Other countries have figured out that the combat edge of the Air Force is as much in its training as its equipment; maybe more, Keys asserted. As a result, countries “that are not our allies…are starting to train like us.” His point was that it’s important not to scrimp on the training, he said, but ACC was forced to do just that last year, when it had to cut flying hours due to the run-up in fuel costs. The money was later added to make up the shortfall, but in the meantime, training was deferred, “and we lost combat capability.”
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.