Safety remains at the forefront of reintegrating F-15s into the daily operations defending North American airspace, says Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, head of 1st Air Force and the Continental US NORAD Region. “The critical step,” he says, will be “the initial cadre” of F-15 pilots who regain their landing currency and will then manage the “re-currency” for the rest of their units. “Landing currency will get us back in the air, but restoring the other demanding currencies requires particular attention, judgment, and hands-on risk management,” he says. “Oversight and certification of this program as it relates to [Air National Guard] units remains with the wing’s leadership and instructor pilots.”
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
Sept. 16, 2025
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.
