An F-16C from Holloman AFB, N.M., crashed during a training sortie over the White Sands Missile Range last week, officials announced. The pilot successfully ejected before the jet impacted rugged terrain approximately 70 miles northwest of the base, near Truth or Consequences, N.M. The 314th Fighter Squadron pilot was rescued in “good condition” and taken to a local medical facility for evaluation after the Nov. 25 incident, according to an Air Education and Training Command update. The 314th FS stood up as Holloman’s second F-16 training squadron, relocating from Luke AFB, Ariz., to make room for F-35 training there back in July. Holloman’s F-16 training squadrons report to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke. Loss of the aircraft is pegged at $25 million, and officials are convening an official inquest to determine the cause of the crash, according to the release.
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.…