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The Air Force’s Big FB-22 Raptor Stealth Bomber Mistake Still Stings
['Harry Kazianis', 'Jack Buckby', 'Reuben Johnson', 'Written By']
National Security Journal
-With bigger wings, more fuel, and a much larger internal weapons bay, it promised “day-one” penetration, long legs, and a dense precision-bomb magazine.
The FB-22 ‘Raptor’ Stealth Bomber: What Could Have BeenThe F-22 Raptor began life as a pure air-dominance machine: a survivable sensor-shooter that would dethrone enemy fighters before they ever saw it, protect high-value assets, and open the way for everything else.
What The Air Force Would Have GainedThree gains stand out—each painfully relevant in 2025:1) Day-One Magazine Depth At Range.
You can build a middle-weight stealth bomber in fighter numbers; you don’t have to settle for a handful of heavies.
Two-seat stealth strike variants keep the cognitive edge where it belongs: in the cockpit, deciding under uncertainty with fused data.