Defense industry news on March 26: The United States criticizes the F-22 Raptor, with experts saying the Raptor is too expensive and difficult to maintain.
Despite not yet having a 6th-generation aircraft, US experts have criticized the F-22 Raptor; Ukraine has announced the development of secret UAVs for its navy… these are the contents of today's defense industry news, March 26th.
Despite not yet having a sixth-generation aircraft, US experts have criticized the F-22.
The fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter jet, which is expected to be replaced by the more advanced F-47 fighter, has prohibitively high operating costs. Problems with the aircraft have been reported in the publication 19FortyFive.
The author notes that, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the F-22 lost its potential rival. Meanwhile, Washington needed money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Therefore, F-22 production was halted. “The United States made a huge mistake. They didn’t stop F-22 production, they shut it down. It’s true that the F-22 is extremely expensive, but the cost would have decreased if they had continued producing them,” writes the publication 19FortyFive.
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| The F-22 Raptor, a fifth-generation fighter jet. Photo: Defense News |
19FortyFive emphasizes that, of the 186 F-22s produced, approximately 150-180 remain combat-ready. At the same time, the maintenance and operating costs are prohibitively high. Furthermore, the US military lacks replacement F-22s in case of crashes or combat loss.
In early March 2025, TWZ reported that the F-22 fighter jet had made its first flight as part of a modernization program. The aircraft will be equipped with new sensors to improve its ability to detect and track targets.
The F-47 will be the world's first manned sixth-generation fighter jet, although China, Russia, and European countries are also developing new generations of fighter aircraft.
The future US fighter jet is touted as superior in a range of parameters such as speed, stealth capabilities, operational range, and weaponry… Although details have not yet been released, the F-47 is predicted to have many new features that will make it superior to current fighters.
“The speed of the aircraft is in the top group: ‘Above two’ – something we don’t often hear,” Trump said of the F-47’s speed, implying the aircraft can reach Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound). For comparison, the F-22 – the aircraft that will be replaced by the F-47 – can fly above Mach 1.5 and reach Mach 2, while the F-35 can reach Mach 1.6.
Regarding stealth capabilities, according to Trump, the F-47 is "essentially undetectable." "America's enemies will never see it coming," U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin recently told reporters.
The magazine Air & Space Forces points out several differences between the F-47 and the F-22. According to simulated images of the aircraft shown at the White House, the F-47 still retains the characteristic shape of a stealth fighter; however, the wings are angled upwards at a particular angle, unlike previous stealth fighters.
Ukraine has again announced the secret development of unmanned boats for its navy.
Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov has unveiled the latest secret unmanned aerial vehicle, the "Katran," manufactured by the local military company Military Armored Company HUB.
“Information about the missions of this unmanned vessel is classified, but it has truly become a turning point at sea,” wrote the Minister of Digital Development of Ukraine. According to Mykhailo Fedorov, this unmanned device is equipped with torpedoes, machine guns, shoulder-mounted machine guns (MANPADS), and other weapons, capable of covering over 1,000 km, and can be used for both offensive and reconnaissance purposes. The drone can destroy targets at sea, on land, and in the air.
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| Ukraine is trying to become self-sufficient in UAV technology as its supply of ammunition dwindles. Photo: Getty |
Furthermore, the system also has built-in capabilities for automatically identifying threats and activating traps. "This is groundbreaking technology, setting a new standard for warfare," Fedorov emphasized.
Türkiye successfully test-fires new domestically produced cruise missile.
The Turkish military has successfully launched its first SOM-J air-launched cruise missile, developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE for striking targets on water and land. This information was reported by Naval News, citing Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir.
The SOM-J cruise missile, launched from an F-16 fighter jet, struck its surface target with high accuracy. The new SOM-J cruise missile is 3.9 meters long, weighs 540 kg (warhead weight is 140 kg), has a target destruction range of 275 km, and travels at subsonic speeds.
Mehmet Fatih Kacir emphasized that the SOM-J cruise missile is effective against both land and sea targets. Some of the system's features include the ability to re-locate targets in flight, abort missions, and jam communications.
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| The SOM-J cruise missile participates in test firing. Photo: Topwar |
Mr. Kadzir also noted the compatibility with national aviation platforms such as the new generation KAAN fighter jet and the KIZILELMA attack drone. The missile is equipped with an infrared guidance system and a warhead optimized for attacking surface targets. To improve stealth capabilities, the missile's radar signature is significantly masked.
The SOM-J missile is designed to attack well-protected land and sea targets; it is housed in internal bays of aircraft and drones, or on underwing pylons. The Roketsan company is responsible for manufacturing the missile.
According to Naval News, the SOM-J missile was initially developed to equip the F-35 fighter jets that Ankara intended to purchase from the United States. However, after Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program, Ankara decided to adapt the missile for use on other fighter jets currently serving in the Turkish Air Force.
Source: https://congthuong.vn/hoa-ky-che-may-bay-f-22-raptor-380076.html
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