The oft-maligned but remarkably capable Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor entered combat for the first time this week when an undisclosed number were used in airstrikes against Islamic State strongholds and facilities in Syria. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the aircraft dropped GPS-guided bombs on an array of targets, including a building used as a headquarters by the militants, training camps, barracks and combat vehicles. An Islamic State command and control building in Raqqah had its rooftop communications system destroyed, while the remaining portions of the building were largely untouched-all due to a GPS-guided bomb reportedly delivered by one of the Raptors involved in the attack. Although conceived as an air superiority fighter, the highly stealthy fighter is being used in a ground attack role.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/f-22-used-in-anger-for-the-first-time