The testers at Edwards AFB, Calif., have begun integration testing for the use of the Small Diameter Bomb with the F-22 Raptor. The new stealth fighter can accommodate four SDBs and its BRU-61 carriage in each weapon bay for a total of eight small bombs and two Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles. Boeing flight test engineer Jeff Randolph, heading the SDB program at Edwards, says the 250-pound SDB is more practical for use in urban environments than older larger bombs.
Congress wants new engines in the F-35 fleet, with installs starting in 2027, according to language in the conference version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The Air Force is to use at least one of the engines developed under the Advanced Engine Transition Program, but the Navy and…