The 1st Fighter Wing activated the 71st Fighter Training Squadron as a stand-alone unit to provide T-38 Talon adversary support to the wing’s F-22 Raptors at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., in a ceremony Aug. 21. “For a fraction of the cost, T-38s can provide training support, which not only saves money on training, but allows our F-22 pilots more flying hours,” 71st FTS Commander Lt. Col. Brian Coyne said in a release. The wing’s first T-38s arrived in 2011 and were flown on a rotating basis by 1st FW and Virginia Air National Guard 192nd FW F-22 pilots, sharing the 27th Fighter Squadron stable with the Raptors. The newly minted 71st FTS boasts a fleet of 17 Talons for its dedicated adversary mission, according to the release. The 71st FS “Ironmen” previously flew the F-15C/D Eagle from Langley for more than 30 years prior to the squadron’s inactivation in 2010 as part of Langley’s transition to the F-22.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
