P
ersonnel from the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., are wrapping up a four-phase test program to certify the C-17 airlifter for a wider variety of dirt surfaces. The final phase, being conducted at Ft. Chafee in Arkansas now, will run through Nov. 3, reports the Times Record. The Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Fighter Wing at Ft. Smith is hosting the test group. The Edwards team conducted earlier testing at Ft. Hunter Liggett, Calif., Ft. McCoy, Wis., and Edwards.
When Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson was ordered to deploy to the Middle East last year, he and his fellow F-22 Raptor pilots prepared for an unusual challenge. As America’s premier air superiority fighter, the F-22 was designed to take on advanced enemy aircraft, capable of maneuvering stealthily and cruising at supersonic…