The A
ir Force has just concluded three weeks of cold-weather testing for the new F-22A stealth fighter at Eielson AFB, Alaska. A contingent from the 411th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, Calif., traveled to Eielson to test the Raptor’s ability to stop on poor surfaces, whether snow or ice, which is a “challenge for every Air Force jet,” said test pilot Maj. Jack Fischer. The aircraft’s anti-skid system is unique to the F-22 and is “like the anti-lock brake system in your car—but on steroids,” explained Fischer. The result, he said, was that the fighter demonstrated “incredible brake-system stability on low-friction surfaces.” (Report by A1C Nora Anton.)
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
