Hawaii-Based F-22s Scrambled On FAA's Request But Nobody Will Say Why (Updated)
The alert mission was described as an "irregular patrol" with no indication of what prompted it.
By Tyler Rogoway June 14, 2021
The War Zone
Hawaiian Raptors Deploy to Central Command Area of Responsibility
A pair of F-22 Raptors were launched on an alert scramble out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Sunday at around 4:00 PM local time. A third F-22 joined the mission about an hour after pair's departure. A KC-135 was also launched to support the fighters. Hawaii News Now reports that the scramble, described as an "irregular patrol," was initiated at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration, which reported an 'incident,' although nobody is providing any clear information in regards to what that catalyst for the prolonged scramble mission was.
The 199th Fighter Squadron, a Hawaii Air National Guard unit that is part of the 154th Wing based at Hickam Air Force Base, provides the alert capability for the state, with at least two jets equipped with full armament and wing tanks are always on standby to scramble, along with at least one spare.
USAF
Scrambling on request of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is not uncommon. It happens for things like potential security situations aboard airliners or to provide eyes-on to stricken aircraft or even to investigate unidentified aircraft. You can hear just what this process is like in this past special feature of ours.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41089/hawaii-based-f-22s-scrambled-on-faas-request-but-nobody-will-say-why
