{"id":137414,"date":"2026-03-25T01:08:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=137414"},"modified":"2026-03-24T23:42:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T18:12:30","slug":"f-22-and-new-agm-181a-nuclear-missile-spotted-in-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/25\/f-22-and-new-agm-181a-nuclear-missile-spotted-in-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Advanced Fighter Jet in the World, New AGM-181A Nuclear Missile Spotted in Testing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CALIFORNIA\u2014<\/strong> The U.S. Air Force (USAF)<\/a> has been conducting expanded flight testing over the Mojave Desert, with new photographs capturing the F-22 Raptor in its upgraded “Raptor 2.0” configuration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The images show the aircraft equipped with stealthy external fuel tanks and infrared sensor pods, marking a significant step in the jet’s modernization program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separately, a Boeing B-52H Stratofortress<\/a> was photographed carrying a pair of AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear-armed cruise missile prototypes under its wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aviation photographer Jarod Hamilton captured both aircraft during flight tests out of Edwards Air Force Base (EDW), also photographing them linking up with a KC-135 tanker for aerial refueling, TWZ<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F-22 Raptor Modernization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: F-22 Raptor flying overhead \/ Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

F-22 Raptor 2.0: New Fuel Tanks and Sensor Pods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lockheed Martin’s “Raptor 2.0” upgrade package addresses one of the F-22’s most significant operational limitations: its short combat range. The new stealthy low-drag external fuel tanks are designed to extend the Raptor’s reach across the vast distances of the Indo-Pacific theater without compromising its survivability against modern air defenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the older non-stealthy 600-gallon tanks currently used by F-22s on alert duty in Alaska, the new tanks are designed to remain attached during combat operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Katie Ciccarino, Vice President of the F-22 Program<\/a> at Lockheed Martin, confirmed that the tanks are engineered to avoid the need for jettison in combat. “They are low-drag tanks. The idea would be that you don’t have to [jettison them], and you can perform any of the same maneuvers that you would on a clean wing,” she stated at the 2026 Warfare Symposium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upgrade package also includes Advanced Sensor Pods housing Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems. These pods improve the F-22’s ability to detect stealth aircraft, a growing concern in the Pacific region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IRST-equipped Raptors can also share sensor data with other F-22s operating in a “clean” configuration, expanding fleet-wide situational awareness. The full Raptor 2.0 package further includes a new Infrared Defensive System (IRDS), enhanced radar, and upgraded electronic warfare capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: USAF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Testing Status and Delivery Timeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force originally targeted deliveries of the stealthy fuel tanks to operational F-22 squadrons for March 2025. However, the program encountered technical discrepancies during the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, delaying the schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operational testing of the tanks was subsequently projected for the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2025, which ended September 30, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qualification testing of the infrared sensor pods is ongoing and scheduled to run through the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2026, ending June 30, 2026. The exact date for either system entering operational service has not been publicly confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Check out the full Raptor accessory line, just in time for Summer \ud83d\ude4c #F22<\/a> #F22raptor<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ml7cN6W7ki<\/a><\/p>— jmh.creates (@JarodMHamilton) March 21, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>