The recent stand up of the 434th Fighter Training Squadron at Laughlin AFB, Tex., means the wing is departing from its previous singular mission of turning out novice pilots. Col. David Petersen, 47th Operations Group commander, calls the activation of the new squadron a “great new step in developing a training continuum.” TSgt. Joel Langton reports that the new 34-person squadron expects each year to graduate 80 pilots—qualified to fly the F-15C, the F-15E, the F-16, the A-10 and F-22.
The Air Force wants to pump more than $12 billion over the next five years into its new affordable long-range missiles program and recently asked industry to push the flights of some of those munitions beyond 1,200 miles.