<p class="ingestion featured-caption">US Air Force Capt. Samuel "RaZZ" Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, shakes hands with a senior airman before taxiing.US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mikaela Smith</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The F-22 is considered the top US air superiority fighter, known for stealth, speed, and agility.</li><li>F-22 pilot Maj. Samuel Larson captivates audiences with daring displays in the fifth-gen fighter.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-f-22-raptor-2017-10">The F-22 Raptor</a>, a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-china-us-militaries-fifth-gen-fighter-jets-problems-2023-12">fifth-generation stealth jet</a> developed by Lockheed Martin, is considered the top US air superiority fighter.</p><p>As one of the <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f-22-first-air-to-air-kills-neither-against-jets-2023-2">US Air Force's most advanced jets</a>, the supersonic fighter is outfitted with cutting-edge military technology. It was one of the first fighters designed with supercruise capability, allowing it to fly at supersonic speeds without <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/irst-cant-stop-f-22-f-35-2016-8">using afterburners</a>.</p><p>Despite granting the US an edge in <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/f22-f35-russia-su57-china-j20-5th-gen-fighter-comparison-2021-5">air dominance</a>, the Air Force scaled down its planned fleet of F-22s due to budget constraints, the high cost of production, and <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-and-air-force-are-at-odds-over-f22-future-2022-9">a shifting focus to more modern platforms</a>.</p><p>With less than 200 aircraft operated by the Air Force, the limited F-22 fleet has been reserved for high-priority missions, including reconnaissance and aerial interdiction.</p><p>It's rare to see the Raptor in action and even rarer to step inside its cockpit, which makes Maj. Samuel "RaZZ" Larson's role as F-22 Demonstration Team commander particularly unique.</p>