The 94th Flies Eagles Last Time: The 94th “Hat in the Ring” squadron at Langley AFB, Va., has flown its last sortie in the F-15 Eagle. Next up is the F-22A Raptor. Langley’s 1st Fighter Wing last week declared initial operational capability for the F-22 with its 27th Fighter Squadron, paving the way to start creating a second operational Raptor squadron. The airmen of the 94th will operate with the 71st Fighter Squadron, another 1st FW F-15 unit, as the 94th begins to receive its F-22s. According to a Hampton Roads TV news channel, a joint flight by the Raptor and the Eagle commemorated the squadron’s final F-15 flight, along with a ceremony at the 94th FS hangar with retired Col Mike Ridnouer, the first combat-qualified F-15C pilot to serve with the squadron.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.