The F-22 Raptor Facts: 30 Things to Know

F-22s Deployed Against Daesh

An F-22 Raptor lands at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Feb. 18, marking the aircraft's first overseas deployment. The jet is one of 12 along with more than 250 Airmen deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va., to Kadena as part of an air expeditionary force rotation.

As of July 2016, the most up to date F-22s in the USAF are participating in the fight against Daesh from their station at Al Dhafra airbase in UAE. The fleet is assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and the F-22s have undergone the latest software updates giving them huge advances in radar, sensors and avionics. This Squadron is also the first to fly with the upgraded AIM-9X Sidewinder air to air missile. Another cool upgrade involves a capability known as “kinetic situational awareness” which involves the F-22 gathering information about an enemy aircraft via radar and sharing the “picture” with attack planes as well as other important parties. The F-22s remain an important asset for intelligence gathering across enemy lines but are now more capable than ever to come to the rescue when precise air to ground or air to air missions need to be completed.