Hot Pit

Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here May 1. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

Hot Pit

Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here May 1. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

Hot Pit

Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here May 1. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

Hot Pit

Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here May 1. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

March UTA

Three Raptors land at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska March 9. The Raptors were flown by Reserve pilots assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron during the 477th Fighter Groups monthly training weekend. During the week the 477th Fighter Group, Alaska's only Reserve unit, integrates with the active duty 3rd Wing. (U.S. Air Force Reserve/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

March UTA

An F-22 takes off from Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska March 9. The F-22 is being flown by a Reserve pilot assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron which falls under the 477th Fighter Group. The Reserve pilots and maintainers integrate with the active duty 3rd Wing during the week but have the opportunity to train together as a Reserve unit during the monthly Unit Training Assembly weekend. (U.S. Air Force Reserve/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

F-22 Engine Run Certification

F-22 maintenance personnel from the active duty 3rd Wing and the Reserve 477th Fighter Group completed a week of training and were certified to perform F-22 maintenance engine runs here Feb.1. Throughout the week the students covered all of the aircraft systems and sub-systems related to engine operation. Each of the students were certified after demonstrating their ability to safely perform aircraft engine runs through all power settings to include full afterburner. (U.S. Air Force Reserve Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

F-22 Engine Run Certification

F-22 maintenance personnel from the active duty 3rd Wing and the Reserve 477th Fighter Group completed a week of training and were certified to perform F-22 maintenance engine runs here Feb.1. Throughout the week the students covered all of the aircraft systems and sub-systems related to engine operation. Each of the students were certified after demonstrating their ability to safely perform aircraft engine runs through all power settings to include full afterburner. (U.S. Air Force Reserve Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

F-22 Engine Run Certification

Senior Airman Jennifer Dunham, 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron F-22 crew chief, prepares to be evaluated on her first F-22 engine run. Dunham was one of three students that had attended a week long training course to become certified to perform safe engine runs on the F-22. Maintenance personnel routinely perform operational checks of all the aircraft systems, such as hydraulics or avionics, after performing maintenance on the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force Reserve Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

F--22 refuel

An F-22 assigned to the 3rd Wing receives gas from a KC-135 assigned to Iowa’s Air National Guard, 185th Air Refueling Wing. The KC-135 crew from Sioux City, Iowa spent a week in Alaska refueling active duty and Reserve F-22 pilots assigned to the 3rd Wing and 477th Fighter Group. In-flight refueling enables the Raptor pilots to fly longer sorties and farther distances. (U.S. Air Force Reserve/Capt. Ashley Conner)

Alaska Raptors hot pit

Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. (U.S. Air Force Reserve/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

JBER TSP

F-22 fighter jets from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson line up ready for flight. The F-22s, assigned to the 3rd Wing, are deployed to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam in support Pacific Air Forces Theater Security Package deployments. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

Refueling the Raptors

A pair of F-22 Raptors assigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, trail behind a KC-135 Stratotanker from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., during an air refueling mission Aug. 24, 2012. The Stratotanker was manned by an aircrew made up of Reservists from the 931st Air Refueling Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ray Lewis)

First F-22 SDB Employment

Airmen from the 477th Fighter Group and the 3rd Wing work together to load small diameter bombs onto the F-22’s during Combat Hammer Aug. 4-10. This was the first time that SDB’s have been employed by an operational F-22 unit. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

First F-22 SDB Employment

Staff Sgt. Brandon Vice, 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew member, guides a GBU-39 small diameter bomb into the main weapons bay of an F-22 during Combat Hammer. Combat Hammer is a weapons system evaluation program sponsored by the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron, which provides an opportunity for an operational unit to employ them in a realistic tactical training environment. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso)

2012 Arctic Thunder

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska. During Arctic Thunder Open House 2012, an F-22 from the 3rd Wing demonstrates its power and maneuverability. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Tech. Sgt Dana Rosso)

June UTA

Staff Sgt. Derrick Bell marshals an F-22 on the runway before conducting an end of runway inspection during the 477th Fighter Group Unit Training Assembly weekend here June 9. During an end of runway inspection the maintainers inspect the landing gear, hydraulic systems, weapons systems and all exterior panels and doors for leaks, loose or missing hardware or other damage that would be unsafe for flight. The UTAs are an opportunity for the pilots in the 302nd Fighter Squadron to conduct Reserve flying operations. During the week the Reserve pilots and maintainers integrate with their active duty counterparts in the 525th and 90th Fighter Squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ashley Conner)

chimichanga

F-22 Raptors assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron prepare to take off from Eielson AFB, Alaska April 4. The Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson were participating in OPERATION Chimichanga, a Long Range Strike Exercise over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Reserves resume F-22 flight operations

Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso, 477th Aircraft Maintenance squadron crew chief, prepares to launch an F-22 during the Reserve drill weekend Oct. 15. This is the first weekend that the 477th Fighter Group has conducted F-22 flight operations since a four month stand-down was lifted. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Capt. Ashley Conner)

Alaska Aviation Trade Show

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON Alaska--Airman 1st Class Christopher O'Brien, a Reserve Airman in the 477th Fighter Group, looks on as Reserve F-22 pilot Maj. Kevin Sutterfield prepares to fly the jet back to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson after the Alaska Aviation Trade Show this past weekend. Members of the Air Force Reserve's 477th Fighter Group took the jet to be a part of the show that included more than 275 vendors and was attended by more than 21,000 visitors. (Air Force Photo/Maj. Lisa Reaver)

Reservise pilot pulls double duty during Red Flag

F-22’s assigned to the 3rd Wing taxi to the main runway during Red Flag Alaska Aug. 18. Reserve and Active Duty pilots and maintainers assigned to the 477th Fighter Group and 3rd Wing, respectively, integrate in nearly all areas of F-22 operations. (U.S. Air Force/Capt. Ashley Conner)

Capt. Hill F-22 missing man

Lt. Col. Hubie Hegtvedt, 302nd Fighter Squadron commander a Reserve squadron under the 477th Fighter Group, along with Lt. Col. Chris Niemi, Maj. Leopold Lemelson, and Capt. Vaimana Conner, all from the 525th Fighter Squadron, fly an F-22 missing man formation over the memorial service for Capt. Jeffrey Hill in Anchorage August 4. Captain Hill was killed in a C-17 crash on Elmendorf AFB July 28. Two of the pilots in the formation flew American flags that will be presented to the wife and parents of Captain Hill. (Air Force Photo/Capt. Ashley Conner)

Reserve pilots and crew chiefs from the 477th Fighter Group and an active-duty pilot from the 525th Fighter Squadron pose for a commemorative photo prior to launch during the group?s first-flying Unit Training Assembly on July 11.

Reserve pilots and crew chiefs from the 477th Fighter Group and an active-duty pilot from the 525th Fighter Squadron pose for a commemorative photo prior to launch during the group's first-flying Unit Training Assembly on Saturday, July 11. July's UTA marked the first opportunity since the 477th FG's activation in October 2007 that its Reservists were able to support, maintain and fly the F-22A Raptors. (From Left to Right - Lt. Col. David 'Piff' Piffarerio, Staff Sgt. Andrew Eichorst, Lt. Col. John Hillyer, Tech. Sgt. Ernest Kunde, Lt. Col. Phil 'Axl' Rose, Tech. Sgt. Ben Waxenfelter, Capt Chesley 'Hawg' Smith (525th FS) and Staff Sgt. Derrick Ocasio.) (Air Force Photo / Maj. Cary McPartlin)

477th FG pilots fly Raptors to Guam

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – Reserve fighter pilot Maj. Chad “Motor” Feucht, 302nd Fighter Squadron, taxis the flightline before departing for Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, May 12. The fighter pilot, assigned to Air Force Reserve Command’s 477th Fighter Group, is flying the Air Force’s newest fighter to the Pacific Theater, marking the F-22’s fifth and sixth deployments in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrea Knudson)