Hawai‘i Air National Guard to Conduct Exercise Sentry Aloha

Posted on Jan 12, 2024 in Main, News Release

#2024-001 January 12, 2024 

For Immediate Release 

Hawai‘i Air National Guard to Conduct Exercise Sentry Aloha 

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawai‘i – The Hawai‘i Air National Guard (HIANG) will be hosting a Sentry Aloha fighter exercise from Wednesday, Jan. 16 through Jan. 31. O‘ahu residents, particularly along the island’s southern coast, may see an increase in military aircraft during takeoffs and landings at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. 

Sentry Aloha is an ongoing series of exercises hosted by the HIANG’s 154th Wing enabling tailored, cost-effective, and realistic combat training for Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force, and other Department of Defense services. It provides U.S. warfighters with the skill sets necessary to perform homeland defense and overseas combat missions. 

Sentry Aloha exercises have been conducted by the HIANG for more than 20 years. This iteration of the exercise will involve approximately 712 personnel and 46 aircraft from two states and one additional participating country. 

Visiting units include the F-35 Lightning II from Air Test & Evaluation Squadron NINE, Detachment Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., (VX-9 Det Edwards), F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers from Air Test & Evaluation Squadron NINE China Lake, Calif., (VX-9 China Lake), and E-7A Wedgetail aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force. The visiting aircraft will participate in simulated combat exercises with the 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons’ Hickam-based ‘Hawaiian Raptors.’ 

The 199th Fighter Squadron is part of the 154th Wing, the largest wing in the United States Air National Guard. The Hawai‘i Air National Guard comprises nearly 2,500 personnel whose federal mission is to be trained and available for active duty Air Force operational missions. 

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Media Contact: 

Maj. (Ret) Jeffrey D. Hickman 

Director, Public Affairs 

State of Hawai‘i, Department of Defense 

Office: 808-441-7000 

Direct: 808-779-8008 

[email protected]