Operation Mountain Lion roars

An F-15E Strike Eagle soars over the mountains of Afghanistan in support of Operation Mountain Lion on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. The crew and fighter are deployed to the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in Southwest Asia from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Operation Mountain Lion roars

An F-15E Strike Eagle soars over the mountains of Afghanistan in support of Operation Mountain Lion on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. The crew and fighter are deployed to the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in Southwest Asia from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Up to the challenge

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) - (Left to right) Staff Sgt. Jason Larkins, and Senior Airmen Michael Gergets and Aaron Scott secure an AIM-9 missile to an F-15 Eagle during the load crew of the year event here in January. The event was part of the 1st Fighter Wing annual load competition and was the first one to include the F-22A Raptor. The 71st Fighter Squadron won the event. The Airmen are assigned to the 71st's aircraft maintenance unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Austin Knox)

Up to the challenge

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Staff Sgt. Jason Larkins loads ammunition into an F-15 Eagle during the load crew of the year event here in January. The event is part of the 1st Fighter Wing annual load competition and is the first one to include the F-22A Raptor. The 71st Fighter Squadron won the competition. Sergeant Larkins is assigned to the 71st's aircraft maintenance unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Austin Knox)

Taking flight

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- F-15s await to launch for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in anticipation of Hurricane Dennis July 8. The F-15s are assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. David Tomiyama)

The heights of heritage

OVER VIRGINA (AFPN) - An F-15 Eagle, F/A-22 Raptor and P-51 Mustang train for heritage flight formation flying here April 27. Maj. Michael Shower, piloting the F/A-22, is getting his checkout ride for the formation with P-51 Pilot Maj. Gen. Mike Decuir, the Air Combat Command operations director, and Capt. Jason Costello, a 1st Fighter Wing demonstration team pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker)

Birds of prey

OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN -- An F/A-22 Raptor, foreground, flies in formation with two F-15 Eagles en route to a training area off the coast of Virginia on April 5. The F/A-22 is assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron and the F-15s are assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, both at Langley Air Force Base, Va. The Raptor is on loan from Tyndall AFB, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker)

It's a 'Rap'

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- An F/A-22 Raptor (foreground) and an F-15 Eagle fly over Langley Air Force Base, Va., Jan. 7. It was the Raptor's final flight before landing at its new home here. The F/A-22 will be used as a training tool to keep 1st Fighter Wing maintainers proficient on the Raptor. The wing's 27th Fighter Squadron pilots will begin flying operational missions later this month when the second Raptor arrives. (Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Keith Reed)

Bases, aircraft prepare for Hurricane Ivan

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airmen from the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here complete final launch preparations at end of the runway early Sept. 14. About 34 F-15 Eagles assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing are being evacuated because of Hurricane Ivan. The aircraft will be temporarily stationed elsewhere until conditions at Eglin AFB are safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Robert Zoellner)

Bases, aircraft prepare for Hurricane Ivan

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Airmen from the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here complete final launch preparations at end of the runway early Sept. 14. About 34 F-15 Eagles assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing are being sent evacuated because of Hurricane Ivan. The aircraft will be temporarily stationed elsewhere until conditions at Eglin AFB are safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Robert Zoellner)

President Ronald Reagan's funeral procession

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFPN) -- F-15E Strike Eagle pilots from the 4th Fighter Wing here prepare to takeoff for Washington to perform a 21-ship flyover and a missing-man formation tribute for former President Ronald Reagan's funeral procession. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Angela Pope)

A tribute to President Reagan

OVER WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- A flight of F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., fly over former President Ronald Reagan's funeral procession down Constitution Avenue here June 9. President Reagan served as the military's commander-in-chief from 1981 to 1989. The pilots performed a 21-ship flyover and a missing-man formation tribute for the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi)

Strike Eagles leave

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Four F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing here taxi out Sept 16. They are being flown to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., in preparation from the arrival of Hurricane Isabel. (Courtesy photo)

An Eagle takes flight

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- An F-15 Eagle from the 60th Fighter Squadron takes off from here. Airmen and aircraft from the 33rd Fighter Wing participated in a joint combat-identification exercise in Gulfport, Miss. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bob Zoellner)

Fighter trio

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) -- From left to right, 1st Lt. Julie Ayres and Capts. Mary Melfi and Tally Parham walk down the flightline at a forward-deployed air base in the Middle East on May 3. The three officers are assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ayres and Melfi are F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officers deployed from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Parham is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from the 157th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron of the South Carolina Air National Guard at McEntire Air National Guard Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Derrick C. Goode)

Triple threat

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) -- From left to right, Capts. Tally Parham and Mary Melfi and 1st Lt. Julie Ayres walk down the flightline at a forward-deployed air base in the Middle East on May 3. The three officers are assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ayres and Melfi are F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officers deployed from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Parham is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from the 157th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from the South Carolina Air National Guard at McEntire Air National Guard Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Derrick C. Goode)

Jammer man

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Airman 1st Class Jonathan Grandberry, a weapons troop assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, drives a jammer loading GBU-10s on F-15E Strike Eagles at this forward deployed location in the Gulf region in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U. S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

Preening the Eagle

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Staff Sgt. Michael Mariner washes down an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 5 to reduce the dust and dirt on the aircraft. Mariner is a crew chief with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins)

F-15C silhouette

OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE -- An F-15C Eagle from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force, Va., is silhouetted against the horizon at sunrise while performing a combat air patrol mission along the East Coast of the United States in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Nearly as many Air Force active-duty, Guard and Reserves defend American skies in Operation Noble Eagle as are deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg L. Davis)

F-15E

FILE PHOTO -- An F-15E Strike Eagle from the 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Thomas Meneguin)