Rescuers found the two pilots whose F-15s went missing over the Gulf of Mexico Feb. 20 around 2 p.m. CST, but one died at the hospital, according to an Air Force statement. Coast Guard crews found the pilots around 5 p.m., supported by an AC-130H and CV-22 from the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The two pilots were from the 58th Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., and had been flying a training sortie at the time of the accident. The service is withholding names until it can notify next of kin.
Robins Air Force Base, Ga., has completed two environmental reviews, clearing the way for new construction to support the bases four new missions sets, which will replace the E-8 Joint STARS mission that has defined the base for decades.