The 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons are the only two Strike Eagle squadrons in the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces in Africa
Over time, a lot can happen at an airbase.
As explained by Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier, 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, in the article RAF Lakenheath celebrates 25 years of Strike Eagles, airmen come and go, deployment locations change, but one thing has remained constant at RAF Lakenheath over the last quarter-century: the combat airpower projected throughout Europe and Africa by the 48th Fighter Wing’s (FW) F-15E Strike Eagles.
The F-15E has been flying in East Anglia for 27 years, first touching down on the Liberty Wing’s (as the 48th FW is known) runway on February 21, 1992. In the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and Air Forces Africa, the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons are the only two Strike Eagle squadrons.
The 48th FW commander, Col. Evan Pettus, said the 25th anniversary is a significant milestone.
“This milestone is a reminder of the breadth and depth of the U.S. commitment to our partners and allies in NATO,” he said. “The Strike Eagle was our Air Force’s most modern machine when it landed at RAF Lakenheath 27 years ago, and it’s been upgraded continuously ever since. Today’s F-15E is far more lethal than ever before.”
The Strike Eagle squadrons have supported combat operations in Iraq, the Balkans, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Libya while stationed at RAF Lakenheath, and have engaged in exercises in more than 20 countries across the world.
“The F-15E will be with us for years to come, and it will continue to play a key role in ongoing combat operations,” Pettus said. “Soon, RAF Lakenheath’s F-15 units will be complemented by two squadrons of fifth-generation F-35s, making the Liberty Wing even more capable of delivering decisive airpower to our nation and its allies.”
Photo by U.S. Air Force
