An F-22 Raptor flying at Mach 1.5 released a 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition from 50,000 feet over the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico last month, destroying a small ground target from a range of 24 miles, said Lockheed Martin and Boeing officials earlier this week. Lt. Col. Raymond Toth, 411th Flight Test Squadron commander, said that the May test was the highest and fastest JDAM drop yet performed with the new fifth-generation fighter, proving it’s “true in the air-to-ground mission,” as well as air-to-air.
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.