An unknown number of F-22 stealth fighters were damaged after Hurricane Michael scored a direct hit on Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, FL:
BREAKING: F-22 stealth fighter jets left at Tyndall AFB Panama City, Fla likely damaged: “A number of aircraft were left behind in hangars due to maintenance or safety reasons, & all of those hangars are damaged. We anticipate the aircraft parked inside may be damaged as well."
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 12, 2018
Damaged F-22s could be seen in footage of the base:
So one F-22 airframe has been spotted in a roofless hangar at Tyndall. Check out the upper left portion of this photo. No idea if this is flying airframe or a ground trainer or what, but it doesn't look good. More on Tyndall AFB's sad state here: https://t.co/JikiO65eny pic.twitter.com/GlvQ6hnJP7
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) October 12, 2018
Many of the fighters were evacuated:
Note: ~50 F-22 stealth fighter jets flown off Tyndall Air Force Base earlier this week ahead of Hurricane Michael. Not immediately clear how many left behind for maintenance. Only roughly half of all F-22s can fly, according to Air Force stats
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 12, 2018
We can guess the condition of those that couldn’t evacuate:
JUST IN: Source tells me a number of F-22a were not evacuated from Tyndall Air Force Base because they were down for maintenance and couldn't fly. USAF says hangers were damaged but does not know condition of jets inside. Asked their condition, source says, "not good" #Michael
— Marcus Weisgerber (@MarcusReports) October 12, 2018
Each damaged fighter costs around $135 million:
The final batch of F-22s purchased in 2009 cost about $135 million each. In today's dollars, that's about $160 million. The F-22 is the only fully operational fifth-generation jet in the USAF inventory. It's production was capped at 187 planes
— Marcus Weisgerber (@MarcusReports) October 12, 2018
As for the base, it’s “not livable” in its current condition:
The general says 100 percent of Tyndall Air Force Base housing is not livable #Michael
— Marcus Weisgerber (@MarcusReports) October 12, 2018
And it’s described as “complete devastation”:
'Complete devastation' at Tyndall AFB after direct hit from Michael – ABC News – https://t.co/D5injI1FE5 via @ABC
— luis martinez (@LMartinezABC) October 12, 2018
Tyndall is “the only base where F-22 pilots are trained,” so this is an incredible loss:
The general raises an important point that Tyndall is the only base where F-22 pilots are trained. Says he used to live there in “Raptor Circle” #michael
— Marcus Weisgerber (@MarcusReports) October 12, 2018
The damage is being compared to Homestead AFB, which was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Homestead AFB never reopened:
Gen. Joseph Lengyel said he’s heard direct comparisons of damage sustained by Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida to the destruction of Homestead by Hurricane Andrew.
“[I]t's fundamentally an unusable airfield… housing is ripped up, water doesn't work."https://t.co/29rTBpBZVV
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) October 12, 2018
There is no estimate on when Tyndall may reopen:
PHOTOS: Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City sustained damage by #HurricaneMichael to every building, including hangars, and the Air Force doesn't know when it will reopen to personnel: https://t.co/eltIPZIhfa (Photos courtesy of AP) pic.twitter.com/tDegOf4b7f
— Spectrum News 13 (@MyNews13) October 12, 2018
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Related:
MIC DROP: Joe Bastardi shreds Bette Midler’s climate change ‘evidence’ after Hurricane Michael https://t.co/FGTtofr8VE
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 11, 2018
'Third-world country war zone': Florida assesses the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Michael https://t.co/3BI0R49xnb
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 11, 2018
THERE it is! Neil deGrasse Tyson assigns blame for ‘acts’ that helped spark Hurricane Michael (just guess) https://t.co/gjRYUg0B1M
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 10, 2018
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