The Air Force Shuffle

[unhappycamper]

Spangdahlem to lose jets, gain squadron
By Kent Harris, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, April 8, 2010

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — The 480th Fighter Squadron will soon be flying again in the skies over Europe.

Faced with the loss of nearly one-half its F-16s due to Air Force cost-saving measures, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, plans to inactivate the 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons and create a single, larger squadron, according to 2nd Lt. Kathleen Polesnak, a 52nd Fighter Wing spokeswoman.

That squadron will be the 480th — dubbed the Warhawks — whose exploits in Europe date back to World War I.

The 81st Fighter Squadron, which flies A-10s, will also remain on base. In all, 18 of the base’s 42 F-16s will depart.

~snip~

The move is part of an Air Force initiative announced last May in which the service plans to retire 250 fighters around the globe and save $3.5 billion over the next six years. The plan is supposed to free up more money to purchase next-generation fighter jets: the F-22 and F-35.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=69229



unhappycamper comment: Nice try guys. The F-22 line was shut down a year or so ago and the F-35 is definitely not-ready-for-prime-time.