On 15 December 2005 the USAF announced that the Raptor had reached its Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
During Exercise Northern Edge in Alaska in June 2006, 12 F-22s of the 94th FS downed 108 adversaries with no losses in simulated combat exercises. In two weeks of exercises, the Raptor-led Blue Force amassed 241 kills against two losses in air-to-air combat, and neither Blue Force loss was an F-22.

The f22 can take out the russian SU-37 because of its faster speed and longer range and, better aerodynamics.