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Envisioned in the 1990s as crucial to US military superiority into this century, the sleek, radar-evading F-22 Raptor has, at last, seen battle.
Never used in Afghanistan or Iraq, the newest fighter jet made its combat debut this week, taking part in the second wave of airstrikes over Syria, according to the Pentagon.
Its first mission involved dropping bombs on an Islamic State group command building in Raqqa.
During a Pentagon briefing, Lieutenant General William Mayville displayed images of targets, which showed a successful mission, with the command centre destroyed.
United States and allied Arab planes bombed a dozen small oil refineries in eastern Syria on Wednesday that officials said were part of a US$2 million-a-day revenue stream for the Sunni Muslim extremist group.
"We are still assessing the outcome of the attacks on the refineries, but have initial indications that the strikes were successful," officials said.
"These small-scale refineries provided fuel to run [Islamic State] operations, money to finance their continued attacks and an economic asset to support their future operations."
The Raptor was developed by Lockheed Martin as a 21st century fighter jet to replace various models of the ageing F-15. With its stealth design, the single-seat F-22 was built to evade radar and has twin engines that allow it to fly at faster-than-sound speeds.
Production of the first F-22 Raptor started in 1999 and was delivered in 2002. The last one was delivered in 2012. Each costs an average of US$190 million.
More than 190 F-22 fighter jets were manufactured, including eight test aircraft.
The Raptor programme was beset by design and costs overruns. When it was unveiled in 1997, critics were complaining about the cost, At the time, the air force wanted 438 F-22s, at a cost of about US$45 billion. That order was scaled back sharply.
In 2010, Defence Secretary Robert Gates told Congress he was willing to cut the F-22 programme as too expensive. Production was later capped.
Safety concerns were the issue in 2011 when planes were grounded for four months after pilots complained about dizziness due to a lack of oxygen in the cockpit.
Internal documents obtained by The Associated Press show that, years earlier, US military experts had suspected there were flaws in the oxygen supply system for the F-22.
The air force later blamed a faulty valve in the pilots' pressure vests, which was replaced and the volume of air flowing to pilots was increased.
Additional reporting by McClatchy-Tribune


US F-22 Raptor sees first action in Syria bombing raid on Islamic State

Pictures show the Islamic State command centre in Raqqa, Syria, before (left) and after it was struck by bombs dropped by an F-22 fighter jet. Photo: Reuter

Pictures show the Islamic State command centre in Raqqa, Syria, before (left) and after it was struck by bombs dropped by an F-22 fighter jet. Below is a radar-evading F-22 in flight.Photos: AFP, Reuters

A radar-evading F-22 in flight. Photo: Reuters

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