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.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
