The Air Force announced Monday that 2nd Lt. David J. Mitchell, 26, of Amherst, Ohio, was the pilot killed in the March 14 crash (see below) of an F-16 from Luke AFB, Ariz. Mitchell, who was from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, arrived at Luke last November to begin the base’s Basic Course Fighter Training program, which trains both active and reserve pilots. He had a total of 237 flying hours, with about 26 in the F-16.
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.
