The Air Force F-22 Raptor Has a Combat Range of About 590 Nautical Miles. China's J-20 Is Estimated at Around 1,100. New Stealth Fuel Tanks Take the Raptor to 850.

The F-22 Raptor’s combat range is expected to rise from about 590 nautical miles to 850 as Lockheed Martin integrates new stealth external fuel tanks and reportedly modified external pods. Recent photos by California aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton, taken in March, show the jet in its latest configuration and provide one of the clearest looks yet at the new layout. The pods are believed to house infrared search-and-track (IRST) sensors and possibly electronic-warfare or networking equipment. The upgrades address long-standing limits from earlier budget cuts that left the F-22 without IRST during the War on Terror.