The maiden flight of the original test model was made in September 1990, and the Air Force has since ordered around 400 of the fighter jets.
The angles of the wings and the tail of the Raptor are aligned in way that makes it harder to spot; the slope of the main body and the fact that its weapons can be carried inside also help make it less visible.
The F-22 also has more thrust and a sleeker design than other fighters, so it can hit the speed of sound without using afterburner, which slows and limits the range of aircraft that need to use it.
It is also the U.S. Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft. It entered service in December 2005 after 15 years of testing and development. During this process, the airframe was significantly redesigned and production numbers cut, as prototypes of the Raptor failed to meet Air Force expectations.
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