The Indiana Air National Guard’s 122nd Fighter Wing flew its last F-16 sortie Sept. 11, according to a Journal Gazette report. The wing, which has flown Vipers for the past 19 years, learned in early 2009 that it would transition to the A-10 Warthog, which Indiana elected officials believe will keep the unit viable for a longer time. The 22nd FW’s F-16s are destined for the boneyard at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. According to the Journal Gazette, the conversion to the A-10 will take about three years, with the first of the Hogs flying out of the wing’s Fort Wayne facility later this year.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.