The F/A-22 Raptor started follow-on operational testing and evaluation Monday at Kirtland AFB, N.M. Among the tests being conducted by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center are the capability of the Raptor to perform in the air-to-ground role and the transportability of F/A-22 support personnel and equipment via C-17s. As part of this phase of testing, AFOTEC will evaluate seven Raptors at Nellis AFB, Nev., White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and the Utah Test and Training Range, near Hill AFB, Utah, through late fall.
Defense industry leaders say the Air Force needs to be able to update the software on its munitions multiple times a day, not every few months, and a new Pentagon instruction released last week could enable that.
