With little fanfare, five F-22s of the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, returned home on Aug. 8 from an almost three-week deployment to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam for training. Capt. Candice Miller, spokeswoman for the unit, yesterday confirmed the return date of the Raptors. She told the Daily Report that the F-22s had flown a total of approximately 50 sorties, as part of the 13th Air Force-sponsored Jungle Shield air defense exercise. The Raptors also dropped 20 100-pound joint direct attack munitions, she said. Lt. Col. Michael Shower, commander of the 90th FS, told the Daily Report via Miller that the deployment demonstrated the unit’s ability “to deploy and employ F-22s” in the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility from Elmendorf, “employ live ordnance,” and integrate with B-52 and F-15E units also participating in the exercise.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
