US F-22 vs. French Rafale In Wargame Dogfight .. Who Won?

By Maya Carlin 

(Washington DC) The F-22 Raptor is arguably the most revered fighter platform across the globe.

When the first ever fifth-generation jet took to the skies in the early 2000s, the future of aerial combat would be forever changed.

But, of course, that does not mean the F-22 can’t be defeated.

Meet the F-22

The Raptor represented the first fighter platform to combine stealth, supermaneuverability, supercruise, and sensor fusion in a singular airframe. While these capabilities gave the F-22 its legendary status among aviation buffs and military experts alike, the platform is not completely impervious.

In fact, a French fighter pilot once “killed” an F-22 jet in mock combat. While this incident was not unprecedented, the French Rafale’s ability to shoot down America’s top-of-the-line fighter at the time was very significant.

THE INCIDENT: WHAT HAPPENED?

Back in 2009, a squadron of F-22 Raptors from the Air Force’s 1st Fighter Wing in Virginia flew to the United Arab Emirates to complete a training exercise alongside French Rafale fighters, UAE Mirages, and British Typhoon jets. During the collaborative drills, fighters from each nation went head-to-head against each other in various training evolutions. Roughly one month following the conclusion of the exercise, the French Ministry of Defense published footage depicting a Raptor in a disadvantageous dogfighting position captured by a Rafale’s forward-facing camera. The F-22’s vulnerable position implied that the French fighter had won at least that round of performative dogfighting with the American jet.