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NEWS | July 21, 2006

71st FS claims Raytheon Hughes Achievement Award for 2005

By Senior Airman Heidi Davis 1st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

For the fifth time, the 71st Fighter Squadron “Ironmen” claimed the coveted Raytheon Hughes Achievement Award, July 10. 

Started in 1953 by Hughes Aircraft Company, the trophy is given annually to the top air-superiority or air-defense squadron in the Air Force. 

“The competition this year was keen with the 44th Fighter Squadron of Kadena Air Base, Japan, as a close contender,” said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, chief of staff of the Air Force. “Each nominated squadron demonstrated the best our Air Force has to offer … however, the 71st FS clearly displayed its superior ability to dominate the sky anywhere in the world.” 

In 2005, the squadron flew more than 7,000 hours including more than 5,300 sorties with a mission-capable rate of 82.3 percent – an unmatched record of success and unprecedented operations tempo. 

“The men and women of the Ironmen stand superior in providing air superiority and defense for America,” said Lt. Col. Robert Garland, 71st FS commander. “The personal dedication to excellence demonstrated every day is our standard and constant training and preparation to successfully meet all challenges are our charge.” 

In order to maintain an incredible record such as that, the 71st FS participated in numerous exercises and training flights throughout fiscal year 2004. 

In October 2004, the squadron was chosen to represent the Air Combat Command at the William Tell Air Superiority competition in Tyndall AFB, Fla. Rising to the challenge, the 71st FS flew 100 sorties and 30 simulator missions in preparation for the competition. Arriving prepared and motivated to display its air superiority, the squadron flew every tasked mission on time, with only one ground abort and one air abort – an overall 96.4-percent MC rate. Overall, the squadron scored the most points during the flying competition and received numerous trophies for “Profile III” and “Top Aircrew.” 

In all, the 71st FS’s 12 jets and 157 deployed personnel flew 176 sorties and achieved a 94-percent MC rate “to increase the war-fighting capability of the F-15 and F-16 communities.” 

After five successful deployments, the squadron took on the most important tasking of the year – defending the nation’s leaders from air threats in Operation Noble Eagle. For three months, the 71st FS was on 24-hour alert and flying Combat Air Patrols over major East Coast cities. In all, the squadron flew 220 CAPs totaling 978 hours. 

Throughout the year, the squadron provided more than 335 sorties in direct support of the Raptors, “saving the Air Force countless dollars and providing unsurpassed combat training for the Air Force’s future air dominance platform.” In fact, prior to the arrival of the Raptors, the Ironmen, along with pilots, maintainers and operations support personnel from the 27th FS, flew 596 sorties and 682 hours. 

Throughout the numerous flying hours and sorties, the 71st FS kept safety at the forefront of its mind maintaining a perfect operational safety record for FY 2005 and received zero write-ups and discrepancies during a 1st Fighter Wing inspection. Not only did the squadron not have any Class A mishaps in more than 7,000 flying hours, it also surpassed 51,500 flying hours without a Class A mishap. 

“The Ironmen are the finest air superiority squadron in the world,” said Colonel Garland. “The Airmen are truly exceptional and stand ready to defend our country at home or anywhere in the world at any time – this (award) is just a small example of that and we are honored with this recognition.” 

The 71st FS also won the award in 1969, 1993, 1998 and 2001 – this is a record number of times for any squadron.