Usean Continental War. The ISAF later procured three more F-22As for use in the Mobius Squadron during Operation Judgement Day. By the 2020s, the F-22A saw further service in the Aurelian Air Force and the Osean Air Defense Force.

By the 2030s, the F-22A's appeal was slowly declining; ECM technology was rapidly advancing and anti-stealth radar networks were being developed at a similar pace, countering the F-22A's main advantages of radar-guided missiles and stealth. Its airframe, however, remains iconic partly due to its speed and mobility, leading General Resource Limited to manufacture the Connection for Flight Interface-equipped F-22C Raptor II.

Real world
The F-22A was developed by the United States in the 1980s to replace the F-15C Eagle in response to the Soviet Union's developments in aviation. The aircraft was conceived from the YF-22 Lightning II, the winner in the competition set out by the US government, over the YF-23 Black Widow II, which would not see further development. The F-22A was unveiled in early 1997 and entered service with the United States Air Force in 2005.

Joint Assault
During the attacks by the Golden Axe Plan, Antares Squadron acquired at least one F-22A for use by its members. It is unknown if Antares One himself used an F-22A.

Assault Horizon
By early 2015, the United States was testing a new artificial intelligence known as Righteous to replace F-22A pilots. Colonel William Bishop was involved in testing the AI. Later that year, during the New Russian Federation uprising, Colonel Bishop and other USAF pilots in Task Force 108 would pilot their F-22s during the liberation of Moscow as well as countering Andrei Markov's attack on the eastern U.S.

Infinity
F-22As saw limited use during Operation Eternal Liberation on both sides of the conflict; Reaper of Bone Arrow Squadron was eventually provided a personal F-22A, and the USEA Federation's Shadow Squadron utilizes multiple F-22A airframes.

Game Analysis

 * -|Ace Combat 7====Ace Combat 7===

Gallery

Trivia

 * The F-22A's external stealth weapon pod featured in Ace Combat 7 is a real technology being tested on the prototype in real life.
 * The F-22A is the most recurring aircraft on Ace Combat game covers, featured as the canon aircraft of Phoenix, Mobius 1, Gryphus One, Antares One, and Colonel William Bishop.
 * In Air Combat and Ace Combat 2, the aircraft designated F-22 actually uses the model of the YF-22 Lightning II.
 * In the early stages of development of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, the F-22A bore the "TY" tailcode of Tyndall Air Force Base. Tyndall is the home to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, the first operational Raptor squadron. The final tailcode, FF, represents the 1st Fighter Wing ("Fighting First"), the first wing of the USAF that operates the aircraft.