An expeditionary contingent of F-22s, pilots, and maintainers from JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, set a record for a Raptor unit deployed to Kadena AB, Japan, by completing 30 sorties in one day. “The fact that we could pull off such a feat is a big deal because no other single [F-22] fighter squadron has ever done it [at Kadena],” said Capt. Devin Hartman, officer in charge of Elmendorf’s 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. Kadena officials stated that it was “an achievement unreached by other [F-22] squadrons in the Air Force so far.” The 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed to Kadena in January for about three months. During their time there, the Elmendorf airmen trained with elements of Kadena’s 18th Wing, such as its F-15s and E-3 AWACS platforms, as well as Marine aviation on Okinawa. (Kadena report by A1C Maeson L. Elleman)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.