Boise Skies Will Be Crowded This Week
This skies over the Treasure Valley will be filled with military aircraft as the A10s take on the F15s. No worries, it's part of a training exercise between the Idaho Air National Guard and the Air Force.
Beginning this week through July 27, the Idaho Air National Guard will host eight F-15C aircraft assigned to the 122nd Fighter Squadron from the Louisiana Air National Guard’s 159th Fighter Wing.
The jets are temporarily here to train with A-10s from the Idaho Air National Guard’s 190th Fighter Squadron. Operations will occur during normal daylight hours and in the air space and training ranges typically used by the Idaho Air National Guard.
“Training with our Air National Guard brothers and sisters who operate different fighter aircraft is vital to maintaining a combat ready force,” said Col. Tim Donnellan, commander of the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Wing. “These are the same Airmen we partner with in combat and training with them face to face is an invaluable opportunity. This will increase the combat readiness of our pilots while also providing critical training to our A-10 maintainers and mission support personnel as they work on and around the F-15C.”
This training will expose Idaho pilots to scenarios beyond their normal Close Air Support training, which consists primarily of engaging ground targets, by providing them with an opportunity to hone their air-to-air to combat skills.
“One of our biggest concerns when we host aircraft at Gowen Field is the impact it could have on our community,” Donnellan added. “With these additional jets, we anticipate that the flight line will be louder than normal. However, we are doing everything possible to mitigate the impact on our neighbors. If our community members have any concerns, we ask that they call us so we can address them directly.”