Posted on 11/05/2010 12:19:50 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing, deployed F-22s and personnel to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Oct. 30, to participate in exercise Combat Archer, the air-to-air evaluation portion of the United States Air Force's Weapons Systems Evaluation Program.
The 90th FS is training and being evaluated with the maintainers of the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and their reserve counterparts from the 302nd Fighter Squadron, 477th Fight Group, for this temporary duty assignment.
During this three-week deployment, pilots and maintainers are working together to validate the air-to-air combat capability of the newest F-22 Raptors in the Air Force inventory.
The jets assigned to the 90th FS have never fired live air-to-air missiles before and this deployment will ensure the squadron is ready for any contingency operation, leaders said.
Combat Archer provides a unique opportunity for our fighter pilots to experience firing a live air-to-air missile prior to combat, said Lt. Col. Joseph Kunkel, 90th FS commander.
(Excerpt) Read more at pacaf.af.mil ...
>> newest F-22 Raptors
Stealth funding? I thought this machine was a victim of budget cuts.
Good Question
It was my understanding that the cut was to the total number of planned purchases, not a halt to production.
No. Lockheed-Martin is still delivering F-22s that were budgeted before the buy was capped at 187. Production is scheduled to end in late 2011 or early 2012.
Welcome to Panama City, 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing. Thank you for your service to our country.
Thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.