The F-22 Raptor Might Become the ‘B-52’ of U.S. Air Force Fighter Jets

The F-22 Raptor Might Become the ‘B-52’ of U.S. Air Force Fighter Jets

The decision to extend the F-22 Raptor’s service life into the 2060s marks a tectonic shift in U.S. air superiority doctrine. As of March 2026, it appears the U.S. Air Force is no longer viewing the Raptor as a "bridge" to the future, but as the only guaranteed insurance policy against a sixth-generation program that may be too expensive to survive its own ambition. The post The F-22 Raptor Might Become the ‘B-52’ of U.S. Air Force Fighter Jets …