Formal operational test
and evaluation will be run
at Edwards AFB and will
include the full range of
F-35 capabilities, including
external stores carriage.
Frank Crébas/Bluelife Aviation
DEPLOYMENT NEWSF-22As support ‘Raptor
Redeploy’ F-22As operated by
the 1st Fighter Wing’s 27th Fighter
Squadron began a short-term
deployment to RAF Lakenheath in
support of US European Command
on October 5. The ghters were
joined by Raptors from the wing’s
94th Fighter Squadron, which was
returning to Joint Base Langley-
Eustis from a deployment to the US
Central Command (CENTCOM) area
of operations. Referred to as ‘Raptor
Redeploy 19-1’, the event saw the
ghters conducting dissimilar air
combat training (DACT) with F-15s
from the 48th Fighter Wing, which
is stationed at Lakenheath.Spirits complete
Hawaii deployment
Air Force Global Strike Command’s
bombers conduct regular rotations
throughout the Indo-Paci c
but three B-2As, assigned to
the 509th Bomb Wing’s 393rd
Bomb Squadron, completed the
bomber’s rst deployment to
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam,
Hawaii as part of a US Strategic
Command Bomber Task Force
deployment on September 27.
The deployment, which began
on August 15, saw the bombers
conducting hundreds of local and
long-duration sorties intended
to demonstrated the bomber’s exible global strike capability and
the US government’s commitment
to supporting global and regional
security. Sorties included training
with KC-135Rs and F-22As operated
by the Hawaii Air National Guard’s
154th Wing. Training for ground
personnel involved loading inert
500lb (227kg) BDU-50 practice
bombs. On September 14, one
B-2A conducted hot-pit refueling at
Wake Island in the mid-Paci c.California Condors deploy
F-15C operated by the California
Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter
Wing landed at StarokostiantynivAir Base, Ukraine, on October- The Eagles, which are own
by the 194th Fighter Squadron,
were deployed for participation
in Exercise ‘Clear Sky 2018’. It
also included participation
from KC-135Rs operated by the
Illinois Air National Guard’s 126th
Air Refueling Wing and other
European-based USAF units. A
C-130J operated by the California
ANG’s 146th Airlift Wing was
deployed to Vinnytsia Air Base. The
multi-national exercise, which ran
from October 8-19, was marred by
the loss of a Ukrainian Su-27UB on
October 16 — see Losses.
F-15C serial 84-0004, which wears special markings celebrating the 75th
anniversary of the 144th Fighter Wing’s 194th Fighter Squadron, lands
at Starokostiantyniv Air Base, Ukraine, on October 6 for participation in
Exercise ‘Clear Sky 2018’. California ANG/TSgt Charles VaughnSix F-22As arrived at RAF Lakenheath from the Middle East on October 5
— serials 08-4162, 09-4173, 09-4177, 09-4181, 09-4183 and 10-4194. Before
returning Stateside, they took part in exercise ‘Raptor Redeploy’ at the UK
base. For the full story see pages 84-87. USAF/SSgt Alex Fox Echols IIIUNITED STATES [NEWS]
http://www.combataircraft.net // December 2018 11