Pacific Air Forces'
officials got a glimpse into the future of fighter capability
during a tail flash unveiling ceremony in which PACAF's first F-22
Raptor was unveiled.
The aircraft, which is still under construction, will be the
first of 36 F-22s assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska,
beginning next year. The base will become home to two active-duty
F-22 squadrons well as a reserve associate squadron.
PACAF officials said that with the unveiling, the command is one
step closer to ushering in a new era in fighter capability.
"I'm excited about getting this incredible new air dominance
capability into the Pacific," said General Paul V. Hester, PACAF
commander.
"F-22s based in Alaska in the near-term and Hawaii in the
mid-term demonstrate the tremendous American commitment to the
region by assuring security and stability for our nation, as well
as for our friends and allies. In the future, the aircraft also
will be assigned to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. The 199th
Fighter Squadron of the Hawaii Air National Guard will fly the F-22
and the 531st Fighter Squadron will be an Active associate squadron
to them.
The Air Force's newly operational Raptors, stationed at Langley
AFB, Va., are already leaving a powerful impression in the fighter
community, officials said. In June, the F-22 was put to the test
during Northern Edge 2006, a two-week joint service exercise held
in Alaska. The F-22's capabilities were highlighted there during
several air-to-air engagements that included facing an opposing
force at a 4-to-1 disadvantage.
Maintenance for the Raptor also set benchmarks with mission
completion by having an abort rate of less than 6.4 percent of all
missions flown.
"Throughout the exercise we were able to see just how effective
this jet can be integrating with multiple joint assets for a number
of different missions," explained Lt. Col. Wade Tolliver, 27th
Fighter Squadron commander, Langley AFB, Va., and an F-22
pilot.
Perhaps even more impressive is how the F-22 is able to help
other aircraft increase their performance, officials said. During
Northern Edge, the Raptor was paired with joint-service jets such
as F/A-18 Hornets, F-15 Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles, E/A-6B
Prowlers and E-2C Hawkeyes.
"The Raptor's success here (Northern Edge) is something that
should be shared among all the services, because it means our
entire force has capabilities that it didn't have just a short time
ago," Col. Tolliver said.
During a meeting with the Senate Armed Services Sub Committee,
Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, gave an update to the
Raptor's ability.
"The F-22 has performed excellently during exercises both in and
out of the continental United States," Secretary Wynne said,
"dominating the current generation fighters, yet integrating
seamlessly with ground based operations."
While today's unveiling was a historical event, Gen. Hester
(below) agrees that the arrival of the F-22 in PACAF is beneficial
not just for the command but for the entire Air Force.
"I'm looking forward to leveraging all three components of our
Total Force: Active Duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve
to squeeze every ounce of capability out of these great fighters.
Our Total Force is critical in today's challenging
environments...and I couldn't be more pleased that all three
elements are going to be fully engaged in the Raptor business," he
said. [ANN Salutes Senior Master Sgt. Deborah VanNierop, Pacific
Air Forces PA]