An accident investigation board has determined that spatial disorientation led to the death of Maj. Gregory Young in the F-15A crash off the coast of Arch Cape, Ore., on June 27. According to an Air Combat Command statement, Young, an Air National Guard pilot with the 142nd Fighter Wing at Portland Airport in Oregon, was flying a dissimilar air combat training mission with F/A-18s from NAS Fort Worth, Tex., when he became disoriented and misinterpreted his position in flight.
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…