The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing will conduct routine F-15 Eagle night training missions from December 11-14, 2023.
142nd Wing Commander Colonel Michael Kosderka says that these night time missions are necessary for pilot proficiency. “Night training for F-15 Eagles is crucial to ensure the readiness and effectiveness of the 142nd Wing in all conditions. Mastering nighttime operations enhances pilots’ skills, allowing them to navigate and engage in low-light scenarios, ultimately bolstering our national defense capabilities and maintaining air superiority.”
Night training allows the Citizen-Airmen pilots based at the Portland Air National Guard Base to stay current with mandatory Air Force requirements. Night flying is conducted as an essential training requirement for nighttime maneuvers. Training flights will be completed each evening before 10:45 p.m.
About the 142nd Wing:
The Portland Air National Guard Base employs around 1,400 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $130 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from Northern California to the Canadian border, as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequaled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.