Why a naval F-22 would require a new airframe

Could the F-22 be adapted for carrier operations?

It would need a substantially different airframe, even if the engines and some systems remained common.

A runway arresting hook does not show that an aircraft can withstand repeated carrier landings. Those landings impose impacts that require an airframe designed for the task. An F-22-derived carrier aircraft could share engines and some materials or systems, but saltwater protection would also require hardware changes and corresponding software work. The resulting structure would amount to a new aircraft. The F-35C comparison uses an empty weight roughly 3,000 pounds above the F-35A to illustrate the extra structure involved, including thicker titanium components. One proposed carrier role is a squadron capable of penetrating defenses at the beginning of a conflict.