Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, has formally lifted the flying ban for the F-22 fleet. We reported Monday that implementation of a return-to-flight plan was imminent. Hostage said in a release posted late Monday by ACC, “I’m confident we’ve reached the point to begin a measured and incremental return to flying.” First step is for F-22 instructor pilots and flight leads to regain their “necessary proficiency,” according to the release. The Air Force’s Scientific Advisory Board continues to search for a root cause to problems involving the fighter’s onboard oxygen generating system and plans to release a report in October. (See F-22 Coming Back from Monday’s Daily Report and the AFNS release F-22 To Resume Flight Operations.)
The Space Superiority Weapons Instructor Course looks a lot different today than it did 30 years ago—a reflection of the growing importance of space to joint operations and the elevation of what was then a small cadre within the Air Force to its own separate service.