Tyndall Air Force Base a ‘Complete Loss’ Amid Questions About Stealth Fighters

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/us/air-force-hurricane-michael-damage.html.

Excerpt:

Sitting in the ruined airplane hangars of Tyndall Air Force Base, which was shredded on Wednesday when Hurricane Michael swept across the Florida Panhandle, may be some of the Air Force’s most advanced — and most expensive — stealth fighter jets.

Tyndall is home to 55 F-22 stealth fighters, which cost a dizzying $339 million each. Before the storm, the Air Force sent at least 33 of the fighters to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Air Force officials have not disclosed the whereabouts of the remaining 22 ....

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/us/air-force-hurricane-michael-damage.html.

Excerpt:

Sitting in the ruined airplane hangars of Tyndall Air Force Base, which was shredded on Wednesday when Hurricane Michael swept across the Florida Panhandle, may be some of the Air Force’s most advanced — and most expensive — stealth fighter jets.

Tyndall is home to 55 F-22 stealth fighters, which cost a dizzying $339 million each. Before the storm, the Air Force sent at least 33 of the fighters to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Air Force officials have not disclosed the whereabouts of the remaining 22 ....

Some were at Hill AFB, UT undergoing Depot Level Maintenance. Others were there at Tyndall in the big hangers undergoing heavy maintenance, aircraft wash and corrosion control and phase inspections.

Any one know what happened to AFRCC?  Did they relocate operations?  Or were they still able to maintain "normal" operations at Tyndall AFB?

AFRCC is up and running.

FL, GA, and ALWGs are jointly working the DR mission (we are supporting our brothers and sisters to the south), and tonight AFRCC swiftly activated GAWG to an aircraft in distress mission tonight (one sortie flown/mission closed). The AFRCC console numbers/POCs are up and operating and are staffed. Emergencies are their stock in trade.

The GAWG ICP will relo shortly because of a mid state TFR but we anticipate continuing to support ops to the south. Kudos to the crews and staff (from throughout SER) who have been working hard getting imagery out to our customers.

V/r
Spam

Message from 1st Air Force

MESSAGE FROM LT GEN R SCOTT WILLIAMS
TO ALL 1AF/AFNORTH/CONR PERSONNEL

As you know Team Tyndall has taken a devastating hit from Hurricane Michael and all of our missions have been affected. For decades First Air Force (1 AF) has been a tenant at Tyndall AFB, graciously hosted by the the 325th Fighter Wing (FW). With the catastrophic damage experienced at Tyndall, our Air Operations Center (AOC) is no longer functioning as the AFNORTH-CONR AOC, but instead has been transformed into the Tyndall Recovery Command and Control Center. We are now hosting the 325th FW, along with various recovery teams alongside our own contingent of 1 AF and 601 AOC staff.

Our AFNORTH and CONR missions have been relocated and are operating at an alternate location. Our AOC compound has sustained minor damages. Our 1 AF headquarters facility, the Killey Center, has roof damage that must be repaired. However, only a small portion of the Killey Center was damaged by water. It is unlikely that we will return our AFNORTH and CONR missions to Tyndall before 1 Jan 2019 though, instead we will consolidate AFNORTH and CONR missions at Langley AFB. We will do this with Augmentees from the 186th AOG, ACC, and other organizations.

We are working with the 325 FW to allow families to return and take care their personal belongings and their homes. It is currently unsafe for them to enter Tyndall AFB premises but we are moving as fast as possible to allow access. For the most up-to-date info, log into Tyndall’s website at www.tyndall.af.mil, as well as here on Facebook on the 601 AOC Hurricane Michael page. You can also check https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov for an aerial view of the damages.

While our operations must go uninterrupted, our top priority is to take care of all personnel assigned to 1 AF and their families in these very challenging times. Please make every effort to stay in contact with your teammates and their families, and help identify needs so we can meet them. You have a lot of questions, and we will communicate in every way possible so you can make plans. Thank you all for being great wingmen for each other. I am honored and humbled to serve with you supporting and defending our nation.

R. Scott Williams

I heard from an Individual who works at the Pentagon that the SECAF would be asked for her resignation due to the loss of the F 22s and her lack of support for Space Command.

I heard from an Individual who works at the Pentagon that the SECAF would be asked for her resignation due to the loss of the F 22s and her lack of support for Space Command.

People reading AF Times again.

While I get the idea that people in the chain are "responsible," its not like the SECAF can exactly control the mx flow of the F-22s at Tyndall.  If the bird can't fly, its not like you can take it out of the path of the hurricane.

"No, no, we got a one-time authorization from SECAF to fly these out.."

"But it doesn't have engines."

"Glider tow?"
Right.

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

Not as of now, but there will be

Any OPSEC compliant update on the loss of Cessna 182T N394CV?  Are all CAP Personnel accounted for at F95 Calhoun County, Florida?

How about one of our biggest customers, the AFRCC? Don't they work out of Tyndall?

Edit: Oops, I see earlier they are "up and running" but is everyone OK? Are they in some bunker or something?

Actually AFRCC is just a couple of offices in a pretty normal Air Force office building.
No bunker, no Get Smart telephone booth elevator. But the Army Corps of Engineers designs buildings that meet all of the building codes.

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

Not as of now, but there will be

Again there may be an alternate location.  Given the scope of pps down there more pressing things.  Simply because you don't know of one doesn't mean there isn't one. 

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

Not as of now, but there will be

Again there may be an alternate location.  Given the scope of pps down there more pressing things.  Simply because you don't know of one doesn't mean there isn't one.

I am saying there will be. Not that there won't

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

Not as of now, but there will be

Again there may be an alternate location.  Given the scope of pps down there more pressing things.  Simply because you don't know of one doesn't mean there isn't one.

I am saying there will be. Not that there won't

And I'm stating that has more than likely been thought of when the encampment was planned.  Simply because YOU are unaware of where it is at does not mean there isn't one.

I heard from an Individual who works at the Pentagon that the SECAF would be asked for her resignation due to the loss of the F 22s and her lack of support for Space Command.

People reading AF Times again.

While I get the idea that people in the chain are "responsible," its not like the SECAF can exactly control the mx flow of the F-22s at Tyndall.  If the bird can't fly, its not like you can take it out of the path of the hurricane.

"No, no, we got a one-time authorization from SECAF to fly these out.."

"But it doesn't have engines."

"Glider tow?"
Right.

 No, got this from a friend who works at the secretarial level at the Pentagon.


{ed. quote fix}

If any one planned to go to Florida Wing Encampment, it will probably be cancelled due to the location of the encampment.

There may be a backup location.

Not as of now, but there will be

http://flwg.us/calendar-events/encampment/winter_encampment.aspx
"HURRICANE MICHAEL/LOCATION CHANGE INFORMATION:
 DUE THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE MICHAEL TO THE TYNDALL AFB AREA THE USAF AND FLWG STAFF HAVE DETERMINED THAT WE WILL BE UNABLE TO HOLD OUR ENCAMPMENT AT THE SILVER FLAG SITE OUTSIDE OF TYNDALL AFB. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW LOCATION OF CAMP BLANDING FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD BASE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF JACKSONVILLE IN STARKE, FL."

I was informed during an SLS class a couple of weekends ago that AFRCC was temporarily relocated to an alternate site IVO Barksdale. Accurate?

Doesn't affect me in any way. But curious nonetheless.

I was informed during an SLS class a couple of weekends ago that AFRCC was temporarily relocated to an alternate site IVO Barksdale. Accurate?

Doesn't affect me in any way. But curious nonetheless.

I envision it's like the Alpha Site from Stargate SG-1. Quick evacuation through the big ring