US Air Force, LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE: The Raptors are leaving the nest for their first deployment. Nearly 170 airmen left here Oct. 15 on a two-week deployment to Hill Air Force Base, Utah. This may sound like a run-of-the-mill temporary duty assignment. But for the Langley airmen, it is far from a typical out-of-town operation.
It is the maiden deployment for the new F/A-22 aircraft.
Airmen from the 27th Fighter Squadron and other base units went to Hill with two significant goals on their to-do list: complete the first Raptor deployment and generate a combat-effective sortie rate away from home.
Croatia gets French fighter jets in major arms purchase
Croatia took delivery Thursday of six Rafale fighter jets it has bought from France in the country's biggest arms purchase...