News Search

ArticleS

First IFF jet arrives at Laughlin

  • Published
  • By Kent Cummins
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AETCNS) --  Laughlin AFB turned another page in its history book Oct. 4, with the touchdown of the first "Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals" T-38C Talon from Moody AFB, Ga..

"It's a historical moment," said Col. Mike Minahan, 47th Flying Training Wing commander. "This jet marks the beginning of Laughlin's transition to our newly acquired Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals mission."

Over the next six to eight months, Laughlin will welcome about 30 T-38 and T-6 Texan II aircraft as the result of mission gains due to recent base realignment decisions. 

The T-38s will be used to fulfill the base's new eight-week IFF course, which will be up and running by the summer of 2007.  The course introduces pilots to air-to-air employment, air-to-surface attack and low-altitude navigation.

"The IFF course," said Col. Laro Clark, 47th Flying Training Wing vice commander, "enhances Laughlin's training by providing an introductory fighter training course that better prepares pilots to fly their follow-on fighters such as the F-16, F-15, A-10, and in the future F-22 [Raptor] and F-35 [Lightning II]."

More planes also mean more people and economic impact for the region.

Over the next several months, about 180 military and civilian personnel will start calling the Del Rio area home.  Including family members, it means about 400 new community members.  This translates to a more than $11 million dollar economic impact in just payroll and indirect jobs alone. 

Laughlin's total economic impact for fiscal 2005 in its Economic Impact Region was valued at $228 million.

Down the road, the new IFF mission will also require expanded instructional facilities, additional training airspace and access to a no-drop bombing range.