An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | June 16, 2008

192nd first Air Guard unit to fly F-22 for Operation Noble Eagle

By David Hopper Air Combat Command Public Affairs

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - The Virginia Air National Guard's 192nd Fighter Wing here is the first Air Guard unit to fly the F-22 Raptor in support of Operation Noble Eagle.

Operation Noble Eagle was established by President George W. Bush to protect the American homeland following the terrorist attacks in September 2001.

Aircrews from the wing's 149th Fighter Squadron fly the Raptor.

"The mission for the protection of the homeland has not changed for us since the inception of Operation Noble Eagle," said Lt. Col. James Cox, 149th FS commander. The capability of the 149th to carry out the mission has been greatly increased because of the abilities of the F-22.

The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions providing a diverse aerial combat capability for operational concepts. One concept the F-22 has become involved with here is Total Force Integration. An example of TFI is the combination of two force components -- active duty and Air Guard in this case -- sharing the responsibility of one mission -- Operation Noble Eagle.

Under the TFI construct, the active duty 1st FW and the 192nd FW provide combat forces in a more cost-effective manner to support the defense of the nation, said Lt. Col. David Nardi, 149th Fighter Squadron operations officer. This is the first time the Air Guard has operated with a front-line fighter soon after it reached full operational capability.

The 1st FW and 192nd FW combined in October 2007 under TFI. That move made the 192nd the first Air Guard unit to operate the F-22.

"The integration of the two wings provides the combat capabilities we need to execute the Operation Noble Eagle mission," said Colonel Nardi. The TFI construct adds a tremendous amount of ability from all critical areas required in protecting the nation and fulfilling the Air Force mission around the world.

The F-22 flew its first active-duty flight in support of Operation Noble Eagle in January 2007. The 1st FW's 27th FS was the first unit to conduct an operational flight with live ordnance loaded in the Raptor.

"We do the same thing for Operation Noble Eagle as we would do in theater, in support of the troops," said Colonel Cox. "The F-22 has performed brilliantly and we have seen our best response times to date."

 

 

Related Articles
Left to right, West Virginia Army National Guard Sgt. Michael Atik, Qatari Emiri Land Forces soldier Sultan Saleh Al-Mrri and West Virginia Army National Guard Solider of the Year Spc. Dominic Starry pose for a photo in Umm Salal Muhammed, Qatar, Feb. 5, 2025. The West Virginia Army National Guard hosted its annual Best Warrior Competition in partnership with Qatar Armed Forces Feb. 2-5, 2025, at the National Service Academy in Doha, Qatar.
West Virginia, DC Guard Compete in Qatar for Best Warrior
By Officer Candidate Ayden Norcross, | Feb. 7, 2025
UMM SALAL MUHAMMED, Qatar - Sixty-five service members from the West Virginia and District of Columbia National Guard traveled 7,000 miles to Qatar’s National Service Academy for the 2025 Best Warrior Competition.Qatar and...

Members of the Bulgarian Defense Ministry and the Tennessee Air National Guard pose for a photo after Bulgaria took delivery of its first batch of F-16 “Fighting Falcon” aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, site, Jan. 31, 2025. Tennessee and Bulgaria have been partners in the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 1993.
Tennessee National Guard Supports Bulgaria’s F-16 Acquisition
By Tech. Sgt. Darrell Hamm, | Feb. 7, 2025
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Bulgarian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 “Fighting Falcon” aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s production facility Jan. 31, marking a milestone in its efforts to modernize its military as a NATO...

A U.S. Air Force Airman assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing marshals a C-130H Hercules at the Combat Readiness and Training Center, Gulfport, Mississippi, Feb. 5, 2025. Exercise Sentry South-Southern Strike is a joint military training focusing on contingency response operations, agile combat employment, aeromedical evacuation, maritime training, specialized fueling operations and strategic airlift and airdrops.
Air Guard Conducts Sentry South-Southern Strike Exercise
By Senior Airman Shardae McAfee, | Feb. 7, 2025
GULFPORT, Miss. – Approximately 500 service members from the Active, Guard and Reserve components of the U.S. military participated in exercise Sentry South-Southern Strike 2025 at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training...