Авибаза Элмендорф на Аляске полностью готова принять НОВЕЙШИЙ и ЛУЧШИЙ В МИРЕ истребитель..
Первый прибудет 8 августа..
16-05-2007 - ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — It was an historic day for Elmendorf Air Force Base and the 90th Fighter Squadron — a change of command and a change in fighter jet.
The base's F15E eagle strike jets are heading to Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho and F22A raptors are heading this way.
The planes are the US Air Force's newest fighter jet, the best in the world. Now the F22A raptor is calling Elmendorf Air Force Base home.
Late today outgoing 90th Fighter Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Colin Wright said goodbye.
"Best commander in the world can stand up and spout out guide and etcetera, but if the troops don't make it happen it wont happen," Wright said.
Incoming commander Lt. Col. Michael Shower begins a new era at Elmendorf.
"I'll be lucky to fly it and it'll be great. I'll never be a squadron commander, too many good guys and somehow I've outlasted and made it and here I am," Shower said. "It's an awesome day."
Shower will oversee the transition from the F15E eagle strike to the F22a raptor.
"We have to get first of all we have to change the people out and train all of our maintainers," Shower said.
That's just the beginning, the mission changes and the F22s arrival is happening much faster than anticipated.
Shower said being part of it all is worth it, especially piloting the military's best fighter jet.
"You don't see it, it's stealthy. It's super cruises, so fast without afterburners and it has really good sensors, so it tracks everything, it sees everyone else and they don't see it," Shower said. "You take your shots — you get that first shot, first kill. They're dead don't even see you coming."
The first F22A raptor arrives August 8.
By the end of 2008, Elmendorf will be home to 40 raptors and about 75 pilots, as well as hundreds of maintainers.