Update on the damaged F-22 stealth fighters at Tyndall Air Force Base

Good news. According to multiple reports, including Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, the damage to the F-22s that couldn’t evacuate from Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, FL ahead of Hurricane Michael is “less than we feared” and “promising”:

NEW: After visiting the devastated Tyndall AFB today Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson says in a statement tonight that while assessments are still going on the damage to the F-22's & other aircraft “was less than we feared and looks promising.”

— luis martinez (@LMartinezABC) October 15, 2018

UPDATE: an Air Force official tells me USAF assessed the damage at Tyndall today, including F-22s that weathered the storm. All aircraft are intact and initial indications are “promising.”

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) October 15, 2018

And Sec. Mattis added that the fighters appear “fixable”:

UPDATE: Mattis tells traveling press that @usairforce’s initial review of the jets left behind at Tyndall AFB shows they all “are fixable.” Won’t know for sure until he gets a final assessment but initial review was “more positive than I anticipated”

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) October 15, 2018

As we told you on Sunday and the president reiterated yesterday, the jets couldn’t fly out ahead of the storm due to maintenance issues:

"I don't like it. In fact, my first question is, "Why didn't they take them out?" That's because they were fixing. Nobody thought it was a big deal, and then all of a sudden, it started and then became a Category 4. It happened very quickly."

— Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) October 16, 2018

Unfortunately trailering the planes out was not an option either:

The F-22 is a very large plane – not easy to trailer. And there was not much warning – #Michael was initially supposed to be a tropical storm for Tyndall before it took a direct hit, the official says

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) October 15, 2018

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Related:

Tyndall AFB in Panama City 'not livable'; Unknown number of F-22 stealth fighters damaged https://t.co/k59giXfjOW

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 12, 2018