JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM, Hawaii - The arrival ceremony for the first two aircraft of a squadron that will eventually include 20 F-22 Raptors will be held here today.
The ceremony will mark the beginning of the partnership between the Hawaii Air National Guard and the active duty Air Force flying the "fifth generation‟ fighter at Hickam. The F-22 Raptors will be flown by pilots from the 199th Fighter Squadron of the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Wing and active duty Air Force pilots from the 19th Fighter Squadron of the 15th Wing. The aircraft will also be maintained by a combination of Hawaii Air National Guardsmen and active duty Airmen.
"The arrival of the F-22s begins a new chapter in the already close relationship between the Guard and the active duty in Hawaii," said Army Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, the adjutant general of the Hawaii National Guard. "We've partnered with the 15th Wing since 2006 flying and maintaining the C-17s, except now in the case of the F-22s it will be a Guard asset with the active Air Force working in association with us".
As part of the celebration marking the arrival of F-22A Raptor aircraft to Hawaii, the public is invited to view a brief aerial demonstration tonight off the Waianae Coast. The F-22A demonstration involving two aircraft will showcase some of the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force's most advanced jet fighter.
The 15-minute demo will be entirely over water, but residents will be able to view the aircraft from coastal areas from Honokai Hale to Waianae.
The F-22 Raptors will replace the F-15 Eagles that 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.
"The U.S. Air Force is the dominate air and space power in the world," said Air Force Col. Sam Barrett, the 15th Wing commander. "Our strength in that domain ensures freedom and prosperity in the Pacific and beyond. The arrival of the F-22 will ensure that strength endures for many years to come."
The wing will grow larger throughout the summer months with the arrival of two new weapon systems. Barrett said earlier this year that he looks forward to partnership of the 15th Wing and the 154th Wing as the F-22 and the KC-135 missions are added to the arsenal of C-17s at Hickam.
The 15th Wing will activate an active duty F-22 squadron and KC-135 squadron. These two new weapons systems will be employed and maintained under a total force partnership with the Hawaii Air National Guard, similar to the C-17 weapons system. The main difference is the state of Hawaii will own the F-22s and the active duty force will add four KC-135s to complement the Hawaii Air Guard's current fleet of KC-135 aircraft.
"We are family already," Barrett said. "Our success is literally bounded by our partnership. I'm confident that together we will continue to succeed."