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BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass. –The 104th Fighter Wing has seen its fair share of transitions. Today's shift from the F-15 Eagle to the F-35 Lightning II mirrors the historic handoff from the A-10 Warthog back in 2007. The atmosphere then and now is filled with familiar sights, Fini-Flights, farewell celebrations, new aircraft training, and new faces stepping into new roles.
In 2007, following a BRAC (base realignment and closure) decision, Barnes Air National Guard Base entered a new era with a $45 million investment in construction and modernization projects to support the incoming F-15s. Now, nearly two decades later, history repeats itself, this time with the F-35. After a favorable Environmental Impact Study, the Secretary of the Air Force signed the Record of Decision (ROD) in December 2024, officially designating Barnes as a future home for the F-35.
The timeline for this transition is very similar to 2007. Capt. Matthew Mutti (Ret.), then with 104th FW Public Affairs, reflected on the A-10 leaving.
“Each month, more of the 104th's A-10s will fly away, two-by-two, until September when the last two are expected to vanish. By the time the transition is complete, it will be about a year later.”
Major Mark Silvers, an F-15 pilot with the 104th, echoed this comment recently. “We’ve already begun divesting F-15s and will continue through September 2025 in preparation for the arrival of our first F-35s in June 2026.”
The departure of the A-10s in 2007 marked the end of a nearly 30-year close-air support mission. Likewise, the retirement of the F-15 closes an 18-year chapter for the Wing.
That era ended with a series of memorable Fini-Flights. On March 30, 2007, a historic milestone was reached when Col. Jon "Motley" Mott broke the A-10 flight hour record previously held by Gen. James Skiff, logging an estimated 4,570 hours. Flying with Col. Mott were Col. Marcel "Jake" Kerdavid, Lt. Col. Ken "Torch" Stiles, and Lt. Col. Ed "Sped" Sommers, together, their four-ship formation had over 15,550 combined flying hours, each pilot individually surpassing the 4,000-hour mark.
Fini-Flights looked a bit different then, A-10s were welcomed home with fire trucks spraying arcs of water. Today, the send-offs are louder, and families gather on the ramp to greet their pilots after one last flight.
Also present in 2007 was Col. Connie E. Coward (Ret.), who had flown the first A-10 into Barnes nearly 30 years prior. He returned to witness the last two depart. “The aircraft has changed so much over the years,” Coward reflected. “It didn’t have all these electronic gadgets back then.”
One wonders what he might say today about the F-15s leaving and the F-35s arriving with cutting-edge stealth and sensor technology.
New beginnings aren’t limited to aircraft. In 2007, Airman Ian O. McAlister became the first 104th member to achieve a perfect score on the F-15 avionics course at Sheppard AFB.
At the recent Farewell to the Eagle event, 104th FW Commander Col. David Halasi-Kun summarized the spirit of the Wing.
“Our Wing is no stranger to change. From the P-47, P-51, F-94, F-86, F-100, A-10, F-15, and now to the F-35, we’ve always adapted. Because it’s not just about the machine. It’s the people of the 104th who make the difference. It’s generations of excellence. That is our legacy.”
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2025 12:52 |
| Story ID: | 547229 |
| Location: | WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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