Summary
- Oregon Air National Guard to receive new $110 million hangar for F-15EX jets near Portland International Airport.
- F-15EX boasts modern technology for air defense and homeland security missions, outpacing older F-15Cs.
- Oregon Air National Guard also investing in high-tech training facility for Special Tactics Squadron, anticipating significant upgrades.
The Oregon Air National Guard will receive a new $110 million hangar to be constructed at the Portland Air National Guard Base next to Portland International Airport (PDX). The state air force will begin inducting its first of 18 F-15EX jets this summer as it phases out its aging F-15C fleet.
Portland to build new F-15 hangar
As reported by OPB, the Portland Air National Guard Base will develop a new $110 million hangar for its new F-15EX fleet. The National Guard base is located just south of Portland International Airport and currently houses a fleet of F-15C fighter jets. The Oregon Air National Guard will eventually operate a fleet of 18 F-15EX jets, which are due to start replacing its 17 F-15Cs, which are at least four decades old. The first new F-15EX is expected to arrive this month as part of a $1.7 billion procurement deal, while the older aircraft will be sent off to other air bases and likely broken down for parts.
Photo: VanderWolf Images | Shutterstock
The Oregon Air National Guard is also in the process of constructing a new training facility for the 125th Special Tactics Squadron, which is made up of around 100 elite service members performing special missions, such as rescue, reconnaissance, and precision strikes.
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This new facility will be equipped with several high-tech capabilities, including an air traffic control simulator. In fact, according to Lt. Col Scott Wilcox, commander of the 142nd Civil Engineering Squadron, up to $500 million could be invested in the Portland base over the next five years.
Significant technological upgrade
The F-15EX features a wide range of technological advancements from the older F-15C, making it one of the most effective multirole jets today. The fighter boasts extensive electronic warfare capabilities for the modern combat arena and can be equipped with a diverse array of weapon systems, highlighting its operational versatility. The F-15EXs stationed in Portland will primarily be responsible for air defense and homeland security missions.
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The Oregon Air National Guard’s F-15C aircraft still utilize outdated buttons and dials, which, according to Col. Mike Kosderka, a fighter pilot and the commander of the 142nd Wing, resemble an “8-track cassette” system. Kosderka commented,
“Our current airplanes have no jamming capability. We have no self-protection capability really. The newer airplanes have got all that stuff.”
In March, the first pilot from the 142nd Wing took control of an F-15EX during a training mission at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, as each fighter pilot accustomed to the F-15C will, of course, need to train to handle the advanced F-15EX. The Oregon Air National Guard is made up of around 1,400 service members.
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