Why the F-22 Raptor Still Dominates: Unmatched Air Superiority vs. China’s J-20

F-22 Raptor in flight — unmatched stealth, speed, and air dominance in every dimension

 The F-22 Raptor was developed as a result of the United States’ clear strategic objective to maintain absolute air superiority well into the 21st century. It was born from the Advanced Tactical Fighter program in the 1980s, during a time when the U.S. was preparing to outpace both Soviet and future threats. The result was not just a new aircraft, but a revolutionary air combat platform that combined stealth, speed, situational awareness, and maneuverability in ways that no previous fighter had achieved. The program prioritized combat capability over cost-efficiency, resulting in the most advanced air superiority fighter ever fielded.

The F-22 is unique among operational aircraft. Unlike multirole platforms that try to balance ground attack with air combat capabilities, the F-22 was designed with a singular focus: complete dominance of the air domain. Every component of the aircraft serves that purpose. Its shape is optimized to defeat radar detection, its materials reduce infrared signature, its internal weapons bays preserve stealth while maintaining firepower, and its engines allow it to cruise at supersonic speeds without afterburner—a critical capability known as supercruise.

Supercruise is not a minor advantage. Most fighters must use afterburners to reach and sustain supersonic flight, which burns fuel rapidly and creates a large infrared signature that makes them more detectable to enemy sensors and missiles. The F-22’s ability to supercruise gives it an unmatched ability to dictate engagement distances, pursue or disengage from enemy aircraft, and maintain stealth while doing so. The combination of speed, altitude, and maneuverability gives U.S. pilots the ability to choose when and how to fight, a foundational element of U.S. airpower doctrine.

The F-22’s agility is enhanced further by thrust vectoring nozzles. These allow the pilot to direct engine thrust in multiple directions, enabling the aircraft to perform maneuvers that would be impossible for traditional fighters. In a close-range dogfight, this can mean the difference between gaining a firing position or becoming a target. These capabilities are fully operational and fielded across the F-22 fleet.

In contrast, China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon represents a different design philosophy. It is a significant achievement for China’s aerospace sector, reflecting rapid progress over the past two decades. However, the J-20 is not built for the same mission profile as the F-22. While often labeled a fifth-generation fighter, it was designed primarily as a long-range interceptor and strike platform, with a secondary air-to-air capability. Its large size and long range suggest a focus on penetrating enemy airspace and launching long-range missiles, not engaging in tight-turning dogfights. It is more comparable in some roles to the U.S. F-15EX or Su-35 than to the F-22.

China has made significant claims about the J-20’s capabilities, including advanced radar systems, datalink integration, and missile range. But much of this remains untested in live combat environments. Designing and building an aircraft is one challenge—sustaining it through years of operational deployments, upgrading it based on real combat experience, and integrating it with a battle-tested network is another matter entirely. The F-22 has been in service for over two decades, and while it has not been used in large-scale peer air combat (due in part to the U.S. maintaining uncontested air superiority), it has participated in real-world deployments, air policing missions, and international operations.

Another area where the U.S. holds a decisive advantage is pilot training. The quality of a fighter aircraft is only as good as the pilot operating it. U.S. Air Force pilots undergo years of training, simulation, and joint exercises against other fifth-generation aircraft. Exercises like Red Flag and advanced tactics courses expose pilots to realistic, contested environments against multiple adversaries. Importantly, these pilots are trained to operate independently and make complex tactical decisions under pressure—this autonomy is a core strength of U.S. air doctrine.

Chinese pilot training, while improving, still reflects a more centralized and rigid command structure. Tactical initiative is more limited, and joint training opportunities are narrower in scope. In a high-intensity air battle, the difference in pilot decision-making, reaction time, and tactical creativity can outweigh any technical advantage.

Operational support is another critical factor. The F-22 does not operate alone. In U.S. doctrine, it functions as part of an integrated system of systems that includes airborne warning and control aircraft (AWACS), intelligence assets, electronic warfare platforms, satellites, and fifth-generation allies such as the F-35. This network-centric warfare approach allows the U.S. to operate with superior situational awareness, coordinated targeting, and electronic protection. Even if the J-20 were to detect a threat or launch a missile, U.S. aircraft would likely know it first, react faster, and respond with greater precision.

One of the most overlooked advantages of the F-22 is its stealth performance across multiple aspects. While the J-20 is stealthy from the front, the rest of its design still exposes radar-reflective surfaces. The F-22, by contrast, was engineered with all-aspect stealth. This makes it significantly more survivable in contested environments and allows it to approach or evade threats with greater confidence. Combined with advanced electronic warfare capabilities, this gives U.S. pilots a significant advantage in both offensive and defensive operations.

Some analysts point to China’s production rate of the J-20 as a concern for U.S. air superiority. While China is fielding J-20s in growing numbers, quantity does not replace quality in the air domain—especially when comparing mature fifth-generation platforms with unproven ones. The U.S. complements the F-22 fleet with a growing force of F-35s, which are also stealthy, heavily networked, and capable of supporting or augmenting air dominance missions. The U.S. is also developing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program to ensure superiority through the 2030s and beyond. This future system will incorporate sixth-generation technologies, manned-unmanned teaming, and deep integration with all U.S. force components.

It's important to remember that real air combat is not just about single aircraft performance. It’s about doctrine, readiness, logistics, electronic warfare, and the ability to conduct sustained operations across multiple theaters. The U.S. has more experience, better infrastructure, and more proven capability in all of these areas. The F-22 is the tip of the spear, supported by unmatched layers of defense, communication, and coordination.

Even in the most optimistic assessments of Chinese aerospace development, the J-20 has not closed the gap with the F-22. It is not just a matter of radar range or missile specifications. It’s about how the entire system performs under pressure, in a dynamic battlespace, against a force that has dominated the skies for generations. The F-22 has proven its readiness, and the U.S. has built its strategy around preserving that edge. That is why, despite global shifts and new challenges, the United States retains its position as the world’s leading air power.