The production timeline for the Air Force’s final F-22s on order remains on track despite the Raptor fleet’s four-month grounding, announced Lockheed Martin. The last F-22 is still on schedule to roll off the assembly line in Marietta, Ga., in December, said company officials. Lockheed on Monday resumed pre-delivery F-22 check flights at Marietta for the first time since oxygen system issues grounded the Raptor fleet in May. “It’s exciting to see the F-22 Raptor back in the skies,” said Jeff Babione, the company’s F-22 general manager. “We are dedicated to supporting our customer in return-to-flight activities.” Air Combat Command lifted the fleet-wide standdown on Sept. 19. Due to the grounding, deliveries fell behind in July with aircraft stacking up on the flight line at Marietta. However, Lockheed said it now will re-commence deliveries per the Air Force’s “specifications and testing parameters.”
B-21 Bomber Shelter May Reveal Size of Secret Jet
March 3, 2021
The Air Force may have inadvertently revealed the size of the secret B-21 bomber with the release of an image of a temporary shelter for the airplane. The service is evaluating several designs for temporary shelters for everyday use and deployment to temporary operating locations. If the B-21 fully fits…