The Air Force intends to station a detachment of 10 T-38 trainer aircraft at Tyndall AFB, Fla., announced Florida Sen. George LeMieux (R). The T-38s will serve there in a “dedicated adversary” role in support of Tyndall’s F-22s, he said. Tyndall is currently home to F-22 training but is also slated to receive a squadron of combat-ready F-22s under the Air Force’s F-22 basing consolidation plan. LeMieux said the first T-38s would arrive by the end of September 2011, and all 10 are expected to be in place by the end of March 2012.
The Air Force's new Aircraft Readiness Unit will maintain and provide Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operations, but won’t serve as a “schoolhouse” teaching fighter pilots how to manage these escort drones.