Arnold AFB not cause of ‘sonic boom’ Published July 7, 2009 By Joel Fortner AEDC/PA Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. -- A "sonic boom" heard in southern Tennessee and northern Alabama Thursday was not caused from aircraft flying from Arnold Air Force Base (AFB), Tenn., as media reported last week. Arnold AFB has no aircraft. Rather, the boom was most likely caused from an F-22 and F-16 fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corporation's aircraft manufacturing plant in Marietta, Ga., confirmed to have been flying in the area that afternoon. The F-22 is the Air Force's newest fighter aircraft. Since Lockheed Martin builds it, they must ensure each aircraft undergoes a rigorous flight test program to include supersonic flight tests. The supersonic run is flown east to west in Middle Tennessee and results in the aircraft breaking the speed of sound. The sonic boom occurs only once, but the sound is dragged from the beginning of the run to the end and is heard throughout Middle Tennessee. To minimize the effect of the boom the aircraft flies at a minimum of 43,000 feet or higher, which is more than eight miles up. During every F-22 flight test mission, another fighter follows the aircraft to monitor its performance. Therefore, there are two sonic booms. Since 1951, Arnold has been the home of Arnold Engineering Development Center, the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world.