How a naval F-22 could reshape the carrier air wing

What would happen to US carrier aviation if the Navy received a navalized F-22 as its Tomcat replacement?

It could preserve a dedicated fleet air-defence fighter and reduce the Navy's need for the F-35, provided the naval variant also supported strike and carrier requirements.

The proposed aircraft would need naval structural changes and the ability to carry external stores if it were to replace the Tomcat's broader role. If the Super Hornet covered strike missions and a naval F-22 supplied long-range air defence and stealth, the Navy's incentive to join the F-35 program could be much weaker. The discussion highlights how aircraft programs are shaped by institutional bargaining as much as by a clean statement of operational requirements.