Since its inception, the F-22 Raptor has been shrouded in mystery, prestige, and unparalleled performance. Designed to ensure American air dominance in an increasingly contested global sky, the F-22 is a fifth-generation fighter jet that not only defines air superiority but has, time and again, demonstrated why it is unmatched in combat scenarios. While many of its missions remain classified, one 2013 incident near Iran offered a rare, vivid glimpse into its silent but formidable capability.
Now, amid renewed tensions in the Middle East and recent deployments of F-22 squadrons to deter threats from Iran and its proxies, that encounter is once again drawing attention—not just for its drama, but for what it revealed about stealth, strategy, and psychological deterrence in modern warfare.
In 2013, an American MQ-1 Predator drone was flying a routine surveillance mission just outside Iranian airspace. Unbeknownst to Iran, the United States had quietly instituted a standard operating procedure (SOP) to protect drones following a November 2012 incident when Iranian Su-25s attempted to shoot down a Predator in international airspace.
This time, Iran dispatched two F-4 Phantom IIs, Cold War-era jets still in service since their procurement by the Shah in the 1970s. Their mission: intercept and possibly shoot down the unarmed Predator.
What the Iranian pilots didn’t know was that a stealthy F-22 Raptor, hidden from both radar and sight, was silently tailing their movements.
In what now seems like a maneuver straight out of Top Gun, the F-22 pilot pulled off an extraordinary move: flying beneath the Iranian Phantoms, checking their weapons load without being detected, and then easing up to their left wing, before radioing a simple but chilling message:
“You really ought to go home.”
The Iranian jets, caught completely unaware and at a tactical disadvantage, disengaged immediately.
Initially, the Pentagon withheld many of the incident’s details, citing operational security. But Gen. Mark Welsh, the then Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, eventually confirmed the extraordinary encounter on September 17, 2013. Speaking to the press, he said:
“He [the F-22 pilot] flew under their aircraft to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there.”
That quote, later immortalized in The Aviationist, underscored a stunning reality: a fifth-generation jet had executed a maneuver so precise and stealthy that two fourth-generation fighters couldn’t even register its presence—until it was too late.
The incident became a textbook case of tactical dominance through technology and training, offering several critical takeaways:
The F-22’s radar-absorbing materials and design made it invisible to the older radar systems on Iranian F-4s. But it also used infrared masking, supercruise, and thrust vectoring to dominate the dogfight environment.
The Iranian pilots were not just militarily outmatched—they were mentally overwhelmed. Encountering an invisible adversary at close range transformed the mission from offensive pursuit to hasty retreat.
After this incident, the Pentagon intensified the escort protocol for drone surveillance missions, frequently using either F/A-18s or F-22s from bases like Al Dhafra in the UAE or carriers like the USS John C. Stennis.
Despite its groundbreaking capabilities, the F-22 did not make its formal combat debut until 2014, when it was deployed against the Islamic State (ISIS). Yet, its presence in global hotspots had already begun to shape the strategic landscape.
Fast forward to 2024, and the Raptor found itself again on the frontline of escalating tensions—this time amid the Iran-Israel conflict following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
In response to heightened threats from Iran and its regional allies—including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and various militia groups—the Pentagon deployed a carrier strike group and an F-22 squadron to the region.
But the mission had evolved. This time, the Raptors were not just watching enemy jets; they were hunting Iranian-made drones and cruise missiles, small but increasingly deadly weapons.
“We were not necessarily worried about shooting down anybody else’s airplanes,”
said an F-22 pilot in an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine.
“We were primarily there to defend our ground forces against UAVs and cruise missiles.”
The shift marks a tactical adaptation: fifth-generation airframes being repurposed for low-end, high-threat scenarios, proving the Raptor’s versatility and value in multi-domain operations.
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a masterpiece of engineering, blending stealth, speed, agility, and situational awareness into one lethal package.
The F-22 has an extremely low radar cross-section, using radar-absorbent materials, edge alignment techniques, and internal weapons bays to avoid detection.
It can fly at Mach 1.5+ without afterburners, giving it speed and fuel efficiency simultaneously.
Dual nozzles can direct engine thrust up/down, giving the jet unmatched agility in a dogfight.
Advanced avionics combine inputs from multiple sensors to give pilots total battlespace awareness, with a secure datalink that allows for silent communication among aircraft.
The aircraft has continued to evolve with new coatings, improved radar, electronic warfare capabilities, and weapons integration for more modern air-to-air and air-to-ground threats.
Iran’s continued reliance on platforms like the F-4 Phantom II and Su-25 reflects a capability gap that grows more stark when juxtaposed with American fifth-gen technology.
Despite attempts at modernization—including reverse-engineering drones and ballistic missile systems—Iran’s air combat capabilities remain largely stuck in the 20th century.
The 2013 encounter, thus, was not just a tactical embarrassment; it was a symbolic defeat, reminding Tehran of how wide the technological chasm remains.
In 2025, the specter of full-blown war again loomed over the Middle East. Fears of a coordinated Iranian response to Israeli actions led to a major U.S. force deployment in the region:
- An aircraft carrier strike group
- Additional guided-missile destroyers
- F-22 Raptor squadrons for airspace control and deterrence
While diplomacy eventually prevailed, and Iran and Israel reached a fragile ceasefire, the presence of the Raptors sent a powerful message:
America was ready—not just to respond, but to dominate.
The 2013 encounter and subsequent deployments reflect a new paradigm in military deterrence—where the silent presence of a Raptor, invisible until it chooses to reveal itself, can alter decisions at the highest level.
From confronting obsolete aircraft with surgical precision, to adjusting tactics to neutralize low-flying drones and cruise missiles, the F-22 has shown it’s more than just a dogfighter—it’s a psychological weapon, a strategic deterrent, and a tactical chameleon.
As retired Col. Terry “Stretch” Scott once said of flying the Raptor:
“You’re not just part of the fight—you are the fight.”
