Reserve part of history-making F-22 flight into Poland

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  • By Staff Reports
LASK AIR BASE, Poland --  An Air Force Reserve F-22 pilot was part of the history-making two-ship flight into Poland, Aug. 30.  The mission marked the first time America's premier air superiority fighter has landed in the former Warsaw Pact country.

The F-22s and approximately 20 supporting Airmen deployed with the 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Six of the Tyndall contingent are reservists assigned to the 44th Fighter Group, a classic associate unit.

The flight was joined by four F-16 Fighting Falcons and one C-130 Hercules.

This forward deployment of the Raptors is part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe and is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, which provides support to bolster the security of NATO Allies and partners in Europe while demonstrating commitment to regional and global security. The F-22s will remain at Łask for a brief period of time before returning to Spangdahlem to continue their training deployment. These aircraft are not part of Av-Det Rotation 15-4.

The F-22 deployments to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and Łasik prove that 5th generation fighters can deploy successfully to European bases and other NATO installations while also affording the chance for familiarization flight training within the European theater.

The reoccurring Av-Det rotations and this F-22 forward deployment are conducted in coordination with our Polish allies and are a demonstration of our continued commitment to the collective security of NATO and dedication to the enduring peace and stability of the region.

The F-16s are from the 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB. The 480th FS is participating in bilateral training with the Polish Air Force during Aviation Detachment Rotation 15-4 and will be joined by the 606th Air Control Squadron and additional F-16s from the 176th Fighter Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard, in early September. Approximately 370 Airmen from the three squadrons will be in Poland to support one of the largest Av-Det rotations to date. During the deployment, the F-16s will conduct training focused on maintaining joint readiness while building interoperability capabilities.

The C-130 aircraft is from the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

(Story localized from 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs news release)