According to a Nov. 9 announcement from the Hawaii National Guard, the F-22 Raptor force comprising the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron and Active Duty 19th FS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam achieved initial operational capability last week. A Hickam photo release notes that the Hawaii-based Raptors are expected to reach full operational capability in December. Brig. Gen. Braden Sakai, commander of the Hawaii ANG’s 154th Wing, said, “This is a huge milestone for our combined 154th and 15th Wings. IOC means we are able to deploy a portion of our F-22 Raptors, anytime, anywhere, in support of theater operations.”
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…