Airmen undergoing F-22A Raptor maintenance training now will be using their own dedicated stealth fighter for training instead of “borrowing” an operational Raptor. The Air Force delivered an F-22A that had been used as a test aircraft to the F-22 schoolhouse at Tyndall AFB, Fla., where it will serve as a ground instructional trainer aircraft. First, though, Tyndall must reconfigure the fighter from its test condition, removing special sensors, connectors, and wire bundles—anything that would hamper training to work on production aircraft.
The Space Force is preparing to award billions of dollars in launch contracts by the end of this year—provided Congress passes a budget. By the end of 2024, Space Systems Command wants to award a contract for the next phase of its National Security Space Launch program. It also wants…