US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by pjotrtje »

eagleone wrote:The 493rd FS Reaper F-15C/D werden 2016/2017 nach Spangdahlem verlegt.
They'll probably feel right at home there. Will they be renumbered into the 53rd FS again? ;-)
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by nilsko »

Wow, that's great news! And indeed.. Renumber them to the 53rd and we have another Tiger squadron ;-)
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by michel N »

Is this confirmed, a rumour, or wishful thinking?

If confirmed, it's great news!

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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by nilsko »

Ah yes, in all my enthusiasm I do have the same question. Is it confirmed? Official sources (spangdahlem.af.mil et al) do not mention this yet..
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Arjan »

Another bit of speculation but I believe that the 53FS was also shut down because two of the Eagles shot down two Blackhawks in the Middle East and the USAF has the tendency to close down squadrons with bad reports.
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Gerard »

Well, in that case "32" would be a nice alternative :wink:
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Arjan »

Absolutely!
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Rene Peteri »

The 493rd FS Reaper F-15C/D werden 2016/2017 nach Spangdahlem verlegt.


Source??
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by aviodromefriend »

Gerard wrote:Well, in that case "32" would be a nice alternative :wink:
IIRC the 32nd has reformed somewhere near the Pacific as an ATC squadron. At least that was what was written in an Aircraft (Illustrated?) issue with a story about Soesterberg.
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Le Addeur noir »

Arjan wrote:Another bit of speculation but I believe that the 53FS was also shut down because two of the Eagles shot down two Blackhawks in the Middle East and the USAF has the tendency to close down squadrons with bad reports.
The Air Force had stated officially in the first half of 2014 that either Kadena or Lakenheath were to lose a F-15 squadron. Evidently prior to the Ukraine situation, and specifically the MH17 shootdown NATO were being briefed that the 493rd were being disbanded. Then the inside word was the 493rd had been given a 12 month reprieve.

This (if true) would go against this unit being re-located back to Spang, with what will be with then 30 plus year old airplanes.
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Starman »

It surely cannot have escaped everyones attention (and log books) that a number of LN Eagles started life as BTs, not a million miles from SP. Maggie and Ronnie, whatever their shortcomings, would not have allowed Vlad the Impaler to march thru 1/2 of Europe without a reasonable show of force: some B-52s in Marham (and what a shock that Kate Pierson would feel more "at home" at Greenham Common :cry: ) some 'Tooms in Ramstein, and Leeming, Eagles in Holland, A-7s in Belgium, Thunderbolts in Germany, that'd make him reconsider! But, the bean-counters now run the (free) world so lets hold hands and pick daisies and everything will be OK. 50 F-35As, my g-d, he must be weeping into his Vodka in the Kremlin!
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Nilson »

Buffy and /or Buff have alway's kept Vlad calm :-)!

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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by nilsko »

No feedback yet from the poster of the rumour of the move to Spangdahlem of the 493rd (eagleone ) So I guess we've been fed a troll ;-) I checked Flugzeugforum (as being a German forum) maybe they had some more info, but the thread deailing with the changes in USAFE didn't mention anything regarding this.. So I guess this is one for the wishful thoughts..
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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Canberra TT.18 »

nilsko wrote:No feedback yet from the poster of the rumour of the move to Spangdahlem of the 493rd (eagleone ) So I guess we've been fed a troll ;-) I checked Flugzeugforum (as being a German forum) maybe they had some more info, but the thread deailing with the changes in USAFE didn't mention anything regarding this.. So I guess this is one for the wishful thoughts..
I agree haven't seen the news/rumor anywhere, searched for it as well.

But...

F-15C/D's might go in a few year, they were planned to go this year I believe.
What will happen to the F-15E's?
LN will have 2 Sqn F-35's in 2020
A Super Eagle Sqn tot SP? (new rumor) or back to CONUS
The F-15E have some time left surrely until 2030.

Concerning the KC-135 things will change in the next 5-6 years.
Netherlands Poland and Norway buy 4 A.330MRTT (others might join), so less need for USAF KC-135's to be used by soem allies/countries
And USAF it self is replacing the KC-135 with more modern KC-46. So problably the number of USAF tankers based in Europe (Germany) will be much less then 15.

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Re: US: F-35s to Europe in 2020, Mildenhall closes

Post by Le Addeur noir »

Starman wrote:It surely cannot have escaped everyones attention (and log books) that a number of LN Eagles started life as BTs, not a million miles from SP. Maggie and Ronnie, whatever their shortcomings, would not have allowed Vlad the Impaler to march thru 1/2 of Europe without a reasonable show of force: some B-52s in Marham (and what a shock that Kate Pierson would feel more "at home" at Greenham Common :cry: ) some 'Tooms in Ramstein, and Leeming, Eagles in Holland, A-7s in Belgium, Thunderbolts in Germany, that'd make him reconsider! But, the bean-counters now run the (free) world so lets hold hands and pick daisies and everything will be OK. 50 F-35As, my g-d, he must be weeping into his Vodka in the Kremlin!
The announcement on here that the Russians are activation/re-activation 10 (or more) bases in the Artic and you may just get an idea on what way the balance of power in Europe is shifting.

Let's hope if/when the next war starts the weather is not too hot, or the F-35s won't work.
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