2010 F-22 Raptor Aircraft Arrival

Posted on Jan 3, 2025 in 2010's, HING History

Air Guard upgrading jetfighters

For the Hawaii Air National Guard, we’re really looking forward to the conversion to the F-22 Raptor in late 2010. For the first time since the HIANG converted to F-15’s in 1987, we lost one of our Eagles in February when it went down in the ocean off Oahu. Fortunately, our HIANG pilot was not hurt and was promptly picked up in a textbook search and rescue operation. The Accident Investigation Board results are not releasable yet, and so I won’t comment on the cause of the mishap, but one thing is certain-the F-15s are getting old-most of which were built in the 1970’s. These three-decade-old high-performance fighter aircraft were built to fly about 4,000 flight hours. Many have surpassed two thousand hours more than that. The F22 is a fifth generation combat fighter that will ensure that the HIANG, along with our active duty partners, will remain relevant as part of our national defense well into the next decade and beyond. We are very fortunate to be selected as the only Air National Guard unit in the nation to “own the tails” of an F22 squadron. That shows the confidence the U.S. Air Force has in our people to maintain and fly such a valuable national asset.

2007 November – 2008 March Pūpūkahi pp. 2

F-22 Egress procedure trainer delivered to Hickam

by Master Sgt. Kristen M. Stanley

The 199th Fighter Squadron accepted the first, of a three part F-22 Raptor pilot training system, May 18, at Hickam Air Force Base. The Egress Procedure Trainer is one of five that have been delivered nationwide.

The EPT primarily supports pilot training on proper aircraft entry and exit under normal and emergency conditions, as well as ground and in-flight ejection.

The three sophisticated simulators, developed under a Boeing subcontract by L3 Communications, in Arlington, Texas are the Full Mission Trainer (FMT), Weapons and Tactics Trainer (WTT) and the Egress Procedures Trainer (EPT).

“Eventually the Full Mission Trainer will be on island,” said Judd Emerson of L3 Communications.
“These will eliminate the need for pilots in Hawaii to travel to the Continental U.S. for proficiency training and system familiarization.”

Boeing, teamed with Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney, to design and build the F-22 Raptor for the U.S. Air Force, is also under contract to develop and implement the overall F-22 training System. As part of the F-22 production contract, training devices are deployed to the specified bases.

“This equipment helps the pilots do their job,” says Senior Airman Rod Baker, 199th Fighter Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman.

“My role is to refresh the pilot in emergency egress procedures on the ground or in the air,” says Senior Airman Baker. “The habitual training encourages muscle memory so that the pilot can react under severe stress.”

Along with changes in weapon systems, comes a change in Air Force Specialty Codes for the Enlisted Airmen. Survival Equipment has merged with Life Support to create the newly named Aircrew Flight Equipment career field.

Tech. Sgt. Maximo Cabreros, of the 199th Fighter Squadron is one such Airman to be affected by this career field consolidation.

“I’m stoked that I can be a part of the 199th mission as we go through this conversion,” said Tech. Sgt. Cabreros. “This is a part of history for the Air National Guard.”

2009 June Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 1 & 4

Commander’s Call: ‘Fast away the ol’ year passes’

As always, however, our glass at the 154th Wing is half full. Our conversion to the F-22 is in full swing and as we speak, the renovations to Hangar 13 and Bldg 1055 are in progress. Ground breaking ceremonies for the KC-135 Simulator and F-22 facilities are fast approaching. We will not only meet any challenges but succeed and raise the bar!

– 2009 December Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 2

The 199th Fighter Squadron began the conversion from the F-15 A/B/C/D Eagle fighter aircraft to the F-22 Raptor in FY 2010, taking delivery on the first two Raptors at the beginning of FY 2011.

2010 Annual Report pp. 15

Throughout the year, the Hawaii Air National Guard continued to prepare for the arrival of the F-22 Raptors which are replacing the F-15 Eagles the 199th Fighter Squadron as flown since 1987. The first two Raptors flew into Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam just days prior to the July 9 arrival ceremony.

2010 Annual Report pp. 18

Commander’s Call: Recognizing a job well done

Enroute to Washington D.C., last week, I visited the depot at Hill AFB, to view the progress on our first two F-22s. They are coming along quite nicely. I expressed my gratitude on behalf of all of us for the hectic pace they are maintaining to deliver our aircraft to us in time for the July 9, ceremony.

Friday, May 7, we will be holding a ground breaking ceremony for the new F-22 Raptor Low Observable Composite Repair Facility, just another step in our conversion to the F-22. I hope some of you will be able to make it to the ceremony

2010 April – May Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 2

Commander’s Call: Be a good Wingman

Aloha! With the groundbreaking of the Low Observable Composite Repair Facility (LOCRF) last month, the F-22 era is under way.

Mahalo to Lt. Col. Jim Sage, Capt. Jen Phillips and to all those who contributed to a very successful event.

Signaling further change, on Sunday, June 6, our first F-22 Raptor pilot, Lt. Col. Chris Faurot, took command of the 199th Fighter Squadron from Lt. Col. Glen Nakamura, who assumes duties as the Deputy Commander, 154th Operations Group. My sincere congratulations and pledge of support goes to these two premier leaders.

– 2010 June Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 2

F-22 Raptor arrives

by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Thomas

The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing welcomed the first of its new inventory of F-22’s here during a welcoming ceremony July 9.

Two of the 20 jets that will eventually make up its warfighting cadre rolled onto the tarmac and were greeted by a mixed audience of Guardsmen, Active Duty, and government dignitaries, to include Governor Linda Lingle and Senator Daniel Inouye.

Following a traditional Hawaiian blessing of Hawaiian water and ti leaves by Kahu Kordell Kekoa, Governor Linda Lingle spoke of the significance of the arrival.

“The arrival of the F22 represents the “unique relationship between us (the state of Hawaii) and the United States Air Force,” said Lingle.

“The F-22s will come under the Hawaii Air National Guard in partnership with the active duty” and the arrival today is “a testament to America’s technological capabilities,” said Lingle, referring to the Total Force initiative of combining active duty and reserve forces.

Lt. Col. Christopher Faurot, 199th Fighter Squadron commander, flew one of the single-seat F-22s out from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where the approximately seven-year-old jets were receiving maintenance.

Faurot said the six-hour flight required seven air refuelings with lots of “straight and level flying” and reduced speed so the fighters would not outpace refueling tankers.

The HIANG is now the second Air National Guard unit to fly the Raptor, with more units slated to convert to the operationally superior aircraft during the next several years.

The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions providing a diverse aerial combat capability. The two jets now here are jets previously flown at Tyndall Air Force Base; the remaining 18 aircraft will come from Langley Air Force Base, Va.

The F-22 Raptors replace the F-15 Eagles that the 154th’s flying unit, the 199th Fighter Squadron, has flown since 1987. The F-22 is designed to counter lethal threats posed by advanced surface-to-air missile systems and next-generation fighters equipped with launch-and-leave missile capability.

Pilots from the 199th Fighter Squadron are now in the process of getting “trained up” for the conversion. Fulltime and traditional pilots will go through a four-month long transition course (also known as a TX course) for experienced pilots transferring from other fighter aircraft types.

“All of our pilots will go through the school at Tyndall Air Force Base (in Florida),” said Lt. Col. James Sage, HIANG fighter pilot and action officer for the conversion. “Two have finished and hopefully by the end of 2012, the majority of our guys should have completed the training.”

Once all of the planes arrive, the aircraft will be piloted by both an active duty unit and by the Guard.

“Seventy-five percent of the mission will be manned by the 154th with the other 25 percent being covered by the active duty personnel,” added Sage.

An active duty detachment squadron, the 19th Fighter Squadron, will complement the new flying configuration.

Sage, noted that there are several benefits to having a unit fly the superior aircraft in what might be considered a remote location.

“We are a day closer to the fight,” said Sage. “Logistically, we are a stopping off point for other F-22 units so we would be able to support any training and aircraft ‘housing’ requirements.” General Craig McKinley, Chief, National Guard Bureau said that the arrival of the F-22 “speaks volumes for the importance of Hawaii’s geographic and strategic position in our nation’s defense.”

McKinley also added that the arrival “marks the first time an Air National Guard unit, the 199th Fighter Squadron, has taken the position of lead squadron in an associate flying unit.”

The conversion to the F-22 comes a year after legislation was signed stopping future procurement of the modern war-fighting machine. A final inventory of 187 jets will be dispersed, with the Guard gaining some of the final assets.

Hawaii’s Senator Daniel Inouye, whose work was instrumental in bringing the F-22 to Hawaii, said, “The presence of the F-22 demonstrates the importance of this area in the Pacific Command.”

“The F-22 will be the major instrument of deterrence in this part of the world,” said Senator Inouye. “I think that Hawaii’s selection demonstrates that we are fully capable of doing the

2010 July Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 1 & 8

HIANG soars into the future, says good-bye to old friend

by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Thomas

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBORHICKAM, HI.–The 154th Wing’s transition operations is at full throttle with several changes to facilities and training to meet new standards given the difference in war-fighting capabilities.

Nearly three months after the Hawaii Air National Guard welcomed the first of its new inventory of F-22 Raptors, construction has started on new facilities and pilots have begun transitioning into their new role as Raptor drivers.

“Things are going very well with the F-22 transition here at Hickam. The Total Force Integration (TFI) with the Hawaii Air National Guard and the Active Duty is working out very well,” said Lt. Col. James Sage, HIANG fighter pilot and action officer for the conversion.

The transition marks the first time an ANG fighter wing is the lead flying squadron with F-22s. Seventyfive percent of the manning will be the 154th Wing with the other 25 percent being covered by active duty personnel.

“There are many people involved with this transition now and they are making a positive impact every day. We are currently utilizing workarounds until our permanent facilities are constructed. It is very important that our F-22 facilities construction stays on schedule,” noted Sage.

The F-22 Raptors replaced the F-15 Eagles that the 199th Fighter Squadron had flown since 1987. The F-22 is designed to counter lethal threats posed by advanced surface-to-air missile systems and next-generation fighters equipped with launch-and-leave missile capability. The F-22 provides the U.S. Air Force air dominance for the 21st century, with a “first-look, first-shot, first-kill” capability.

One of the facility changes that marks a specific modification from the F-15 requirements is the Low Observable Composite Repair Facility (LOCRS). Low observable is the process of a coating stack being applied on an F-22 that makes it invisible to radar allowing the aircraft to remain undetected.

The advances in LO technologies provide significantly improved survivability and lethality against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. State-of-the-art equipment and facilities are needed for the application of the complex system of paints and coatings necessary to meet the F-22’s stringent radar cross section requirements.

Another obvious change is the location of the 154th’s ramp. The internal weapon system capabilities for the Raptor make it necessary to have a ramp that is somewhat further away from crucial, populated structures, according to Sage. The current ramp will still be used when the aircraft are not armed.

As construction continues, so does the transition process for the pilots who to date far exceed the number of aircraft currently in the inventory.

“Every pilot you train you have to keep current,” said Sage, “so the training requirements are based upon the number of aircraft available to fly so pilots can maintain currency. We can’t have all of the pilots trained with not enough aircraft on hand to fly so the aircraft arrival and the training schedule are set up to accommodate the disparity.”

As of Sept 15, there were only two F-22’s and three pilots trained at Tyndall. Sage expects that with the aircraft rolling in at an average of two a month, all 18 “ready” aircraft and two spares will be here by November 2011.

Maj. Michael Blake, a fulltime 199th pilot who joined the HIANG “fresh off the street” in 1995, completed the training last May. “My formal course at Tyndall lasted about 3 1/2 months,” said Blake. “The training for the F-15 and the F-22 is similar with the main difference between the two aircraft being the increase in overall capability of the F-22 versus the F-15.”

All 199th pilots will go through Tyndall Air Force Base’s four-month long transition course (also known as a TX course) for experienced pilots transferring from other fighter types. Two pilots are currently training in Florida at Tyndall and are slated to return after the first of the year.

Another enhancement to the 154th’s facilities and its ability to keep pilots current, is the addition of a four cockpit F-22 simulator that is slated to be completed in 2014.

“Hickam currently does not have a dedicated, full-on, hands-on simulator and we used to send our pilots TDY to the mainland to get that training,” said Sage. “This will really help us deflect overall cost and greatly enhance our F-22 training.” Simulators also free up aircraft for real-world missions and deployments.

With the arrival and transition also came the final departure of the F-15 Eagle in August. Hawaii Air National Guard members, family members and retirees came together Aug. 20 and bid adieu to the F-15 Eagle.

The sunset gathering included aircraft static displays and a traditional Hawaiian style buffet to include a farewell cake. A live band provided music for the evening as friends from the past few decades gathered for a nostalgic night of remembrance. As of Sept. 1 all of the F-15s have departed Hickam. The sunset celebration gave the HIANG one last evening to gather and reflect.

2010 October Kūkāʻilimoku pp. 1 & 9