How Much Does An F-22 Cost?

Last Updated on February 26, 2025
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

As one of the most advanced fighter jets ever built, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor represents the pinnacle of stealth technology and air dominance. With its angular design, radar-evading coatings, and blistering speed, the F-22 ensures American air superiority around the globe.

But such incredible capability comes at an equally incredible price—the F-22 is also one of the most expensive fighter aircraft ever produced. The program’s total costs sparked intense debate over whether the Raptor’s game-changing abilities justified the massive expense.

This article will go over the various factors comprising the F-22’s hefty price tag, from research and development to maintenance and upgrades. Read on for an in-depth analysis of how much the Raptor truly costs American taxpayers.

How Much Does An F-22 Cost?

The flyaway cost per F-22 unit is approximately $143 million, while the total program cost per jet including development and research expenses exceeds $350 million; this makes the F-22 the most expensive fighter aircraft ever made, with total ownership costs over its lifespan ranging from $500 million to over $1 billion per airplane.

The “flyaway cost” of an F-22 jet, which includes only actual production expenses and not development or maintenance, is approximately $143 million per aircraft. Compare this to the F-35A at around $80 million each, or Boeing’s advanced F-15EX Eagle II at $88 million apiece. This makes the Raptor by far one of America’s most expensive frontline fighter planes.

For international comparison, Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 Felon stealth fighter has an estimated flyaway cost between $35-50 million—just a fraction of the F-22’s hefty price tag. China’s Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon is projected to cost around $100 million per plane, though its specifications and capabilities remain shrouded in secrecy.

Clearly, the F-22 represented a massive investment right from the initial production phase—and costs only climbed higher once the jets reached operational squadrons.

Total F-22 Program Cost Per Unit

Factoring in the many years of research, design, prototyping, and testing required before full rate production even began, the total cost per F22-unit leaps to approximately $350 million per jet.

Across the entire program from inception to conclusion, the F-22 racked up a total cost of $67.3 billion for only 187 operational aircraft that made it to frontline Air Force, Air National Guard, and naval squadrons. That figure factors in all expenses from initial development through procurement.

When amortized across the truncated final production total, this constitutes an immense sum for a fighter program—even by the big spending standards of the U.S. military and defense contracting industry.

Many of the cost overruns were caused by evolving requirements and new technologies inserted during the lengthy development timeline. For comparison, the larger and more complex F-35 program has exceeded $1.7 trillion in total costs to date—but with over 2,400 aircraft produced or on order for the U.S. and allied nations.

F-22 Operating Cost Per Flight Hour

Once delivered to the Air Force after surviving budget cuts and program restructuring, the F-22 proved extremely expensive to actually operate. Its estimated cost is around $85,000 for every flight hour, making it by far the costliest frontline fighter jet in the U.S. arsenal.

For context, the F-35A costs approximately $36,000 per flight hour to operate, while Boeing’s advanced F-15EX Eagle II comes in around $29,000 per hour. What factors account for the F-22’s astronomical hourly flyaway cost?

• Intensive maintenance requirements for its radar-absorbent stealth coatings and material treatments that degrade with each flight.
• Specialized low-observable restoration that must occur after every flight to maintain its stealth.
• The sheer performance and demands of sustaining twin advanced turbofan engines vs. single engines.
• Usage of rapid-wearing parts like tires and brakes due to the jet’s maneuvering capabilities.

In essence, the F-22’s sheer capabilities in the air come with equally sky-high sustainment costs to keep it flying and stealthy.

Total Lifetime Costs for an Individual F-22

Adding up the staggering research and development costs, hardware procurement expenses, ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation, frequent upgrades, pilot training, and more, the total cost for a single F-22 over its 25–30-year service life is estimated to exceed $700 million per jet.

To put that astronomical sum into perspective, a recent 10-month deployment of a squadron of F-22s to Kadena Air Base in Japan cost American taxpayers over $770 million in total operational expenses—for just a fraction of the aircraft’s total lifespan.

The Government Accountability Office’s 2022 annual review of defense program costs cited the F-22 as one of the Pentagon’s most expensive aircraft fleets to sustain on an annual basis, with approximately $5 billion budgeted for maintenance and upgrades across the 187 strong fleet.

According to AeroTime, the F-22 Raptor is listed as the most expensive fighter jet, with a unit cost of $143 million as reported by the US Air Force. However, the actual production cost per aircraft is estimated to be significantly higher, around $350 million. This discrepancy highlights the complexity of calculating the true cost of such advanced military technology.

On WiseIR, the production cost of an F-22 Raptor is estimated to be around $361 million per aircraft. The total development cost for the F-22 program was approximately $67.3 billion, reflecting the immense investment required for its development and production. Additionally, the operating cost of an F-22 Raptor is about $44,000 per hour, which is significantly higher than other fighter jets like the F-16.

The Wikipedia entry for the F-22 Raptor does not provide specific cost details but emphasizes its advanced capabilities and the significant resources dedicated to its development and maintenance.

Lastly, Bulgarian Military reports that the US plans to invest nearly $10 billion over the next few years in upgrading the F-22 fleet. This investment underscores the ongoing commitment to maintaining the F-22’s capabilities despite its high operational costs.

F-22 Raptor’s Cost Factors

As a complex fighter jet made in relatively limited quantities, the F-22 was destined to carry a steep price right from the start. Several factors drove the program’s costs into the stratosphere over its development and production history.

Research and Development – Any cutting-edge military aircraft requires billions invested in research, design, prototyping, and testing before full-rate production can begin. Developing and proving the advanced technologies used on the F-22 like thrust vectoring, integrated avionics, and stealth coatings spanned decades and ate up huge sums.

Specialized Production – The F-22’s radar-absorbent skin and structural components require extremely intricate manufacturing processes. Only dedicated facilities with specialized tooling can assemble an F-22. This level of complexity adds to production expenses.

Limited Quantity – With only 195 ever built, the per-unit costs stayed high instead of dropping through economies of scale seen in programs like the F-16 and F-35. The government initially wanted over 700 F-22s but slashed orders.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a Harrier Jet, an F11, or an F18.

Stealth Maintenance – Keeping the F-22’s sensitive stealth coatings and features operational demands intensive maintenance and pricy low-observable repair facilities. This drives up long-term operating costs substantially.

What Makes the F-22 So Expensive?

A confluence of advanced technologies and program decisions resulted in the F-22’s astronomical costs.

Cutting-Edge Stealth Design

The Raptor’s invisible profile and radar-avoiding shape required extensive research into advanced low-observable coatings, structural engineering, and heat abatement technologies. Developing and applying this stealth knowledge was immensely expensive. But it also makes the F-22 one of the stealthiest aircraft on Earth.

Limited Production with High Development Costs

For $67 billion spent, one would expect more than 187 operational jets. The initially planned production totals over 700 units got slashed, meaning development costs got amortized over fewer airframes, pushing up program costs per unit.

No Foreign Sales

Unlike models like the F-16 and F-35 which offset expenses through exports to allied nations, the U.S. banned foreign sales of the F-22 to safeguard its technology secrets. This restricted potential cost recovery from international customers.

F-22 vs. Other Fighters

Looking at contemporary and next-generation fighters provides useful context around the F-22’s price tag.

F-22 vs. F-35 Costs

Despite being designed for joint service across the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and foreign militaries, the F-35 managed to keep per-unit costs a fraction of the F-22’s lofty expenses:

Fighter Jet	Unit Flyaway Cost	Operating Cost Per Hour	Total Program Cost
F-22 Raptor	$143 million	$85,000	$67.3 billion
F-35A Lightning II	$80 million	$36,000	$1.7 trillion total fleet

Global scale manufacturing and multiple variant development helped reduce the F-35’s per-unit costs compared to the F-22.

F-22 vs Foreign Fighters

Russia’s Su-57 Felon costs an estimated $35-50 million per unit—far less than the F-22. But it lacks the Raptor’s advanced avionics and stealth capabilities. China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon is projected around $100 million, though its true capabilities remain unproven.

No other nation has yet matched the F-22’s mix of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated systems.

Why Was the F-22 Program Canceled?

In 2009 the government halted F-22 production at just 195 aircraft—far short of the initial goal. Several factors contributed to the shutdown:

• Costs: Both manufacturing and operating costs kept rising as orders got cut, making the platform unaffordable.
• Shift to F-35: Focus (and dollars) moved towards the more versatile F-35 as the future of America’s fighter force.
• Changing Technology: Emerging needs like drones, cyber weapons, and upgraded legacy planes received funding priority.

While advanced for its time, the F-22 ultimately fell victim to stratospheric costs and evolving strategic needs after the Cold War era.

Could the F-22 Be Restarted or Replaced?

Restarting F-22 production today remains unlikely due to lost manufacturing infrastructure and expertise. Instead, the in-development Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter is slated to replace the Raptor in the coming decades.

Challenges of Restarting F-22 Production

Experts estimate restarting the F-22 production line could cost over $10 billion in reassembly and requalification. The specialized suppliers disbanded long ago when the line shut down. Instead, the Air Force is focused on developing a new sixth-generation fighter.

What Comes After the F-22?

The NGAD program initiated in 2021 aims to develop a next-gen stealth air superiority fighter incorporating drone teaming, directed energy weapons, and more. If successful, NGAD could extend American air dominance another 30 years past the F-22’s service—but likely at an even higher cost.

Final Words

Given its astronomical $350+ million per unit cost and $85,000 per flight hour operating expenses, the F-22 undoubtedly strained budgets. But from a capability standpoint, no other fighter jet can match the Raptor’s combination of speed, stealth, and maneuverability.

While the F-35 and NGAD program are now extending air dominance into the future, the F-22’s generation-leaping advances came at a proportionally giant price tag, cementing its status as the most expensive fighter jet ever built. For a period, it was a cost deemed necessary to maintain air superiority.

Answers to Common Questions

How much fuel does the F-22 Raptor use per flight hour?

The F-22 Raptor uses approximately 5,000 pounds or around 650 gallons of jet fuel per hour of flight. Its twin Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines each produce 35,000 pounds of thrust but also burn through fuel extremely quickly, even at supersonic speeds the F-22 is capable of sustaining. Reducing afterburner use, optimizing flight profiles for cruising, and limiting vertical climbs can reduce per-hour fuel consumption.

How much does it cost to maintain an F-22 per flight hour?

The F-22 costs an average of $85,000 in maintenance expenses per flight hour. Its radar-absorbent stealth coatings require intensive inspections and repair/reapplication after each flight. Technicians also thoroughly inspect the engines, flight systems, and avionics. Frequent tire changes and brake repairs add costs as well. The complexity of its twin-engine design also necessitates higher maintenance labor compared to single-engine fighters. Stealth optimizations make the F-22 maintenance intensive and therefore quite costly.

Why is the F-22 Raptor so expensive?

The F-22 Raptor’s tremendous performance capabilities came at an equally tremendous price. Key factors driving costs include:

• Developing and proving never-before-seen technologies like thrust vectoring and integrated avionics required billions invested over multiple decades.
• Manufacturing and assembling the intricate airframe demands specialty facilities and processes unavailable elsewhere.
• With only 195 built, costs stayed high instead of dropping through economies of scale.
• Maintaining the sensitive stealth coatings and features requires specialized infrastructure and manpower.

The F-22’s generation-leaping stealth and performance breakthroughs required equally groundbreaking levels of investment—making it the most expensive fighter jet ever built.