Is the F-22 Raptor really unbeatable?

Debunking the Myths of Uber-Fighter.

Well, well, well… the F-22 Raptor. Let’s take a slow, skeptical walk around this supposed apex predator of the skies, shall we?

On the surface, it’s one hell of a looker — sleek, ominous, and packing a reputation that makes grown generals drool. But here’s the rub: when it comes to real-world proof of its combat prowess, things get murky. The last Raptor rolled off the production line in 2011, and it never really got a proper brawl in the skies — not even a tussle with an old, wheezing MiG-29. Its grand “combat debut” came in 2014 over Iraq, dropping bombs on ISIS fighters who didn’t even own a slingshot, let alone surface-to-air missiles. That’s not a dogfight, that’s target practice at best.

You want to separate myth from metal? You need combat data, not sales brochures. But all we’ve got are Lockheed’s PR handouts and Pentagon press conferences, which are about as trustworthy as a politician’s marriage vows.

Let’s switch gears and look at what we do know: the F-22 is a diva. A high-maintenance, budget-devouring supermodel of a jet. And I’m not just being dramatic — the Government Accountability Office itself has waved the red flag, citing insane operating…