Outgoing
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley announced June 6 that Air Force Reserve Command’s 301st Fighter Squadron will transfer its flag to Holloman AFB, N.M., from Luke AFB, Ariz., to operate the F-22 fighter together with the active duty 7th FS and 8th FS of Holloman’s 49th Fighter Wing in a classic associate arrangement. Moseley made the announcement during the official Holloman F-22 welcome ceremony. Holloman’s first two F-22s actually arrived June 2. The 7th FS is expected to have its allotment of 20 Raptors and ready for combat in November 2009. The 8th will also receive 20 F-22s at a later date. Lockheed Martin said in a June 6 release on the Holloman ceremony that it has already delivered 119 of the 183 Raptors on order to the Air Force. Moseley tendered his resignation June 5, along with Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne. (Includes Holloman report by A1C Jamal Sutter)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
