The F-22A is the first fighter that can handle a sustained 9.5 g turn. So can the pilots—thanks to a new combination of flight gear. Raptor pilots wear the Combat Edge flight suit, as well as new G-pants, that give them extra endurance under the most punishing forces. The flying gear applies pressure to the body under high-g stress, keeping uninterrupted blood flow to the brain. Pilots still have to do the M-1 maneuver—grunting and straining the diaphragm—to aid tolerance.
House, Senate Unveil Competing Proposals for 2026 Budget
July 11, 2025
Lawmakers from the House and Senate laid out competing versions of the annual defense policy bill on July 11, with vastly different potential outcomes for some of the Air Force’s most embattled programs.