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- Background: The F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft developed for the United States (USAF). As a product of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program the aircraft was designed as an air superiority fighter, but also incorporates ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while program partner provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft first flew in 1997 and was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Although the USAF had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs, the program was cut to 187 production aircraft in 2009 due to high costs, a lack of air-to-air missions at the time of production, and the development of the more affordable and versatile F-35.The last aircraft was delivered in 2012. After a protracted development and initial operational difficulties, the F-22 became a critical component of the USAF's tactical airpower and will remain a cornerstone of the fighter fleet until its succession by the crewed Next Generation Air Dominance fighter.