Mission Continues Despite Grounding

[unhappycamper]

Mission Continues Despite Grounding
Air Force Print News | November 07, 2007


WASHINGTON -- Lt. Gen. Gary L. North, U.S. Central Command's Combined Forces Air Component commander is maintaining assigned F-15E Strike Eagles on ground alert and will accomplish all assigned missions with a variety of fighter, attack and bomber aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles, under his command and control during this period.

"We will continue to maintain the 24/7 Air Tasking Order profile that allows me, as the CFACC, to synchronize and integrate air and space assets into the International Security Assistance Force and Combined Joint Task Force - 82 operational scheme of maneuver," he said. "This is our continual task: to have airpower overhead; persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; close precision strike capability; and air refueling, airlift, airdrop and aerial medical evacuation when needed."

The grounding of the F-15 fleet is a strong message that the U.S. Air Force takes the safety of its aircrews flying in harm's way very seriously, General North said.

"I worry about the health of our aging fleet and how sometimes it is not well understood by those our Airmen protect," said the general. "The investigation will get to the cause of the accident. In the meantime, we'll continue to provide air supremacy for the Afghan National Army and the collective NATO, coalition and U.S. forces on the ground."

The Air Force grounded its F-15 fleet on Nov. 3 following the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C Eagle Nov. 2. F-15s assigned North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Central Command Air Forces will be on ground alert and fly missions if required.

~snip~

While the F-15 continues to prove highly effective in the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force is on a course to eventually replace the aging fleet with the stealthy F-22 Raptor.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,155732,00.html



uhc comment: I wonder if North knows there's no $$$$$ for F-22s in 2009 --> No extra F-22s, C-17s for USAF in 2009