How High Can The F-22 Fighter Jet Fly?

Have you ever been on a commercial flight and looked down at the ground far below from your window, marveling at just how high in the sky you're traveling? Imagine flying nearly twice that altitude — which many F-22 Raptor pilots can claim they've done. That's because the F-22, a fifth-generation fighter jet used by the United States Air Force, can soar as high as 50,000 feet and above. That's roughly 15 kilometers up. For comparison, commercial planes like the ones you may travel on, typically cruise at an altitude of 31,000 to 42,000 feet.

That flight ceiling is one of the reasons the Air Force chose an F-22 to bring down a Chinese spy balloon that infamously flew across United States airspace in early 2023. The balloon had reached heights of 60,000 feet, an altitude that most winged aircraft cannot reach. Thanks in part to its impressive ceiling and the weapons it can carry, the F-22 made short work of the balloon once the order was given.

The F-22 Raptor, which the U.S.A.F. officially deployed for operations in December 2005, is a beast of a fighter jet. ChatGPT even named it one of the best fighter planes ever made. Its unique combination of stealth, weaponry, and power make it a formidable component of the United States' armed forces. It shouldn't be a surprise that the Raptor has such impressive specs — it's one of the most expensive military aircraft ever built, and it spent years in development.

In addition to its ability to fly upwards of 50,000 feet, the F-22 can also generate an astounding 70,000 pounds of thrust thanks to its pair of Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines – it's one of the few planes that can generate so much thrust. It can reach Mach 2 and also has the ability to supercruise, which means it can sustain supersonic flight without the use of an afterburner. With an internal fuel capacity of 18,000 pounds and two external wing fuel tanks that can hold an additional 26,000 pounds, the F-22 has a ferry range of more than 1,850 miles.

The single-crew F-22 was built with air dominance in mind, and the multi-role fighter has the armament to prove it. The Raptor can be armed with an M61A2 20mm cannon, two AIM-9 heat-seeking air-to-air missiles, and either six AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles or two 1,000-lb GBU-32 JDAMs and two AIM-120s. Paired with its speed, stealth, and ability to fly 15 kilometers high, this makes the F-22 Raptor a deadly fighter that enemies may never see coming until it's too late.