An F-16 Viper taking off on a training mission out of Luke AFB, Ariz., crashed near Phoenix Tuesday at 9:51 a.m., according to Air Force officials. The pilot, Capt. Jason Attaway, 26, of Dallas, ejected safely. Attaway, with the 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke, had just taken off for a routine training flight and, within two miles of Luke, the F-16 crashed.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.