[News in War History] Why the US F-22's First Aerial Combat Opponent Was a 'Jungchaek Balloon' from China

Development Began to Overwhelm the Soviet Union in the 1980s
No Enemy in Air Combat... Chinese Balloons Were the First Opponents
Too Superior to Export... Production Also Halted

Editor's Note[News in War History] is a content series created to provide multifaceted perspectives on the constantly unfolding war and conflict news worldwide. Through 'News,' we first understand the current situation; through 'History,' we analyze the hidden meanings behind the news; and through 'Implication,' we offer insights into the near future. We visit you every Sunday and plan to publish a book after 40 episodes.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyunwoo] Since the 4th, Chinese reconnaissance balloons consecutively discovered in the airspace of the United States and Canada have been shot down one after another by the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor fighter jets. The repeated sorties of the F-22, known as the most powerful stealth fighter currently in existence, have attracted significant attention both inside and outside the U.S.

In particular, it is noteworthy that the F-22, which had never faced enemy fighters in the sky and thus had no real combat air-to-air experience, recorded its first air combat achievement by shooting down Chinese reconnaissance balloons this time. Ironically, it has drawn even more attention because the first air combat opponent it encountered after 18 years of active service was a balloon.

The F-22 fighter jet that took off to intercept the Chinese reconnaissance balloon that appeared off the coast of South Carolina, USA, on the 4th (local time). South Carolina=AP·Yonhap News

Nevertheless, this reconnaissance balloon shootdown is evaluated as an interception only the F-22 could perform. The scene of intercepting balloons at nearly 20,000 meters altitude, where normal fighter jets can hardly operate, vividly demonstrated the U.S.'s military power.

Some critics have questioned whether there was a cheaper way to shoot down the balloons. However, there is also an interpretation that the U.S. government deployed the F-22 to exert stronger psychological pressure on the opposing country. Continuously showcasing the sortie of the F-22, regarded as the world's most invincible fighter jet, itself sends the strongest possible message to China, which conducted the reconnaissance balloon provocations.

Despite its excellence, the F-22's superior capabilities ironically led to export restrictions and production cessation. Due to enormous maintenance costs, the U.S. military is currently upgrading some functions of about 186 fighters in possession without plans for additional production, focusing instead on developing next-generation fighters. How has the F-22, an invincible yet ill-fated fighter, maintained its status as the ruler of the skies for so long?

◆News: F-22 Records First Air-to-Air Kill by Shooting Down Chinese Reconnaissance Balloon

[Image source=Lockheed Martin website]

Now, let's look at foreign news reporting the actual interception achievements of the F-22. According to The New York Times (NYT), the U.S. Air Force deployed the F-22 to intercept Chinese reconnaissance balloons discovered on the 4th in South Carolina, on the 10th in Alaska, and on the 11th in Yukon, Canada. The F-22 intercepted these balloons using AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles.

There has been controversy both inside and outside the U.S. over the enormous costs incurred by the repeated sorties of the F-22. The F-22 costs $150 million (about 193 billion KRW) per unit, and its hourly flight cost is $70,000 (about 90 million KRW), making it an extremely expensive fighter jet.

Additionally, the Sidewinder missiles used for interception are priced at a minimum of $450,000 (about 580 million KRW) each. Critics argued that deploying such overwhelming firepower to shoot down a single reconnaissance balloon was excessive.

However, the U.S. Air Force responded that interception would have been difficult without the F-22's deployment. The Chinese reconnaissance balloons were positioned at high altitudes between 17,000m and 20,000m, making it difficult for regular fighters to operate, and due to the balloon's radar-invisible characteristics, ground-based ballistic missile interception was also challenging.

Regardless of these controversies, this sortie marked the F-22's first air combat achievement in 18 years since its operational deployment in 2006. Because of its wide operational range and stealth capabilities, the F-22 had no aerial opponents in the sky, making this its first air-to-air kill.

◆History: The Invincible Fighter Born from the 'High-Low Mix' Strategy

A YF-22 fighter jet receiving aerial refueling during a training flight in 1990. [Image source= U.S. Air Force National Museum (NMUSAF)]

In fact, although the F-22 is now an older model after 18 years of operational deployment, no foreign fighter jet capable of matching it in air combat currently exists. China claims its stealth fighter J-20 and Russia its Su-57 rival the F-22, but the fact that their performance details remain undisclosed suggests otherwise.

The U.S. Air Force openly describes the F-22's power as 'Air Dominance,' emphasizing that it surpasses 'Air Superiority' and is a weapon no fighter jet from any country worldwide can match. It is known that the U.S. shows the F-22's sortie alongside aircraft carrier strike groups whenever diplomatic frictions or localized conflicts arise for this reason.

The F-22's origins trace back to 1981. According to the U.S. Air Force National Museum (NMUSAF), the F-22 development began when the Soviet Union produced fighters like the Su-27 and MiG-29, rivaling the U.S.'s F-15 and F-16.

During the intense systemic competition with the Soviet Union, the U.S. embarked on developing a new fighter jet that the Soviets could never catch up to?at least two generations ahead. This fighter was the F-22. The U.S. pursued a 'High-Low Mix' strategy to reduce deployment costs by developing both a main fighter and a mass-produced fighter simultaneously, developing the F-22 to replace the main F-15 and the F-35 to replace the mass-produced F-16.

YF-22 and YF-23 fighter jets conducting aerial training together.
[Image source= U.S. Air Force National Museum (NMUSAF)]

Under this strategy, defense contractors Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and General Dynamics collaborated to develop the YF-22 prototype, which first flew in 1990. Separately, Northrop Grumman and McDonnell Douglas jointly developed the YF-23, competing against the YF-22, with the YF-22 ultimately selected as the prototype.

During the F-22's development, the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended, and the F-22 was expected to become an invincible fighter. In 2006, before operational deployment, a mock air combat was held between a team of F-22 and F-15 and a team of F-15, F-16, and F/A-18, where the F-22 team won with an unbelievable score of 241 to 2, establishing the F-22 as a fighter with no aerial rivals.

The U.S. military deployed 195 units, and the F-22 was first used in combat during the 2014 Syrian civil war. It participated in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group operating in Syria and Iraq, successfully conducting over 200 sorties, breaking through all enemy air defenses. Its formidable stealth capabilities were proven, and the F-22 played a crucial role in suppressing air defenses first, enabling other air forces to approach enemy territory.

During more than 200 sorties over Syria, neither the Syrian army nor the Russian forces stationed to assist them detected the F-22's sorties. In 2017, the F-22 spotted a Syrian Su-24 fighter at 600 meters altitude and pursued it for 15 minutes, but the Syrian forces reportedly did not detect the F-22 at all.

◆Implication: No Need to Use an Ox-Killing Knife to Catch a Chicken

The Russian Su-57 fighter jet. [Image source: Russian Ministry of Defense website/www.mil.ru]

The F-22, which the enemy cannot even detect, has no real air combat experience because of this and has maintained its title as an invincible fighter for a long time.

However, ironically, unlike the F-35, which is currently being sold worldwide, the F-22's export is prohibited due to its superior performance, and its production line was shut down after the last delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 2012. In 2021, the U.S. Air Force announced plans to develop a next-generation main fighter to replace the F-22 and retire the F-22.

As expressed by the U.S. security magazine National Interest, the F-22's biggest flaw is that it is "too good, so it has no enemies." Ultimately, its excellence beyond its era and the enormous maintenance costs led to its abandonment.

Even Russia, which was the only air power capable of challenging the U.S., lost most of its air power due to the Ukraine war, further diminishing the F-22's role. The Su-57, which Russia boasted could match the F-22, is expected to be unable to be produced for the next ten years, reducing its usefulness further.

This situation is akin to the Korean idiom 'Halgaeudo (割鷄牛刀),' meaning "no need to use an ox-killing knife to catch a chicken." It teaches the lesson that if weapons or products are too advanced for their time, they may be difficult to be accepted.