The Multifunction Advanced Data Link, planned for the F-22’s increment 3.2 software update, is probably out until further notice, according to Lockheed Martin’s F-22 program manager, George Shultz. Speaking with reporters last week at the company’s F-22 plant in Marietta, Ga., Shultz said it’s not official yet, but “we’ve been hearing” that Air Combat Command “is moving toward delaying MADL.” This data link is designed to give the F-22 the means of sharing data with other platforms without compromising its stealth cover. It is also planned for the B-2 and F-35. The reason for postponing MADL on the F-22 is the usual one: money. “The budget is strained,” said Shultz. “We still have Link 16” in the F-22 software, he noted. The 3.2 update is still planned to include the AIM-120D and AIM-9X missiles, advanced electronic warfare, geolocation, and electronic protection.
Unit commanders are being told to separate service members who can’t shave their cheeks and chin for medical reasons for more than a year, according to new guidance from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
