The Air Force is strengthening its “Rapid Raptor” program designed to fast-track four F-22s to war - anywhere in the world - within 24 hours, on a moments notice, should there be an immediate need for attacks in today’s pressured, fast-moving global threat environment , service officials said.
The program, in existence for several years, prepares four F-22s with the requisite crew members, C-17 support, fuel, maintenance and weapons necessary to execute a fast-attack “first-strike” ability in remote or austere parts of the world, Air Force officials say.
Of course, this is nothing new. Only the branding is new.
And we have something like this for the B-2, deploying special shelters to Diego Garcia and Guam so that B-2 bombers can be launched and supported away from Missouri.
The F-22 mission package is more free-ranging, of course.
