F-22 Raptor: USAF wants to scrap it because of its increasing need for repairs

US Air Force is looking to downsize the range of fighter jets in its fleet to four

The F-22 Raptor stealth fighter and the F-15E Strike Eagle could be retired. The F-22 has needed a number of repairs and upgrades to its stealth coating

The US Air Force is looking to cut

its fleet of fighter jets from seven to four which could spell the end for the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter.

Despite only spending 16 years in service and costing $150million the F-22 has been hit by an increasing number of repairs.

And now it could be retired alongside the F-15E Strike Eagle in a bid to modernise the force.

Gen. Charles ‘CQ’ Brown said during the annual McAleese conference the service is trying to find the right combination of aircraft through an internal tactical air study.

The US Air Force is looking to downsize its range of fighter jet fleets from seven to four, with the F-22 Raptor (pictured) forced into retirement

The F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, which was introduced in 2005, and the F-15E Strike Eagle (pictured) could be retired in the plans to modernize the force

He said, according to Military.com: ‘Right now we have seven fighter fleets, my intent is to get down to four.

‘And really, a four plus one, because we’re going to have the A-10 for a while.’

The general said the range will likely include the A-10 and F-16, the F-35, which ‘will be the cornerstone’ for the fleet, the F-15EX, and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter.

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