Perhaps one of the most useful aspects of the F-22 deployment to the Middle East is the lessons learned.

Shooting down incoming drones and missiles isn’t an easy feat, but it is an important capability for an air force to have in today’s operational environment. Luckily, the U.S. Air Force already has aces among its ranks who know how to take down unmanned aerial systems and missiles.  

F-22 Raptors vs. Iranian Munitions

In August, F-22 Raptor fighter jets from the 90th Fighter Squadrons deployed to the Middle East to counter the threat of Iranian drones and missiles. Only hours after they had touched down in the region, the Iranian military began to launch salvos of munitions against Israel.  

The F-22 Raptors, alongside F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15 Strike Eagles, scrambled into action.

“We were not necessarily worried about shooting down anybody else’s airplanes,” Air Force Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson said in an interview with the Air & Space Forces Magazine. “We were primarily there to defend our ground forces against the threats that were being posed by the UAVs in the AOR, as well as the cruise missiles that we’ve seen become more prevalent, both from the Houthis as well as militia groups in the region.” 

The F-22 Raptor is America’s primary air superiority fighter jet. The first stealth fighter jet in the world, the F-22 is designed and equipped with a single purpose: clear the skies from enemy fighter jets and other aircraft. Once control of the skies has been achieved by the F-22, other aircraft can operate more freely and maximize the advantage of air superiority.  

“It was a very fluid situation,” Johnson said. “Knowing exactly where threats were coming from and when is becoming exponentially more difficult to discern because the threat has just proliferated to the point that it can literally be one person from anywhere with a single UAV.” 

Contrary to air-to-air combat with an enemy manned aircraft, shooting down an incoming ballistic missile or unmanned aerial system is different. It requires different tactics, techniques, and procedures. And it is far more technically challenging to deal with a swarm of incoming munitions than one or two enemy fighter jets. 

Institutional Knowledge  

Perhaps one of the most useful aspects of the F-22 deployment to the Middle East is the lessons learned. Shooting down Chinese or Russian missiles and drones in a potential future near-peer clash will be similar to shooting down Iranian ones.  

The F-22 Raptor pilot added that the combat in the Middle East is completely applicable to other scenarios.

“I think pretty much anybody can look at the current environment and know that if a global conflict breaks out between superpowers, that this is 100 percent going to be a part of the problem that we have.” 

As such, the lessons learned by the F-22 and F-15 crews will be invaluable—if they are used correctly. The facts suggest that the Air Force is implementing the lessons correctly and that units across the force can tap into the pool of knowledge to better understand how to tackle evolving threats in future combat scenarios.  

About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou  

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

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