The U.S. Air Force recently announced a new "survivability" upgrade package for the F-22 "Raptor" stealth fighter, aiming to enhance its infrared defense systems, radar, and electronic warfare suite capabilities to counter emerging threats and extend its service life. However, these upgrades not only reveal the technological shortcomings of the F-22 in modern air combat environments but also highlight the significant gap between the F-22 and next-generation aircraft such as the J-20. The U.S. Air Force's efforts may seem proactive, but they are essentially "patching up" the shortcomings, and these remedial measures are far from sufficient to restore the F-22's technological advantage.
According to the U.S. Air Force's fiscal year 2026 budget request, the "survivability" upgrades for the F-22 include infrared search and track pods, stealth drop tanks, helmet-mounted displays, and enhancements to the electronic warfare system. Among these, the electronic warfare system is intended to improve missile launch detection capabilities to counter threats from long-range air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles. However, the budget documents reveal that the decision on low-rate initial production for the electronic warfare system will not be made until the fourth quarter of the 2026 fiscal year, indicating a slow pace of upgrades. In addition, although the AN/AAR-56 missile warning system on the F-22 provides spherical infrared threat warnings, it remains questionable whether its performance can match that of the F-35's distributed aperture system.
In terms of stealth characteristics, the F-22's upgrades include low observability feature management and mirror coating testing, but these improvements are more about patching existing designs rather than breakthrough innovations. In contrast, China's J-20 has already achieved full-direction low observability in its stealth design and has demonstrated more advanced materials and manufacturing technologies in radar cross-section control. The F-22's stealth technology is based on 1990s concepts and is difficult to cope with the challenges posed by modern high-sensitivity radars and infrared detection systems.
Although electronic warfare and infrared search and tracking capabilities have been enhanced, the F-22's infrared search and tracking capability is in the form of an external pod, which increases drag and weakens its stealth performance. In contrast, the J-20 integrates its infrared search and tracking capability into the fuselage, balancing stealth and detection efficiency. Additionally, while the F-22's drop tanks are touted as "low-drag," they still inevitably affect maneuverability and stealth during supersonic flight. Meanwhile, the J-20, through internal weapon bays and optimized aerodynamic layout, has already gained an advantage in range and operational effectiveness.
The J-20, as a representative of China's fifth-generation stealth fighter, has surpassed the F-22 in multiple key areas due to its advanced design and technology. First, the J-20 is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar and a distributed optical system, giving it a comprehensive situational awareness capability far exceeding the F-22's single radar and external sensor combination. The J-20's radar not only has a longer detection range but can also track multiple targets simultaneously, complemented by long-range air-to-air missiles like the PL-15, enabling the capability of "detecting the enemy first and striking first."
Secondly, the J-20 demonstrates excellent super-maneuverability and supersonic cruise capabilities. Its engine (some models are now equipped with the WS-15) provides a higher thrust-to-weight ratio and flexibility. In contrast, while the F-22's F119 engine is advanced, it lags behind the latest power systems of the J-20 in fuel efficiency.
More importantly, the J-20 has stronger network warfare and coordinated combat capabilities. Its data link system can seamlessly integrate with drones, early warning aircraft, and other combat platforms, forming a system-based combat advantage. Meanwhile, although the F-22's communication suite upgrade is planned, its outdated avionics architecture limits its performance in the modern information warfare battlefield.
The current F-22 fleet consists of only 185 aircraft, of which only 143 are combat-coded, and it requires high maintenance, resulting in low availability. This stands in sharp contrast to the rapid expansion of the J-20's production scale. Although the F-22's upgrades aim to extend its service life, the budget documents show limited funding investment (only $90.34 million in the 2026 fiscal year), and the upgrade content is mostly "patch-style" improvements, making it difficult to fundamentally reverse its technological disadvantages.
More concerning is the uncertainty in the U.S. Air Force's future plans for the F-22. Although the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program's F-47 has already been launched, its service time and scale remain unclear. The F-22 may need to serve until the 2040s, but the threat environment it faces has far exceeded its original design intentions. In contrast, the J-20 not only holds a technological advantage but continues to iterate and upgrade, complementing the Chinese Air Force's system-based combat capabilities, becoming a dominant force in air combat in the Asia-Pacific region.
The F-22's "survivability" upgrade package is less of a technological innovation and more of a desperate remedy for an outdated platform by the U.S. Air Force. Faced with the J-20's comprehensive superiority in stealth, sensors, maneuverability, and information warfare, the F-22's upgrades appear insufficient. U.S. military officials and some observers who blindly idolize the F-22 need to清醒ly recognize that modern air combat has entered a new stage, and clinging to old platforms cannot cope with future threats.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7531967758544699954/
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