The continued grounding (see above) of the F-15 A-D fleet is a nightmare come true. Air Force officials now believe that years of patches made to the aircraft, coupled with flying high-stress missions far longer than anticipated, has caused the current problem. And, even if the Eagles fly again by mid-January, it will take the Air Force more than six months to get its F-15 pilots re-qualified. Read more in “It Just Got Worse.”
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…