\
  The most prestigious law school admissions discussion board in the world.
BackRefresh Options Favorite

F-22 airframe is designed for 8,000 flight hours and only 2/3 are operable

hth
Jared Baumeister
  02/24/26
Would F-22s even be useful in a bombing campaign against a c...
Jared Baumeister
  02/24/26


Poast new message in this thread



Reply Favorite

Date: February 24th, 2026 5:56 PM
Author: Jared Baumeister

hth

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5838043&forum_id=2#49692492)



Reply Favorite

Date: February 24th, 2026 5:57 PM
Author: Jared Baumeister

Would F-22s even be useful in a bombing campaign against a country like Iran?

Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct-Q4_K_M.gguf:

The F-22 Raptor is a multi-role fighter jet, but its primary mission is air-to-air combat, not bombing. While it can carry bombs and conduct air-to-ground missions, its capabilities in this regard are limited compared to dedicated bomber aircraft.

In a bombing campaign against a country like Iran, the F-22's usefulness would depend on the specific objectives and requirements of the mission. Here are a few factors to consider:

Air defenses: Iran has a relatively advanced air defense system, including surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery. The F-22's stealth capabilities would be beneficial in evading these defenses, allowing it to penetrate Iranian airspace and conduct missions with a lower risk of detection.

Bombing capabilities: The F-22 can carry a limited number of bombs, typically up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg) of ordnance. This is relatively small compared to dedicated bomber aircraft like the B-1B or B-52, which can carry much larger payloads. The F-22's bombing capabilities are better suited for precision strikes against high-value targets, rather than large-scale area bombing.

Range and endurance: The F-22 has a relatively short range, approximately 1,600 nautical miles (3,000 km), which would require it to operate from bases relatively close to Iran or rely on aerial refueling. This could limit its ability to conduct long-range bombing missions.

Supporting assets: In a bombing campaign, the F-22 would likely be supported by other aircraft, such as electronic warfare planes, reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial tankers. The F-22's ability to integrate with these assets and conduct coordinated operations would be crucial to its effectiveness.

Given these factors, the F-22 might be useful in a bombing campaign against Iran in specific scenarios, such as:

Precision strikes: The F-22's stealth capabilities and precision-guided munitions make it well-suited for targeting high-value assets, such as command centers, airfields, or key infrastructure.

Suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD): The F-22's advanced sensors and missiles could be used to target and destroy Iranian air defense systems, creating a more permissive environment for other aircraft to operate.

Escort missions: The F-22's air-to-air capabilities make it an excellent escort aircraft, providing protection for other bombers or strike aircraft as they conduct their missions.

However, for a large-scale bombing campaign, the USAF might rely more heavily on dedicated bomber aircraft, such as the B-1B, B-2, or B-52, which can carry larger payloads and operate at longer ranges. The F-22 would likely play a supporting role, focusing on precision strikes, SEAD, or escort missions.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5838043&forum_id=2#49692495)