Engineers are looking to add an F-22 parking pad with apron space for 14 aircraft at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, announced the Army Corps of Engineers. The $10 million to $15 million project includes construction of a 15,000-square-yard concrete pad, aircraft rinse facility, and adjoining tarmac taxiways, according to the pre-solicitation documents. The corps intends to formally issue a request for proposals under a firm-fixed pricing arrangement at the end of the month. Once awarded, the project is scheduled to take roughly a year. F-22s assigned to the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron and active duty associate 19th FS arrived at Pearl Harbor-Hickam some 18 months ago. The units broke ground on a new F-22 maintenance facility on base last July.
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…

