Eglin test fighters fly together for first, last time

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — In the skies above Eglin Air Force Base and along the Emerald Coast, a 40th Flight Test Squadron aircrew flew a five-ship formation on Jan. 31. The formation wasn’t just any grouping of test aircraft; it represented for the first and last time all five fighters in the 96th Test Wing inventory.

Included were the F-15EX Eagle II, F-15E Strike Eagle,  F-15C Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

“This formation represents much more than just the aircraft in it,” said Lt. Col. Richard Turner, 40th FLTS commander.

“It shows the platforms we have and continue to test and modernize, but also shows the importance of the integration required between platforms.”

This was a unique opportunity to have all the aircraft in the same place at the same time.

The Eagle II only arrived in April 2021. The A-10, an Operational Test aircraft, here for three weeks of testing, stood in for the 40th FLTS Det 1’s aircraft.

The F-15C model, which is being replaced by the F-15EX, will exit the squadron’s inventory in the near future. With that in mind, the 40th FLTS operations personnel scheduled the flights with a unit flight photographer aboard to capture the moment.

“From a historical perspective, I think it’s a good image to capture the ‘changing of the guard’ in flight test from F-15C to F-15EX and the unique nature of test squadrons operating multiple aircraft,” said Col. Douglas Creviston, 96th Operations Group commander.

The history being made is that of fighter and weapon modernization across multiple aircraft.  That only happens at the 40th FLTS and the 53rd Wing’s 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron.

Each aircraft in the formation is part of some type of test to upgrade that weapons system. The A-10 is here for smart weapons integration testing.

The F-15 variants are each developing new enhancements to existing capabilities.

The F-16s are undergoing a major modernization with new hardware and software upgrades, while all platforms are vetting future weapons to be used on current fifth and future sixth-generation fighters.

“This formation represents the core platforms used in the Air Force for weapons development,” said Turner.

“Most of our weapons in the past and future have started their careers on these jets.  “In the future, we must go to war with robust integration between all the platforms to provide the right capability.”

By Samuel King Jr.