On March 29, 2023, history was made as the 71st Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing welcomed its first two F-22s, # AF040 and AF042, to their new home on Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. Flown by Lt. Col. Andrew Gray, the 71st FS commander, and Lt. Col. Matthew Evers, the 71st FS director of operations, these aircraft mark the beginning of a new era in combat training missions as Langley takes on the F-22 Formal Training Unit (FTU) mission. The primary mission of the 71st FS will be to train pilots on how to employ the F-22, making them the most lethal F-22 pilots in the Air Force.
Photo: Senior Master Sgt. Amy Robinson
“The arrival of these first two aircraft is the beginning of a new era, and we’re very excited,” said Capt. Trent Amerson, who took command of the 71st Fighter Generation Squadron in January. “We still have a hard road ahead – with standing up the 71st squadrons, but we’re confident in the capability of our maintainers and expertise of our pilots in producing the most lethal F-22 pilots in the Air Force.”
“We’re bringing the training mission of the F-22 here,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Gray, the 71st FS commander. “We’re going to train pilots, who just got their wings, how to employ the F-22 in our squadron, and then we’ll send them out to their combat units.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of our Airmen, America’s First Team, and our JBLE mission partners for all they have done to prepare – and continue to work toward making the 71st the home of the F-22 FTU mission,” said Col. William Creeden, 1st Fighter Wing commander. “And by doing so, we will continue to hold the standard of air superiority for our United States Air Force.”
“Langley has had training missions all throughout its history – going back 100 years,” explained Lt. Col. Gray. “But that transition will take time…We’re confident in the capability of our maintainers and expertise of our pilots in producing the most lethal F-22 pilots in the Air Force,” he added.
For more information, hit the Source below