F-22
A Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley AFB, Va., have been consorting with other US aircraft and coalition air in their first appearance at the Nellis AFB, Nev., Red Flag that ends today. The 94th FS deployed 14 Raptors and 197 personnel to Nellis, where pairing the Raptors with earlier stealth aircraft—the B-2 and F-117—provided an “unprecedented” opportunity to showcase how the F-22 enhances the other aircraft’s lethality, according to Lt. Col. Dirk Smith, 94th FS commander. He also noted that the Raptor pilots were “experiencing a tremendous learning curve” by operating with coalition aircraft and against the well-trained Nellis aggressor force.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
