The US Air Force begins training F-22 Raptor student pilots in Virginia five years after Hurricane Michael destroyed Tyndall Air Force Base

The US Air Force began training student pilots to fly the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. This location was chosen after Hurricane Michael devastated Tyndall, Florida.

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Hurricane Michael is a powerful Category 5 Atlantic tropical storm. It hit Florida in October 2018. Water, mildew and winds of over 250 km/h caused permanent damage, forcing the US Air Force to destroy part of the base.

Pilots and support personnel relocated to Eglin Air Force Base, also in Florida. In 2021, the U.S. Air Force approved Langley-Justice as a permanent location for F-22 pilot training.

In March, the service began sending F-22 aircraft from Florida to Virginia. All personnel will arrive by September. In addition, two combat squadrons of fifth-generation fighters are stationed at Langley-Justice.

Source: Military Times