Weather scientists say the US is on the upswing of a 30-year up-and-down cycle of hurricanes, as evidenced by the bumper crop of powerful storms over the last three years. Gen. William Looney, head of Air Education and Training Command, says, however, that this has apparently not been considered in decisions about basing in the Gulf region. “I have heard no discussion at the official level about not rebuilding Keesler” or not going forward with plans to locate all F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training at Eglin (AFB, Fla.), Looney said. Until told otherwise, “we’re moving ahead to reconstitute Keesler.”
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.