A two-seat F-15D fighter crashed yesterday (July 30) at the Nevada Test and Training Range, while participating in a Red Flag training exercise, killing one of the two pilots onboard, Nellis Air Force Base public affairs said in a release. The second pilot was transferred to Mike O’Callaghan Federal Hospital on the grounds of Nellis and was under observation and in stable condition, according to the release. The names of the pilots are being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. The aircraft, assigned to Nellis’ 65th Aggressor Squadron, went down about 50 miles east of Goldfield, Nev., at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time. The pilots were participating in a combat training mission as part of the ongoing Red Flag on the range. The Air Force said it would release additional details as they become available and will convene a board to investigate the mishap.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent direction that the military services return to a more old-school approach to basic training—with instructors "tossing bunks" and "putting their hands on recruits”—will likely require the Air Force to rewrite policies for military training instructors it has modified over time to cut down on such…
