The US Air Force (USAF) F/A-22 Raptor (number 18) performs a low pass over the flightline before landing. This is the first F/A-22 Raptor delivered to the Air Force. It will become part of the 43rd Fighter Squadron (FS) which will be responsible for training pilots to fly the new air superiority fighter. The plane is piloted by USAF Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Jeffrey "Cobra" Harrigian, Commander, 43rd Fighter Squadron (FS), 325th Fighter Wing (FW), Air Education and Training Command (AETC), Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB), Florida (FL)

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also with ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems. USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities and originally planned to buy a total of 750 aircrafts, but in 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.