F-22 Raptors to Get Infrared Threat-Detection Sensor Updates

Lockheed Martin has secured a $270 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to integrate next-generation infrared defensive sensors on the F-22 Raptor.

The system, known as the Infrared Defensive System (IRDS), is a distributed set of TacIRST sensors designed to improve the aircraft’s survivability and combat effectiveness.

The new IRDS sensors will be embedded on the F-22 to enhance its infrared detection and defensive capabilities. Lockheed Martin is responsible for managing the integration of these sensors on the F-22, as well as supporting their integration on other platforms.

This latest contract follows a significant $1 billion award from the U.S. Air Force in September 2024, which was given to Raytheon Technologies (RTX) to further enhance the F-22’s sensor systems. This earlier contract includes new sensors, spares, and support equipment, with work expected to be completed by May 2029.

The F-22 Raptor, a fifth-generation fighter aircraft first entered into service in 1997, has undergone several sensor upgrades over the years. Some of the more recent additions to the aircraft include advanced infrared search-and-track (IRST) systems, which allow the aircraft to detect low-observable targets based on their infrared emissions. These systems were reportedly tested on the F-22 in 2023.

The service had previously planned to phase out the F-22 by the early 2030s in favor of next-generation aircraft. It may lead to the retention of the fleet, including the potential reconsideration of retiring older Block 20 F-22s from the total fleet of 186 aircraft.

The F-22’s continued upgrades come amid the U.S. Air Force’s ongoing reevaluation of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The NGAD aims to replace the F-22 with a sixth-generation aircraft, capable of controlling multiple unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs). However, the high cost of the NGAD manned platform and concerns over the technology potentially being outpaced by CCAs in the next 10 to 15 years have led the Air Force to reassess its approach to the program.