“This is a world-class range that is run very well. The units here in Idaho, along with the range, OCTC [Orchard Combat Training Center], and Mountain Home communities have taken care of us every time we’ve come up here. If we find ourselves in a jam, or need something or don’t know this procedure or that procedure, we get nothing but help here.”-Master Sergeant Daniel Haack, JTAC manager for 11th Marine Regiment, 1st MARDIV
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Dean Gurule, 17APR2023.
In April 2023, the U.S. Marine Corps launched operation (Exercise) Garnet Rattler, seizing the U.S. Air Force’s gunnery range known as Saylor Creek, in Southern Idaho.
USMC photo by Corporal Dean Gurule, 17APR2023.
The use of the word ‘garnet’ is appropriate because Idaho is officially known as The Gem State. Exercise Garnet Rattler is about training Joint Tactical Air Controllers (JTAC): “Garnet Rattler’s main objective is to take entry level joint terminal attack controllers, forward air controllers, air officers and joint fires observers, and put them in a live-fire environment that has a lot of maneuver flexibility, as well as aviation employment, in order to train realistic scenarios for their entry level controls in the fleet.”-Master Sergeant Daniel Haack, JTAC manager for 11th Marine Regiment, 1st MARDIV
U.S. Marine Corps video report by Corporal Dean Gurule, 29APR2023, note the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing/190th Fighter Squadron A-10Cs in action, also, a Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB) F-15E pilot admits it is all about “…the Air Force and Marines are starting look to the Pacific and preparations for the Near Peer fight…”:
The following USMC videos, recorded (between 10-29APR2023) by Corporal Dean Gurule and Lance Corporal Juan Torres, have been edited by me.
“Rotors comin’ in!”:
Mountain Home AFB F-15E Strike Eagle:
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Juan Torres, 26APR2023.
Machine guns & mortars:
Idaho National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Joseph Morgan, 25APR2023.
Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing/190th Fighter Squadron’s A-10C Thunderbolt-2 (remember, the ‘woke’ USAF has been trying to get rid of this awesome aircraft):
The first combat use of the F-15 Eagle was by Israel in 1979, followed by Saudi Arabia in 1984. First combat use of the F-15 by the U.S. Air Force was during Operation Desert Storm, in 1991.
Five months before Desert Storm, the build-up was called Desert Shield. These F-15C Eagles are patrolling the sky over Saudi Arabian oil operations. U.S. Air Force/33rd Tactical Fighter Wing photo.
Desert Shield: 02AUG1990 to 16JAN1991
Somewhere in Saudi Arabia, a 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (out of Virginia) F-15D Eagle waits for a mission during Desert Storm, 23JAN1991. Notice the Patriot missile batteries in the background.
F-15E Strike Eagles waiting for another mission during the last weeks of Desert Storm, 01FEB1991. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Robert Jackson.
A Kuwaiti A-4KU Skyhawk and a USAF 1st Tactical Fighter Wing F-15C Eagle about to take off from an airfield in Saudi Arabia, during the last weeks of Desert Storm, 02FEB1991.
Desert Storm: 17JAN1991 to 28FEB1991
Notice the kill marking on this 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-15C. The USAF info says this photo was made during Desert Storm, yet the official date of the photo is December 1991! Photo by Technical Sergeant Fernando Serna.
An F-15C Eagle over the desert during the cease-fire between coalition and Iraqi forces, March 1991. USAF photo.
The USAF info that came with this photo is highly dubious. 1st, it states the photo was made in May 1992, more than a year after Desert Storm, yet claims this F-15C is being prepped for a mission during Desert Storm. 2nd, as you will see in the photo below, this Gulf Spirit does not have the kill markings that were applied after Desert Storm. Possibly this photo was made during Desert Storm, but not released until May 1992? Photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam.
Kill markings on a F-15C Eagle named Gulf Spirit. The Gulf Spirit had just returned to the U.S. from Desert Storm, May 1991. USAF photo by Don S. Montgomery.
USAF photo by Don S. Montgomery.
After Desert Storm, France, the United States, and United Kingdom, imposed a ‘no fly zone’ over Iraq. This Operation Southern Watch would last more than a decade, and help the U.S./NATO invade Iraq in 2003. Even though the invasion was rationalized by the claim of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which would later be proven false, the invasion of Iraq was dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom (a major clue that it was not about WMDs). This was followed by Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014, supposedly to fight religious extremism that had taken over Iraq as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Even though Operation Inherent Resolve was declared a success in Iraq, in 2019, U.S./NATO forces continue to operate in Iraq. This means the taxpayers of U.S./NATO have been funding direct military involvement in Iraqi affairs for more than three decades, and the result the leaders of the so called free world promised has yet to materialize.
For many decades after Desert Storm was declared finished, Eagles would continue to patrol over, and even bomb, Iraq. The relatively new F-15E Strike Eagle somewhere in Saudi Arabia, 20MAY1992. USAF photo.
Southern Watch: 27AUG1992 to 19MAR2003
An F-15C Eagle, normally based in NATO Germany, takes off from Incirlik Air Base in NATO Turkey, for a no-fly-zone mission over Northern Iraq, under the guise of protecting Kurds. USAF photo by Senior Airman Gudrun Cook, May 1995.
Two F-15C Eagles patrol the no fly zone over Southern Iraq, in support of Operation Southern Watch, 14JAN2002. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Jack Braden.
Iraqi Freedom: 20MAR2003 to 15DEC2011
A Washington based KC-135 refuels an Idaho based ‘Bold Tiger’ F-15E for its deployment to Iraq during the first months of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 29DEC2003. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Suzanne M. Jenkins.
A ‘Bold Tiger’ F-15E Strike Eagle (from Mountain Home, Idaho) was one of many Eagles deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Suzanne M. Jenkins, 29DEC2003.
Inherent Resolve: 15JUN2014 to present day
On 23SEP2014, F-15E Strike Eagles used Iraqi airspace to conduct a dawn airstrike on Syria. USAF photo by Senior Airman Matthew Bruch.
USAF video report by Senior Airman Daniel Asselta, explaining the rational behind deploying F-15s to NATO Turkey to bomb Iraq and Syria, November 2015:
Video by Staff Sergeant Michelle Di Ciolli, of fully armed Idaho based ‘Bold Tiger’ F-15Es, getting refueled over Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve, 17MAR2016:
An F-15E Strike Eagle somewhere over Iraq 06SEP2017. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Trevor T. McBride.
Night vision video, by Senior Airman Nathaniel Stout, of KC-10 Extender refueling F-15E Strike Eagles over Iraq, December 2017:
An F-15E Strike Eagle gets refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker, somewhere over Iraq, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, 05OCT2018. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Keith James.
On Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, a USAF F-15E gets ‘bombed-up’ with GBU-31 bombs, for an air strike on the Salah ad Din Province of Iraq, 10SEP2019. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Chris Thornbury.
Yet again, another F-15E Strike Eagle gets refueled over Iraq, and even The Pandemic has no affect on military operations. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Taylor Harrison, 09FEB2021.
F-15A number one rolled out of the Saint Louis, Missouri, factory. Notice it does not yet have the DayGlo orange paint applied. McDonnell-Douglas photo, 26JUN1972.
McDonnell-Douglas F-15A number one gets packed aboard a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy, for its trip to Edwards Air Force Base, California.
McDonnell-Douglas photo of the first flight of F-15 number one, 27JUL1972. DayGlo paint not yet applied. Notice the shape of the wings and stabilators.
The first F-15A, #71-280, unveiled publicly after its first flight, July 1972, it now has the DayGlo paint applied. It was never called the YF-15 as several interweb sites say. From the beginning it was F-15 Eagle.
USAF promotional video, by Airman First Class Moses Taylor:
71-280 F-15A number one is now serving museum duty on Lackland AFB, Texas. However, it is painted to represent a different F-15.
This B-52 is carrying a 3/8th-scale F-15A drone, back then called a Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle (RPRV), 23OCT1973. This was done to test the possibility of stall-spins, before the real F-15A Eagles began their test flights.
The 12 contractor F-15As were used in Category I pre-production T&E, the eight USAF F-15As were used in Category IIpre-production T&E. They were never officially designated as prototypes or even called YF-15 (as some online sites say), they were officially called McAir F-1 (for the F-15A single seaters) and McAir F-2 (for the TF-15 two seaters). The Category I phase was later re-named Contractor Development, Test & Evaluation, the Category II phase was renamed Air Force Development, Test & Evaluation.
Installing a F-15 style intake on a J85 nacelle. NASA photo, 1975.
Photo via Edwards AFB photo shop. NASA’s F-15A 71-287 in 1976, testing the FMD version of Pratt & Whitney’s F-100. 287 would go on to test the HIDEC system, in the early 1990s.
I took this photo with a crappy little fixed focus 110 camera, in 1977.
This photo shows a T&E Eagle (possibly number one) with the straight edged stabilators. McDonnell-Douglas photo.
This photo shows the smaller speed/dive brake of pre-production aircraft F-15A number five (71-284). It was apparently the first F-15 to get the 20mm Vulcan gun, obviously not at the time this photo was made (due to lack of gun port). McDonnell-Douglas photo.
The pre-production T&E Eagles can be distinguished from later production Eagles by the shape of the wing tips, the shape of the elevators (officially called ‘snag stabilators’) and the size of the speed/dive brake. T&E F-15As had squared-off wing tips, stabilators that did not have a ‘dog tooth’, and had a smaller more rectangular speed/dive brake. However, several T&E F-15 Eagles were quickly updated with the snag stabilators, yet retained the original wing tips and small speed brake.
This photo shows one of the T&E Eagles updated with the snaggle toothed stabilators. USAF photo via the Edwards AFB photo shop, I got it in the mid-’70s but exact date it was made is unknown.
One of the T&E F-15s transferred to NASA, with original configuration wing tips and stabilators.
For kit builders, the first issue 1:72 scale Hasegawa, Revell U.S.A. and Monogram kits were based on the Category I McAir F-1 Eagles.
They were quickly revised once the final changes were established for the production F-15s.
The same T&E F-15, with the squared-off wing tips, but it has been updated with the dog-tooth elevators. NASA photo, 24FEB1978.
Development of the F-15A actually started in the late 1960s, it was designed as a pure dog-fighter, intended to replace the F-4 Phantom-2 in that role. The design was based on U.S. air combat experience over Viet Nam, and on incorrect assumptions about Soviet fighter development, especially the MiG-25 Foxbat.
The defected MiG 25P. This is the photo that inspired the artwork on Minicraft/Hasegawa’s black bordered box issue of their MiG 25 kit, in the late-1970s.
Before the defection of a Soviet pilot in a MiG-25P, to Japan in 1976, the ‘experts’ in the U.S. Department of Defense thought the Foxbat was a dog-fighter. The MiG-25 was actually a straight line Mach 3 bomber interceptor, it carried four long range anti-bomber missiles, and had no guns. Fortunately, the incorrect assumptions resulted in a still potent modern day dog-fighter (proven by the Israeli Air Force) that has also proved it excels at other forms of aerial combat.
TF-15A #71-290. Photo via the Edwards AFB photo shop. 290’s final mission would be as the NF-15B ACTIVE in the late 1990s.
I got this photo from the Edwards AFB photo shop in the mid-1970s. It is TF-15A/F-15B 71-291, which would go on to become the ‘demonstrator’ (mock-up) of the F-15E concept.
71-291 all gussied-up for the Bicentennial in July 1976, and flying over its birthplace of Saint Louis, Missouri. McDonnell-Douglas photo by Pat McManus.
Also in 1972, a combat capable trainer version was created called the TF-15A, but it was soon re-designated F-15B. The improved F-15C single seater, and the improved F-15D two seater, were created in 1979. Visually they all look the same as the improvements are internal.
Bare metal Streak Eagle, named because it was naked, not fast. In the 1970s there was a fad called streaking, which meant you got naked and ran as fast as you could through a public gathering. The insignia on the vertical tail was removed for the high speed runs.
Between 16JAN1975 and 01FEB1975, a bare metal F-15A nicknamed Streak Eagle, broke eight time-to-climb world records. It was then donated to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, in 1980, where it was painted to protect from corrosion:
The F-15 is used by Israel, Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States.
The second F-15A Eagle (71-0281) was turned over to NASA in February 1976. It was used in no less than 25 experiments which not only benefitted the USAF and NASA, but also the civilian airliner industry.
NASA F-15A #281 over the Mojave Desert, California, 03MAR1978.
This NASA F-15A Eagle was used to compare actual in-flight aerodynamic data to data collected from models in wind tunnels, 17MAY1978.
This is a NASA image showing what their proposed F-15-2D/STOL/MTD would look like, using NASA’s F-15B Eagle. The project would morph into the NF-15B ACTIVE program in the late 1990s.
Somewhere over NATO Norway, the Sun is setting on an F-4E Phantom-2, while its replacement, an F-15B Eagle flies in formation. USAF photo by Master Sergeant Edward Condon, 08MAR1982.
Potential satellite killer. An F-15 armed with the ASAT missile, sometime in 1983. USAF photo.
On Bitburg AFB, West Germany, an F-15D Eagle blows off steam, at full throttle in a ‘Baker Sound Suppressor Unit’. USAF photo by Jose Lopez Junior, November 1984.
An F-15A Eagle gets armed with an AIM-9 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missile, while taking part in wargames over Australia, 01OCT1985. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Marvin D. Lynchard.
An F-15B Eagle taxis past the then new air traffic control tower on Edwards AFB, sometime in the mid 1980s (1987?).
A pole dancing F-15C Eagle? It is mounted upside down on a pedestal at the Rome Air Development Center’s (aka USAF Super Lab) Newport, New York, test site. An external radar warning system pod mounted on the fuselage is being compared to the onboard radar warning system, 06OCT1988.
The ground attack F-15E Strike Eagle began service in 1989, however, the first production F-15E (86-183) came off the assembly line in 1986.
86-183, the first production F-15E.
At first it was just called the F-15E Dual Role Fighter, no Strike Eagle. They stenciled on the nose F-15E No. 1, to be clear that it is the first F-15E.
F-15E Strike Eagles, and a F-15C Eagle, are flanked by F-16s as they fly over burning oil wells, during Desert Storm in early 1991.
Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).
NASA’s HIDEC (Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control) F-15A (NASA #835, USAF #71-287), Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, California, February 1993.
A 53rd Fighter Squadron F-15C Eagle returns to Aviano Air Base, Italy, after a No-Fly-Zone mission over Bosnia-Herzegovina. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant David Mcleod, 12APR1993.
A 10% scale wind tunnel model of the F-15E Strike Eagle, used to test the viability of ‘pneumatic forebody controls’, September 1994.
Size comparison between USAF F-15C Eagle & E Strike Eagle, and a Slovak MiG-29 Fulcrum. According to the USAF, this was the first time F-15 Eagles and MiG-29s flew together. Photo by Technical Sergeant Brad Fallin, 25MAY1996.
USAF video, by Staff Sergeant Esteban Esquivel, of Israeli F-15I Ra’am operations on Uvda Air Base, Israel, May 2017:
A Ukrainian flag behind the windshield of a California Air National Guard (CANG) F-15D Eagle, 26OCT2017. A Ukrainian General is in the front seat while a CANG Lieutenant Colonel is in the back seat, it was a flight promoting the military partnership of California and Ukraine. CANG photo by Senior Master Sergeant Chris Drudge.
Somewhere in the Middle East (South West Asia), September 2017 USAF video report about F-15E Strike Eagle operations against so-called Islamic State:
California Air National Guard (CANG) video, by Staff Sergeant Christian Jadot, of historical moment when for the first time California’s 144th Fighter Wing lands their F-15C & D Eagles on Starokostiantyniv Air Base, Ukraine, 06OCT2018 (it should be noted that it was not the first time for California to send aircraft to Ukraine, in 2011 the CANG sent F-16 Falcons):
On 04MAY2021, U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, based on the United Kingdom, conducted an “Independence Flyover” of the tiny NATO country of Latvia. Short video of F-15E getting refueled enroute to Latvia by Technical Sergeant Emerson Nuñez:
USAF video, by Staff Sergeant Danielle Sukhlall, of Japanese F-15J Eagles operating from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, 07JUN2021:
A November 2021 USAF promo video, by Staff Sergeant River Bruce, states the F-15 series of aircraft has a long way to go before retirement:
In January 2022, at least six F-15E Strike Eagles (from Seymour Johnson Air Base, North Carolina) were deployed to NATO Belgium, for so-called air policing missions against Russia. Video via NATO:
February 2022:
Ämari Air Base, Estonia, U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Megan M. Beatty, 01FEB2022.
Idaho’s Thunderbolts and Bold Tigers routinely take part in Checkered Flag training over Florida: “They’re able to put together a bigger airspace for us than is available in the Nellis Test and Training Range, which means you can bring together more effectively much larger numbers of aircraft.”-Lieutenant Colonel Mark Nyberg, 389th Fighter Squadron ‘Thunderbolts’, November 2017
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Tiffany Price.
Checkered Flag is a wargame meant to ensure that U.S. Air Force and various state Air National Guard units can work together using the latest aircraft technology.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Tiffany Price, 06NOV2020.
In the above photo, from Checkered Flag 21-1 (November 2020), an Idaho Thunderbolts F-15E is in the background, a California National Guard F-15C is in the foreground.
Video by Senior Airman Jacob Dastas, Idaho Thunderbolts at Checkered Flag 21-1:
Idaho’s Thunderbolts and Bold Tigers represent two different squadrons within the same wing based at Mountain Home Air Force Base (366th Fighter Wing, aka Gunfighters due to strapping 20mm Vulcan gun-pods to the bellies of their F-4Cs in Viet Nam).
USAF photo by Airman First Class Isaiah J. Soliz, 06NOV2017.
Thunderbolts at Checkered Flag 18-1, November 2017.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz, 16DEC2016.
The 391st Fighter Squadron (Bold Tigers) uses a tiger striped orange fin flash, while the 389th Fighter Squadron (originally flying P-47D Thunderbolts in World War Two) uses a maroon/red fin flash with a yellow lightning bolt.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz
Thunderbolts in the skies over Florida, 12DEC2016.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz
Thunderbolt touch-down during Checkered Flag 17-1, 12DEC2016.
Video by Staff Sergeant William Jackson, Bold Tigers at Checkered Flag 17-1:
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak.
Republic of Singapore’s F-15SG Strike Eagles of the 428th Fighter Squadron ‘Buccaneers’ are based on Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), in Southern Idaho. But at the beginning of March 2021, they attacked the air space over Las Vegas, Nevada!
USAF photo by William R. Lewis, 18MAR2021.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak, 16MAR2021.
It’s part of Red Flag 21-2 wargame, over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis AFB.
USAF photo by William R. Lewis, 18MAR2021.
U.S. Air Force video by Senior Airman JaNae Capuno, F-15SG Buccaneer during Red Flag 21-2, 15MAR2021:
USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak.
Not all of Singapore’s Idaho Buccaneers have fancy painted tails, this one was seen over Mountain Home AFB, 01MAR2021. I also noticed that the F-15SG has similar antennae and ECM bumps as the new F-15EX.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Natalie Rubenak, 08MAR2021.
Red Flag 21-2 runs from March 8th through March 19th, 2021.
In March 2022, Idaho’s Gov’na, Brad Little, poses with Singapore’s Buccaneers. U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins, 21MAR2022.
In December 2021, the Buccaneers flew from Idaho to Florida, to take part in the Weapons System Evaluation Program. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Betty R. Chevalier, 08DEC2021.
The Buccaneers take part in Red Flag, in Nevada, March 2021. USAF photo by Senior Airman JaNae Capuno.
Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), Idaho, is home to F-15SG Buccaneers (428th Fighter Squadron Republic of Singapore) and F-15E Gunfighters (U.S. Air Force 366th Fighter Wing). They fly their own colorfully painted ‘flagships’. The tiny Republic of Singaporeis part of the British empire’s Commonwealth of Nations.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Andrew Kobialka, 15MAY2020.
Buccaneers F-15SG flagship flying alongside an F-15E from a different squadron (Bold Tigers) of the same Fighter Wing, and Idaho National Guard A-10Cs, as part of CoViD-19 morale booster operations 15MAY2020. The Buccaneers are flown by the The Republic of Singapore Air Force, but are based at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
Idaho Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Becky Vanshur, 15MAY2020.
About to deploy from Idaho to Utah, for Combat Hammer. USAF photo by Airman First Class Jeremy D. Wolff, 02MAY2017.
Combat Hammer, 2017.
USAF photo by Senior Airman Jeremy L. Mosier, 02MAY2017.
Official USAF video report about Combat Hammer, Singapore bombs Utah:
USAF photo by Senior Airman Connor J. Marth, 27FEB2017.
Over Mountain Home AFB, February 2017.
USAF photo by Airman Alaysia Berry, 08APR2016.
Buccaneers bomb crew getting instructions at the start of weapons loading competition at Mountain Home AFB, April 2016.
Singaporean F-15SG crews competed against USAF F-15E crews for best weapons loading, on Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. USAF photo by Airman First Class Chester Mientkiewicz, 08APR2016.
USAF photo by Senior Airman James Hensley, 19NOV2015.
Landing at Luke AFB, Arizona, for exercise Forging Saber, November 2015.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Thomas Spangler, 11JUL2014.
Red Flag Nevada, July 2014.
Video, Red Flag Nevada night take-off, afterburners:
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jim Araos, 09OCT2012.
Idaho’s, I mean Singapore’s Buccaneers taking part in Red Flag Alaska, October 2012.
USAF photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton, 16OCT2012.
Only one of the F-15SGs has fancy paint on its tails, the others are plain.
The Republic of Singapore began flying F-15SG Strike Eagles at Mountain Home AFB in 2009. The U.S. Air Force re-activated the 428th Fighter Squadron specifically for the RSAF (as part of the Peace Carvin V program). The 428th Fighter Squadron (FS) is officially part of the 366th Fighter Wing (FW).
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jeremy L. Mosier, 12JUN2019.
‘Flagship’ F-15E Strike Eagle of the 366th FW, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
Video, 2019 ‘elephant walk’ at Mountain Home AFB:
USAF photo by Todd Cromar, 15AUG2018.
Taking part in Combat Hammer at Hill AFB, Utah, 15AUG2018.
USAF photo by Airman First Class JaNae Capuno, 22MAY2018.
Gunfighter flagship over Mountain Home AFB, 22MAY2018.
USAF photo by Airman First Class JaNae Capuno, 23MAY2018.
The 366th FW ‘Gunfighters’ (represented by the 20mm Vulcan-gun carrying Spook) includes 389th FS ‘Thunderbolts’ (represented by the lightening bolt), 391st FS ‘Bold Tigers’ (represented by the orange field with black tiger stripes [like Idaho State University’s colors]) and 428th FS ‘Buccaneers’.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz, 13DEC2016.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Javier Cruz, 13DEC2016.
A 391st Fighter Squadron Bold Tigers F-15E Strike Eagle over Saylor Creek bombing range, near Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. USAF photo by Master Sergeant Kevin Wallace, 16OCT2013.
“This heritage project is about the 48th Fighter Wing legacy, and more specifically the wing’s support to the D-Day invasion during World War Two.”-Colonel Will Marshall, 48th Fighter Wing commander
In January 2019, the 48th Fighter Wing unveiled their new D-Day invasion stripe paint job on their F-15E Strike Eagles.
U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 19APR2019.
In April 2019, a third D-Day Eagle was revealed at the British empire’s Royal Air Force base Lakenheath, England.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 19APR2019.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 19APR2019.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 19APR2019.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 11APR2019.
The D-Day paint jobs were applied to a single seat F-15C and two two seat F-15Es.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew Plew, 10APR2019.
U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sergeant Eric Burks, 26APR2019.
USAF photo by Master Sergeant Eric Burks, 26APR2019.
The invasion striped Strike Eagles took to the sky over United Kingdom.
100th Air Refueling Wing tops-up two F-15E D-Day Eagles, 09JUN2019.
“It can get very taxing. It’s physical work, and you have to battle the elements … but it’s worth it. When I see the plane takeoff I think, ‘I made that possible.’”-Technical Sergeant Terrance Reese
F-15E Strike Eagles belonging to Idaho’s Mountain Home Air Force Base have been spotted in Southwest Asia (Middle East).
The 391st Fight Squadron ‘Bold Tigers’ consists of about 180 personnel operating or maintaining more than 20 aircraft. The pics in this article were taken 04-05JAN2019, at an undisclosed location in the Middle East.
In reality the majority of USAF personnel do not fly aircraft (less than 4% of Airmen are pilots), the hi-tech hi-dollar airborne weapons require a massive amount of ground support personnel to support. This is contrary to what we were told during the Cold War, the Air Force bean counters always claimed that hi-tech would reduce the need for humans: “It’s a constant double and triple checking. There are so many moving parts, and if you don’t take your time it’s easy to miss something. We have to be 100% positive the plane is mission capable.”-Senior Airman Griffin Langiano, F-15 crew chief
Between April and now the U.S. Trump regime has spent a lot of time meeting with Israeli leaders, even conducting joint military exercises. Why?
Israeli Major General Yaacov Barak lays a wreath at the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Virginia, 09 JUN 2017.
Meeting of U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley meets Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman, at the King David Hotel in Al-Quds (The Holy One) -Jerusalem, 09 JUN 2017:
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley visits the Gaza border region, 08 JUN 2017.
Trump/Netanyahu press conference, 22 MAY 2017:
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, USMC General Joseph F. Dunford arrives in Israel, 08 MAY 2017:
USMC General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. receives an award for “the defense of the State of Israel” at IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, 09 MAY 2017.
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) in Haifa, Israel, 09 MAY 2017.
USAF & IDF F-15E Strike Eagles at Uvda Air Base, Israel, 07 MAY 2017, taking part in joint war-games that were first begun under the Obama regime in 2011:
U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Israel’s Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman, 21 APR 2017.
Notice how the cover art on this ‘Bible of Israel’ has the country of Israel looking like a knife, or bayonet.
29 October 2016 (03:54 UTC-07 Tango 01) 08 Aban 1395/27 Muharram 1438/29 Wu Zu 4714
It’s been revealed that F-15E Strike Eagles based at Mountain Home Air Force Base, in Idaho, recently deployed to an undisclosed location in the Middle East (aka Southwest Asia).
IDAHO’S TACP/JTACs TRAIN WITH INFANTRY WEAPONS!
In January 2019, the 48th Fighter Wing unveiled their new D-Day invasion stripe paint job on their F-15E Strike Eagles.
