We knew the F-22 has a mysterious problem that causes breathing problems in pilots. Well, the plot is now thickening. It seems that ground crews are having hypoxia-like symptoms too and, of course, we don’t have a clue about what’s causing this.
This isn’t exactly a grand gesture of confidence: some of the US Air Force’s airmen, the world’s most elite, want nothing to do with the Air Force’s “elite” new fighter. Why? Because the only people it’s threatening are its own pilots.
After spending seven months in costly research, the US Air Force scientific board investigating the F-22 life support system failure has turned in their conclusions. The findings: they have no idea about what’s going on. The USAF’s press release reads like a joke to US taxpayers.
It’s obvious the Air Force’s new F-35 needs all the help it can get. So Lockheed Martin has just unveiled an updated version of its F-16, the F-16V, which will make the proven fighter better interoperate with the F-35 and F-22.
Last December, Lockheed Martin assembled the last F-22 Raptor ever. It’s the USAF’s one and only fifth-generation fighter (the F-35 is still far from being active). It has never seen combat. It spent part of its life grounded. Now they want to sell you a new one.
AK 4195. That’s the tail number of the last F-22 Raptor ever, which you can see here fully assembled and about to move into the flight line to get ready for delivery. That assembly line is now closed. Done. Forever.
The F-22, America’s favourite multi-multi-multi-billion dollar gun with no trigger, is getting a new paint job! TIME’s Mark Thompson reports the fleet of unused warplanes will get one hell of an upgrade. Too bad we never use it.