Officials with the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, N.M., on Dec. 4 marked another milestone in the unit’s transition to operating F-22 fighters with the appointment of 18 members of the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as F-22 dedicated crew chiefs. Each DCC is now responsible for maintenance on a particular F-22 in the wing. SSgt. Sanjay Allen, 49th FW spokesman, told the Daily Report Tuesday that this was the first major appointment ceremony for F-22 DCCs at Holloman. (But he said it was not the first, per se, as six maintainers became the wing’s inaugural F-22 DCCs back in November 2008.) One of the new DCCs is an airman with Air Force Reserve Command’s 44th Fighter Group, which is partnered with the active duty 49th Fighter Wing in operating the new stealth fighters, said Allen. (Holloman report by A1C Sondra Escutia, including full list of crew chiefs)
The Air Force conducted its first successful test of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on May 14, snapping a streak of three consecutive failed tests and giving the beleaguered hypersonics program a much needed boost. Off the coast of Southern California, the AGM-183A ARRW separated from the wing…