Air Force Gen. Mike Hostage, the commander of Air Combat Command, affirmed his support in the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, in response to stories that recently appeared in news reports, in which pilots criticized the aircraft’s oxygen system. The problem was addressed sufficiently during a command-ordered a stand-down of the aircraft that took place between May and September 2011, Hostage said. He also confirmed that the Raptor has been deployed to Southwest Asia, but declined to specify exactly where. “I believe we are making significant progress toward an answer,” Hostage said. “I don’t want to characterize how far or when, because I don’t own the progress of science. But I am confident we’re going to get to a solution.”
