The Air Force is turning the F-22 into a sniper

We have all the details. 

Robert Beckhusen [2]

The F-22 is already a mature aircraft — which makes its presence in the war an interesting moment. Having first flown in 1997, the Air Force plans to keep the clipped delta-wing fighters in service for at least 43 more years since the airframes are tough and haven’t been used heavily.

Three years ago, four F-22 Raptors taking part in the second-wave of the U.S.-led coalition’s opening airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria dropped their bombs. It was the first time the stealthy fifth-generation fighters had ever engaged in combat. The coalition’s war planners also used the F-22s to leverage their low-observable profiles — and far-reaching sensors — while escorting non-stealthy fighters in case Syrian fighters or air-defense systems engaged.

Fortunately, the Syrian military held its fire.

Fast forward to today, and F-22 Raptors are still flying over Iraq and Syria and have shifted almost fully into that latter role, according to Air Force Magazine [3]. “When we first got here, we were 95 percent precision strike. And now we’re probably 95 percent air superiority,” Lt. Col. “Shell” — a callsign — of the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron told the magazine.

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