In response to current threat assessments, USAF is accelerating portions of its Increment 3.2 upgrade program for the F-22 fleet, senior service officials said Wednesday. “Increment 3.2 Accelerated” will be software-only enhancements that provide “significant additional electronic protection, Link 16 improvements, and a better combat identification capability,” wrote David Van Buren, USAF’s acting acquisition czar, and Lt. Gen. Phillip Breedlove, Air Staff point man for air, space, and information operations, plans, and requirements, in written testimony to the House Armed Services airland panel. Development of these new features should be completed in Fiscal 2013. At a later point, F-22s will receive the full Increment 3.2 upgrade, which includes even greater connectivity and self-protection as well as targeting improvements and the ability to employ the AIM-120D and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles. This increment will follow the Increment 3.1 modifications that the service intends to start fielding next fiscal year. (Van Buren-Breedlove prepared remarks)
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.