Two F-15s from the 71st Fighter Squadron at Langley AFB, Va., on Monday departed the base for good as part of the unit’s pending inactivation. The two aircraft were flown to their new home with the 433rd Weapons Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev. The 71st FS is scheduled to lose all 20 of its F-15s before the end of September and then cease operations under the Air Force’s drawdown of about 250 legacy fighters. Langley’s remaining F-15s will transfer to Nellis, Kadena AB, Japan, and Air National Guard units in Louisiana and Oregon. The 71st FS completed it final deployment in May. (Langley photo caption by A1C Jason J. Brown)
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.