According to internal documents obtained by Air Force Times, beginning on Apr. 9, 2013, the U.S. Air Force will begin grounding front line combat units as a consequence of sequestration and the need to deal with budget cuts.
Seventeen squadrons belonging to the various U.S. Air Force commands are going to be affected by the stand down order.
The grounding is aimed to save the 44,000 flying hours (worth 591 million USD) through September.
The funded 241,496 flying hours will be distributed to those squadrons that will remain combat ready or are expected to keep a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” until the end of the Fiscal Year 2013.
Whilst some squadron will be immediately grounded, others will be forced down as soon as they come back from their overseas deployment. Among them, the 94th Fighter Squadron from Langley, whose F-22 Raptor stealth fighters currently deployed to Kadena, Okinawa and Osan airbase amid Korean Peninsula crisis, or 354th Fighter Squadron, 12 A-10C of which are currently returning to Davis Monthan after being deployed to Afghanistan.
Other grounded units include the Thunderbirds demo team, 555th Fighter Squadron from Aviano airbase, Italy; 77th Fighter Squadron from Shaw AFB, South Carolina; 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons from RAF Lakenheath, UK; 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB, Alaska; B-52 squadrons belonging to the 2nd Bomb Wing from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and 5th Bomb Wing from Minot AFB, North Dakota; as well as B-1 squadrons from both 2nd and 7th Bomb Wing from Dyess AFB, Texas.
Anyway, here’s the detailed list of involved squadrons by airframes prepared by Air Force Times.
F-22
94th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9
27th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September
3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September
15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
F-15 C/D
67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September
44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September
48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
F-15E
336th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9
335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September
48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9
391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9
F-16 C/D
8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September
77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9
55th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September
79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September
555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9
510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September
13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September
14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September
51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9
158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
4th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment
421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September
A-10C
75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September
51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
52nd Fighter Wing — Closing
442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9
HH-60G
18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
B-1B
7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
2nd Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9
B-2
509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September
B-52
2nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 9
5th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September
E-3B/C/G
2nd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September
18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September
552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September
SE-4B
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
EC-130H
55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through September
OC-135B
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
RC-135S
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
RC-135U
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September
RC-135V/W
55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September
TC-135W
55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through September
WC-135C/W
55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September
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