Qarbon Aerospace has secured a contract to manufacture composite structures supporting the sustainment of the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor fleet.
The Texas-based company said the contract focuses on producing composite structures needed to keep the F-22 fleet mission ready. It also cited its long-standing relationship with Lockheed Martin and experience in advanced composite manufacturing as key factors supporting the program.
The award expands Qarbon Aerospace’s role in the fifth-generation fighter program after it previously produced horizontal stabilizers during the aircraft’s development in the early 2000s.
“Defense is a core part of who Qarbon is, and we are committed to being the Tier 1 partner the US defense industry counts on for its most advanced programs,” CEO Michael Canario said.
The F-22 remains the US Air Force’s premier air superiority fighter, making sustainment efforts increasingly important as the fleet ages. Production of the aircraft ended in 2012 after 195 aircraft were built, shifting the effort’s focus toward maintenance, modernization, and structural upgrades.
F-22 Modernization Continues
Alongside sustainment work, the industry continues investing in upgrades to extend the F-22’s operational effectiveness.
In April, Mobix Labs secured agreements to supply filtered connectors for the F-22 program, providing components that shield onboard electronics from electromagnetic interference and help preserve the aircraft’s electronic warfare performance in contested environments.
Earlier, in March, Defense Unicorns and the Air Force Sustainment Center demonstrated a new approach to installing and updating F-22 software, reducing the process to minutes through an open mission systems computing environment.
The modernization effort builds on the US Air Force’s July 2025 announcement that F-22s will be upgraded beginning in 2026 with tablet-based controls and other modifications enabling pilots to command Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones during flight.
