Despite the training space available on the Nellis AFB, Nev., ranges, Col. Tom Bergeson, commander of the 1st Operations Group at Langley AFB, Va., said there were a few limitations on the F-22A Raptors during their first engagement at Red Flag. The Raptor’s supersonic capabilities and ability to drop joint direct attack munitions from long distances requires a “safe range” not found at Nellis. Consequently, Raptor pilots had to keep their aircraft on a bit of a leash. At the same time, Bergeson told reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday that despite past hiccups with the computer avionics of the fighter, today it is a “rare occurrence” when a pilot has to reboot his systems.
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
