Lokheed Martin F-22 Raptor. There seems to be a common misconception about the capabilities of the Raptor. While the F-22 incurred multiple delays and setbacks during development and entry into service, as would be expected for any fighter making a technological leap of this magnitude, the end result is a deadly air superiority fighter with no match to date. I often hear the “it hasn’t been used in real combat” type of comments which are for the most part uneducated and irrelevant. There is no need to go throwing a high price asset like the F-22 into battle when our current 4th gen fighters are more than capable of getting the job done. Furthermore, technology such as the F-22 and B-2 bomber are often intended to be deterrents of war as many potential threats are less likely to engage in combat given the possibility of volunteering to be the underdog in the fight. While the F-22 has not seen combat, it’s systems have been proven time after time during combat exercises such as Red Flag and for the foreseeable future the Raptor will be the premier air superiority fighter. On a side note, The Sukhoi T-50 and Indian FGFA stand to be a very capable opponent given the cheaper price and potential for greater numbers to be built.