Tag: USAF F-15s

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4th Fighter Wing selects team to participate in William Tell competition

By Airman 1st Class Rebecca Sirimarco-Lang

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. —
After a 19-year hiatus, the 2023 William Tell Air-to-Air Competition is scheduled to take place September 11-15, 2023, at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia.

The historic fighter aircraft competition is named after legendary Swiss archer, William Tell. It began as a bi-annual competition in 1954 that encouraged the most challenging air-to-air scenarios. The competition was placed on hold due to military operations and contingency requirements in 1996.

In addition to the 4th FW, other teams from across Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and the Air National Guard will compete in this air superiority-focused event.

“We want to send the 4th FW’s best aircrew,” said Capt. Andrew Munoz, 335th Fighter Squadron evaluator pilot and 4th FW William Tell team member. “There’s a lot of different factors that I took into consideration when choosing my team.”

The 4th FW team members were chosen based on their experience and performance.

The 2023 4th Fighter Wing’s William Tell team members are:

Team Captain: Maj. Daniel “SLASH” Hutto

Instructor Qual: Pilot: Capt. Andrew “PAÑIC” Munoz Weapons System Operator: Capt. Richey “BREAUX” Menard

Wingman Qual: Pilot: Capt. Sean “WOLF” Sutedjo WSO: Capt. Noel “SP” Zamot

Any Qual: Pilot: Maj. Malcolm “REHEAT” Richards WSO: Capt. George “KING” Welton

Any Flight Lead: Pilot: Capt. Devin “CUJO” Beaulieu WSO: Capt. Eric “DIVE” Carter

Intelligence:

Senior Airman Elliot “DRAG” Atwell

Senior Airman Hannah “SHADE” Garcia

Maintenance:

Master Sgt. Christopher Oles

Staff Sgt. Jashaunn Jasper

Senior Airman Aaron Woods

Senior Airman Grace Forgey

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4th of July Flyovers

4th of July flyovers. For those of you who are in the area, the 173rd Fighter Wing will conduct Independence Day flyovers for ceremonies at locations throughout Oregon, Tuesday, July 4.
10:00 a.m. Veterans Park, Klamath Falls, Ore.
10:15 a.m. Downtown Ashland, Ashland, Ore.
10:30 a.m. Sporthaven Beach, Brookings, Ore.
10:50 a.m. Central Point 4th of July Freedom Festival, Central Point, Ore.
11:00 a.m. Eagle Point 4th of July Parade, Eagle Point, Ore.
11:20 a.m. Creswell 4th of July Parade, Creswell, Ore.
11:35 a.m. Black Butte Ranch, Black Butte Ranch, Ore.
11:45 a.m. Prineville 4th of July Parade, Prineville, Ore.
12:00 p.m. Lake of the Woods Resort, Lake of the Woods, Ore.
All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph airspeed.

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The 122 FS and 131 FS deployed at Hohn AB, Germany

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Nuzzo and Senior Airmen Adian Sugrue, electrical and environmental specialists with the 104th Maintenance Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts National Guard, run diagnostics on an F-15 Eagle during exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23) at Hohn Air Base, Germany June 13, 2023. Exercise AD23 integrates both U.S. and allied air-power to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Hanna Smith)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clayton Demming, a crew chief with the 104th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts National Guard, cleans landing gear on an F-15 Eagle aircraft prior to take-off in preparation for exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23) at Hohn Air Base, Germany June 13, 2023. Exercise AD23 integrates both U.S. and allied air-power to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Hanna Smith)
U.S. Air Force Capt. Patrick “Stratus” Kurtz, a pilot with the 123rd Fighter Squadron, 142nd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard, performs preflight checks on an F-15 Eagle aircraft prior to take-off during exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23) at Hohn Air Base, Germany June 13, 2023. Exercise AD23 integrates both U.S. and allied air-power to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Hanna Smith)
A U.S. Air Force weapons armament specialist with the 104th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts National Guard, signals to F-15 Eagle pilot prior to take-off in preparation for exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23) at Hohn Air Base, Germany June 13, 2023. Exercise AD23 integrates both U.S. and allied air-power to defend shared values, while leveraging and strengthening vital partnerships to deter aggression around the world. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Hanna Smith)
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one of the last to cross 2,000 flight hours in the F-15C

By Tech. Sgt. Alexander Frank

PORTLAND, Ore. —
Portland, Ore.– On March 22nd, 2023, Lt. Col. Jonathan Friedman, a pilot with the 123rd Fighter Squadron, took off from Portland Air National Guard Base (PANGB) flying an F-15C as he’s done dozens of times before. But this flight was a special one, as it would mark the 2,000th hour Friedman has spent flying the F-15C. While it’s not entirely uncommon for pilots to reach this milestone, this is likely the last time it will be reached in this airframe by an Oregon Guardsman.

Lt. Col. Jonathon Friedman, 123rd Fighter Squadron, poses in front of an F-15C prior to takeoff from Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore. on March 22nd, 2023. Friedman recently reached 2,000 flight hours in the F-15C, and will likely be one of the last Oregon guardsman to do so. With the upcoming arrival of the F-15EX within the net year, Friedman’s accomplishment serves as a capstone to over 30 year legacy of the F-15 in Oregon. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexander Frank)
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550th FS Silver Eagles

story by 1st Class Jakob Hambright, 56 FW/PA

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. – For the Airmen at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, the mission to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots revolves around two aircraft; the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II. Geo-separated, the 550th Fighter Squadron based at Kingsley Field, Oregon, and assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, extends the mission to include the F-15C Eagle.

Attached to the 173rd FW, the 550th FS serves as the U.S. Air Force’s only formal F-15 training unit and is the largest total force integrated active association in the Air Education and Training Command.

“Our mission is to train the world’s greatest F-15C fighter pilots,” said Lt. Col. Paul Baker, commander of the 550th FS. “We also focus on developing and training our multi-capable enlisted support force of the 550th.”

As the active duty F-15C Formal Training Unit mission transitioned to the Kingsley Field, the 550th FS was activated.

(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar)

“The 550th executes the TFI construct to a high degree of success,” said Baker. “We’re able to provide valuable insight and knowledge to the 56th FW on something that is ingrained in how the U.S. Air Force operates as a total force.”

While operating at Kingsley Field, the 550th FS has seamlessly integrated with various units in the 173rd FW, allowing the 550th FS to maintain itself while being separated from the 56th FW.

“The 550th Fighter Squadron is an integral piece of the 173rd Fighter Wing,” said Col. Lee Bouma, 173rd FW commander. “When you look across our wing, it is impossible to tell who is a guardsman and who is active duty.”

The 550th FS works closely with the 56th FW to accomplish the mission.

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