A pair of F-15 fighter jets from Barnes 104th Fighter Wing will participate in a rapid response exercise Wednesday over New York state. (File photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base is scheduled to conduct night training missions with F-15 aircraft beginning on March 11 through March 14. The aircraft will launch around 6:30 p.m. and are scheduled to land before 10:00 p.m. each night.
“We do not want to alarm the local residence who may be startled by the increase in military aircraft activity during the evening hours,” said Major Matthew T. Mutti, Wing Exec Staff Officer for the 104th Fighter Wing.
The evening missions are a critical part of required reoccurring training. The night-training ensures that pilots are ready to respond to any airborne threat in the Northeastern United States, at any time, in any conditions.
The unit concentrates its evening training missions during the winter months due to the prolonged hours of darkness, which maximizes training opportunities while decreasing the impact on the local area.
The F-15s stationed at Barnes Air National Guard base provide around-the-clock protection to the Northeastern United States through providing alert-response capabilities, to mitigate any airborne threat. A quarter of the nation’s population and third of the nation’s GDP is encompassed by the Fighter Wing’s area of responsibility.
