Posted on 11/17/2010 8:46:39 PM PST by smokingfrog
UPDATED 4:15 p.m.: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson reports that it has located the apparent wreckage of an overdue F-22 Raptor some 100 miles north of Anchorage. Here's an updated press release:
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) -- Search and rescue crews have found the apparent wreckage of an F-22 Raptor Nov. 17 that was assigned to the 3rd Wing here.
The jet lost contact with air traffic control at 7:40 p.m. local time while on a routine training mission Nov. 16.
A search was coordinated by officials with the Alaska Air National Guard Rescue Coordination Center. Airmen in HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and an HC-130 King combed an area northeast of Cantwell, Alaska, the last known location of the aircraft.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this missing Airman, and we thank all Alaskans for their continued support and prayers during this trying time," said Col. Jack McMullen, 3rd Wing commander. "Finding the missing pilot is our top priority."
To continue searching for the missing pilot, a rescue team is being dispatched to the area, approximately 100 miles north of Anchorage, by the Alaska Air National Guard Rescue Coordination Center, the 3rd Wing and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Colonel McMullen held a press conference at 1 p.m. to make a statement and answer questions from the media.
(Excerpt) Read more at alaskadispatch.com ...
This sucks. Prayers up for the family and all the men that fly and fight.
/johnny
If they're not hearing anything, it probably means bad news.
They have some top-notch crews looking for him. IIRC, the ejection seat should have its own auto-deployed beacon...
243.0 Guard
Pilot has a PRC-149 and the seat pac has a ELT.
That an ACES II seat ELT and the PRC would both malf is close to impossible.
Waiting for the bad news......
Prayers!
Report didn’t indicate whether the pilot had ejected or not. What kind of gear do they carry to survive in sub-freezing weather?
Raptors shouldn’t be falling out of the sky for no reason. first we have a mysterious missile launch off the coast of california and now we have a downed F22. WTF is going on?
With the production line shut down and tooling destroyed, that plane was irreplaceable.
Tooling has been destroyed?
Looks like they haven’t quite finished production yet.
This “ain't” good.
What about a bird strike?
So where is the C-5M tooling stored.....China?
And the F-22 tooling....enquiring minds seek answers....
On Bing maps-—Long Beach, CA to Anchorage, AK
This is strange. Been wondering where they would find the dead missile and what they would use to cover up the recovery.
Extra space for C-130J production?
Not likely at this time of year. They have already migrated south. I wish the article gave the last known altitude. That would tell us a lot.
Search and rescue crews have found the apparent wreckage of an F-22 Raptor Nov. 17 that was assigned to the 3rd Wing here.
~~~
Prayers Up,,,
I don’t he made it out,,,
The P.J.’s would have gotten to him by now...
I hate to dash hopes, but for you that live in the lower 48 I have to tell you it is VERY cold up here right now. If the pilot survived leaving the airplane, unless he has got very good cold weather survival clothing he isn’t likely to last very long.
We have got a high laying across the center of the state, the area he would have ejected is right in the middle of it.
Note: high pressure systems in the winter in Alaska mean COLD.
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