US Air Force Stealth Fighter Down: $334,000,000 Lockheed F-22 Raptor Was ‘Shot Down’ By Navy EA-18G Electronic Warfare Plane in a Combat Drill

Automatically curated summary from 19FortyFive.

In an article for 19FortyFive, national security writer Harrison Kass reviews a 2009 Nellis Air Force Base exercise where a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler scored a simulated kill against a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor. The electronic warfare aircraft achieved the lock using favorable geometry, electronic attack capabilities, and exercise constraints. Kass notes that similar simulated kills against fifth-generation fighters have occurred with Rafales and F-16s during constrained drills. He stresses that while the event highlights the crucial role of electronic warfare, it does not demonstrate operational superiority or undermine F-22 air dominance.

Context and limitations

The engagement was a simulated exercise outcome operating under specific training constraints and rules of engagement, which may not reflect real-world combat conditions.