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.
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…

