The Air Force says they will ensure that mission requirements are met for worldwide operations normally accomplished by the F-15.
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Air Force suspended non-mission critical F-15 flight operations Saturday after the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C aircraft November 2nd.
An Air Force spokesperson says the cause of the Missouri accident is still under investigation, however, preliminary findings indicate that a possible structural failure of the aircraft may have occurred. The suspension of flight operations is being called "a precautionary measure."
The Air National Guard F-15 crashed in a rural part of south-central Missouri Friday after the pilot ejected. The pilot was then flown to a St. Louis hospital with injuries that were described as non life-threatening, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The F-15 crashed in the woods near Boss.
The Air Force says they will ensure that mission requirements are met for worldwide operations normally accomplished by the F-15. Current F-15 flying locations include bases in the continental United States, Alaska, England, Hawaii, Japan and the Middle East.
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The Air Force says there are more than 700 F-15's in the Air Force inventory. The F-15 reached initial operational capability for the Air Force in September 1975.
While they state that the F-15 continues to serve its country well, the Air Force is replacing these aging fighters with its fifth generation of air superiority, the F-22 Raptor.
The F-22 is the world's most advanced fighter aircraft combining stealth, supercruise, maneuverability and integrated avionics to provide unmatched warfighting capabilities in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield.
The F-15C, D and E models were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm where they proved their superior combat capability. F-15C fighters accounted for 34 of the 37 Air Force air-to-air victories. The F-15E's were operated mainly at night, hunting SCUD missile launchers and artillery sites using the LANTIRN system.
They have since been deployed for air expeditionary force deployments and Operations Southern Watch -- the no-fly zone in Southern Iraq, Provide Comfort in Turkey, Allied Force in Bosnia, Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
Oregon's Air Guard lost an F-15 pilot last summer. Officials say spatial disorientation during an air combat training mission caused Major Greg Young's Oregon Air Guard F-15A to crash approximately 42 nautical miles west of Arch Cape, Oregon, in the Pacific Ocean on June 26th, 2007, Air Force officials announced today. Major Young, died immediately on impact and was the only aviator aboard the single-seat F-15A.
Special thanks to Mike Braibish of the Oregon National Guard for information in this report.
Some F-15's Grounded Over Recent CrashSalem-News.com