“Mature” fighters—those long since fully developed, and with a logistics train well established—are expected to turn in a mission capable rate of about 70 percent. Lt. Col. Dirk Smith, 94th FS commander, said his Raptors are achieving MC rates of just under that figure … and that includes maintenance on low-observable surfaces, which typically are a headache. Such reliability in a nearly new fighter is unprecedented. In Alaska earlier this year, the goal was to fly every Raptor pilot at least 10 times in mock combat. Smith said that everybody got “12 to 13 times or more.”
F-15E Aviator Missing in Iran Rescued by US Forces
April 5, 2026
The second crew member of the Air Force F-15E shot down April 3 has been rescued from Iran. U.S. forces recovered the aviator alive and all American forces involved in the operation are believed to be safe, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.