The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron began flying training missions again after the crash of one of its F-15Ds on Feb. 1, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. The Air Guard unit, which is slated to trade its Eagles for the new F-22 Raptor, still has seven of its F-15s on the ground pending further evaluation of the structural problem that led to the Nov. 2 crash of a Missouri ANG F-15C. (See above) The investigation into the Hawaii Air Guard crash is ongoing, but officials said the aircraft did not break apart so they feel confident it did not suffer a structural failure.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
