The 27th Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va., has received the 50th F/A-22 Raptor delivered by Lockheed Martin to the Air Force. The company has finished final assembly of 63 of the new stealth fighters and is conducting flight tests and final preparation at its facility in Marietta, Ga., of the Raptors set for delivery in 2005. Capt. Geoff Lohmiller of the 27th Fighter Squadron flew the 50th Raptor from Marietta to its home at Langley.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.