https://www.twz.com/air/f-22-spotted...anks-irst-pods
F-22 Spotted With New Stealth Wing Tanks, Infrared Sensor Pods
We have just got our first look at an F-22 Raptor sporting its new stealthy external fuel tanks and underwing infrared sensor pods.User @Task_Force 23 on X snapped a picture of the Raptor in this totally new configuration today as it was flying around near Mojave Air And Space Port. As such, this was almost certainly an Edwards-based F-22
assigned to testing duties.
The Raptor's new stores are set to unlock new capabilities, some of them long in the making. This includes fielding a highly capable
infrared search and track (IRST)system, a feature originally planned for the F-22, but was cut due to budget concerns decades ago. You can read all about this in
our exclusive reporting here.
The War Zone was the first to report on the transformation the F-22 Raptor is about to go through as it transitions to the back half of its career. A few months after publishing that article and
an additional report, a concept image of the
F-22's new external stores configuration emerged out of the Pentagon......
