LANGLEY AFB, VA. –
For Langley's fighter units, the recently completed runway reconstruction was more an opportunity than an inconvenience, as each unit came away with unparalleled accomplishments and lessons for future deployments.
The 27th, 71st and 94th fighter squadrons touched down on Langley's new runway July 28 after two months of upgrades, record-breaking and impressing other Air Force, Marine and Navy units.
For the first time since becoming operational in December, the 27th FS participated in Northern Edge, a two-week joint exercise in Alaska that pitted the 27th's F-22As against a variety of different aircraft and ground units.
"Throughout the exercise, we were able to see just how effective this jet can be at integrating with multiple joint assets for a number of different missions," said Lt. Col. Wade Tolliver, 27th FS commander.
F-22 pilots faced several air-to-air battles, often outnumbered at least four-to-one and were able to defeat their simulated enemies.
"They were able to fly threat rings using their stealth technology, opening up doors for us," said Capt. George Mullani, 3rd Wing Air-to-Ground Tactics chief and F-15E pilot. "Their ability to ensure air dominance gave us the opportunity to operate freely."
While the 27th FS was owning the skies over Alaska, the 71st FS's Eagles owned the skies over Dixie from their deployed base in Savannah, Ga. Eagle pilots racked up more than 1,200 sorties in two months.
"Our success up to this point is unprecedented," said Lt. Col. Robert Garland, Detachment 71 commander. "It's been an unbelievable operation."
The high sortie rate gave 71st FS Eagle drivers a chance for upgrades, with the squadron coming away from the deployment with a new instructor pilot and two new mission commanders.
One of those pilots, Capt. James Morgan, 71st Fighter Squadron aircraft commander, said the benefits of upgrade training make the deployment worth it.
"The mission commander upgrade provides more of the skills we'd need in combat," he said. "It's more realistic. I'm more equipped to lead pilots into combat."
Things only got better for the 71st when they learned they had been awarded the Raytheon Hughes Achievement Award for the fifth time. The award is given annually to the top air superiority or air-defense squadron in the Air Force.
"The personal dedication to excellence demonstrated every day is our standard and constant training and preparation to successfully meet all challenges are our charge," Colonel Garland said.
Meanwhile, history was being made in Utah and Florida, as the 94th FS deployed the most jets of any F-22 unit yet, with 18 Raptors. Two weapons firsts were also made as the 94th FS dropped the first supersonic JDAM over Utah and the first supersonic missile launch from a Raptor over the Gulf of Mexico.
"We were able to test the F-22 kill chain from the mission supporter, maintainer, weapons load crew to the pilot, and all the links in this chain performed magnificently," said Lt. Col. Dirk Smith, 94th FS commander. "We flew more than 400 sorties, maintained 20 pilots combat mission ready, dropped 40 JDAMs and shot 16 air-to-air missiles."
A Langley Raptor was the first to be fit tested for the Small Diameter Bomb, a weapon that will allow F-22 squadrons to increase their target capability by 400 percent.
"Our load crew's skill and professionalism while working with the Lockheed and Boeing engineers was nothing short of exceptional," said Chief Master Sgt. Jim Barnes, 27th Aircraft Maintenance Unit noncommissioned officer in charge. "Our crew gave specific, quantitative and valuable feedback to the engineers."
Colonel Smith said his detachment learned some important things.
"Through teamwork, communication and mutual support, anything can be accomplished," he said.