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.
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…