ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Elmendorf Air Force Base has been selected as one of two operational hubs for the F/A-22 Raptor, a new stealth fighter military officials said is superior to the current fleet of F-15s and F-117s.
The Raptors should begin arriving in Alaska within the next three to five years, following final environmental assessments, Lt. Gen. Howie Chandler, head of the Alaskan Command, said Wednesday. The first planes are going to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, which was the first base for F-15s, beginning at the end of this year through 2008.
"Everybody is excited about it," Chandler said. "These planes have a great capability."
Alaska is an ideal choice because of its strategic location globally, its vast training range, existing military infrastructure and long relationship with neighboring communities, officials said. Many of those elements have given Alaska an increasingly important role in national defense.
more...
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Mar-24-Thu-2005/news/26145779.html