Fourth-generation fighter aircraft are still widely produced around the world and are often categorized into sub-generations such as 4, 4+, and 4++. Improved versions of the fourth generation are often equipped with some features of fifth-generation aircraft.

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The F-22 Raptor, a fifth-generation fighter jet from the United States.

In 2005, the United States became the first country to deploy a fifth-generation fighter jet with the F-22 Raptor. Compared to previous generations of aircraft, the F-22 stands out thanks to its superior technological advancements.

As the first representative of the fifth generation, the most significant difference between the F-22 and fourth-generation aircraft is its stealth technology, which was integrated right from the design stage instead of focusing solely on aerodynamics and flight performance.