The United States military has operated a large number of fighter jets since the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star took to the skies in 1945. Pilots have flown many of the U.S.’ fighter jets over the years. That includes the select few who attend the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (SFTI), better known to the outside world as “Top Gun. As you can imagine, every pilot has their favorite fighter.
It’s not uncommon for a fighter jet pilot to operate multiple aircraft throughout their careers, giving them a taste of what’s available. A well-respected and publicly known TOPGUN graduate, Lt. Col. (Ret) David “Chip” Berke, sat with Business Insiderwhere he explained that his favorite aircraft to fly isn’t the F-35 Lightning II, as most might suspect. Instead, he pointed to the stealthiest fighter jet in the inventory, the F-22 Raptor, the F-35’s predecessor and the world’s first fifth-generation fighter jet to enter service.
Berke served for 23 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he graduated from Top Gun, worked as an instructor, and served in combat operations, flying an F/A-18 over Iraq and Afghanistan. Throughout his career, Berke flew the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F-22, and F-35, giving him the experience to make a determination as to the best fighter jet to fly. As it happens, Berke was also the first Marine chosen to fly the F-22 Raptor, as the aircraft isn’t operated by the USMC; it belongs to the U.S. Air Force.
David Chip Berke’s preference — the F-22 Raptor
Berke’s ability to fly the F-22 as a Marine opened doors for him, but he was also the first operational pilot qualified to fly the F-35B, which is the variant designated for the U.S. Navy and USMC. He flew that aircraft at the end of his career, and prior to it, he became one of the first USMC pilots to fly the F-16 at Top Gun. Before that, Berke flew the F-22 for almost 4 years.
When asked which plane he prefers, Berke said, “The short, easy answer is the F-22 Raptor is a unique aircraft. Getting to fly that was amazing, and it really doesn’t have a real equal in the world that it operates.” Despite his favorite pick, Berke didn’t dismiss the other jets he flew, calling the F/A-18 his “first love,” as it was his first operational aircraft and the one he flew into combat on multiple occasions. When describing the F-22, Berke smiles, recalling its amazing capabilities with a specific focus on its thrust vectoring.
This allows the F-22 to carry out all kinds of airborne acrobatics, including cartwheels and pedal turns, which seemingly defy the laws of physics. He went on to call the F-22 “pure fun. It is just the most ridiculous thing…I loved flying the F-22. The most fun you could ever have in an airplane is that jet.” Despite his preference, the F-22 is an incredibly expensive aircraft, which is why the U.S. only put 186 into operation. As of writing, it still flies, but the roles it was meant to fill are instead going to the F-35.
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