Recently we bumped the hyperkube image [1] to use both RHEL 9 builder and base images.

In order to keep things consistent, we tried to do the same with the "tests" image [2], however, that was not possible because there is currently no "tools" image on RHEL 9. The "tests" image uses "tools" as the base image.

As a result, we decided to keep builder & base images for "tests" in RHEL 8, as this work was not required for the kube 1.28 bump nor the FIPS issue we were addressing.

However, for the sake of consistency, eventually it'd be good to bump the "tests" builder image to RHEL 9. This would also require us to create a "tools" image based on RHEL 9.

[1] https://github.com/openshift/kubernetes/blob/6ab54b8d9a0ea02856efd3835b6f9df5da9ce115/openshift-hack/images/hyperkube/Dockerfile.rhel#L1[2] https://github.com/openshift/kubernetes/blob/master/openshift-hack/images/tests/Dockerfile.rhel#L1

[2] https://github.com/openshift/kubernetes/blob/master/openshift-hack/images/tests/Dockerfile.rhel#L1
 

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"tests" image is build and based on a RHEL 8 image.

"tests" image is build and based on a RHEL 9 image.