You have no idea what you're talking about. The F-22 Raptor not only can do supersonic speeds (mach 1.5) without afterburners, it can also outrun most SAMs. Plus with its stealth technology.... its nearly invisable to the enemy.
It can show up, kick ass, and leave before anyone even knew what happened.
Plus from what my buddy who actually flys fighter jets (F-18's) and is in Iraq right now says they're the next best thing since sliced bread. Everyone in the airforce wants to get behind the controls of one even though they all love the F-18 Hornet.
I'm going to take an actual combat pilots advice before some forum jockey or arm-chair general.
The F22 will probably:
Replace the F-15C in the air dominance mission, replace the F16J in the SEAD mission (more survivable), support or replace the F-15E in the heavy strike mission (equiv. payload), replace the F-117 in the precision stealth strike role with a greater variety of munitions options, fill the gap left by the retirement of the EF-111 in the electronic warfare mission, and supplement the U-2 and UAVs in the recon and data collection missions.
I thought I read somewhere that the Russians were fielding or near to fielding a mach 3-4 missle???
Don't recall where I read that. Probably on FR.