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.)
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.