Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Dan Heaton | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nea Barkell, 127th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,...... read more read more
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Aerospace propulsion technicians in the 127th Maintenance Group’s propulsion shop are preparing to make a big change.
The Airmen in the shop currently service and maintain the TF34-GE100 turbofan engines that power the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft that are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. On April 29, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the 127th Wing will transition to the F-15EX Eagle II after it's A-10 mission is divested. With the change will come a need for new training and new skills since the F-15EX is equipped with two F110-GE-129 engines.
“It will be a different philosophy of learning that engine and what makes it unique, but we’ll be ready for it,” said Tech. Sgt. Todd Van Meekeren, an aerospace propulsion technician.
Until the first F-15EXs arrive at Selfridge, currently estimated to arrive sometime in 2028, the 127th Maintenance Group Airmen will keep the A-10s mission ready.
“We’re always improving our skills, making sure the aircraft are ready to go,” said Senior Airman Zach Kervin, an aerospace propulsion technician.
Kervin has been with the unit for about three years. He said the opportunity to learn new skills — and some occasional travel — are his favorite parts about serving with the A-10 engine shop.
On a recent drill weekend for the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing, a small team of Airmen from the shop performined a 100-hour servicing on an A-10 engine — a routine preventative maintenance task designed to keep the engine performing in peak condition.
Among those working on the task was Senior Airman Nea Barkell, a member of the team for about four years.
She said the hands-on job working on the aircraft makes her aviation career go, 'full circle.' In her civilian job she works as an aircraft dispatcher at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti. She also holds a private pilot’s license.
“Working on the engines [at Selfridge] gives me a touch of everything,” she said.
The engines on the F-15EX are an afterburner turbofan that can each generate about 29,000 pounds of thrust. The A-10 engines can generate about 9,000 pounds of thrust each.
| Date Taken: | 06.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.23.2025 14:53 |
| Story ID: | 499988 |
| Location: | SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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