Sentry Aloha 26-1

The first edition of Sentry Aloha 2026 (26-1) begins this week. Hosted by the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 154th Wing, several other Air National Guard units from across the country will participate in this air combat simulation exercise.

One of the fighter units participating is the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 176th Fighter Squadron "Badgers" / 115th Fighter Wing, and their F-35A Lightning IIs. The other fighter unit is the 122nd Fighter Squadron / 159th Fighter Wing "Bayou Militia" of the Louisiana Air National guard. Hawker Hunters from ATAC are also participating.

Also participating are KC-135R units are from the Wisconsin Air National Guard (126th Air Refueling Squadron / 128th Air Refueling Wing) and the Nebraska Air National Guard (155th Air Refueling Wing). C-130Hs from the Wyoming Air National Guard (187th Airlift Squadron / 153rd Airlift Wing), and E-3Gs from the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron / 513th Air Control Wing, and 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron / 3rd Wing.

Further information in this Hawai‘i Department of Defense press release.

Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 93-2042

This quarter's edition of "HNL RareBirds "Classic" features 93-2042 (msn 382-5371) of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron / 154th Wing. This Lockheed C-130H Hercules was photographed as it departed from Runway 8R in 2004.

93-2042's History:

___ 1994: Delivered to the 204th Airlift Squadron with the tail code HH.

Sep 2005: Re-assigned to the 169th Airlift Squadron, 182nd Airlift Wing, Illinois Air National Guard based at PIA [General Downing Field, Peoria International Airport, Peoria, IL]; and is still in service.

The C-130Hs of the 204th AS were replaced by Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIs in 2006.

Sentry Aloha 25-1

The Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron / 154th Wing is hosting its annual Sentry Aloha exercise that begins today, and runs through 12 February 2025. Six F-35Cs from the US Navy's VX-9, and KC-135Rs from the Washington ANG (116th ARS / 141st ARW) and Mississippi ANG (153rd ARS / 186th ARW) will be joining them in the exercise.

Further information in this Hawai‘i DoD press release. The official start date says 29 January, but the fighter aircraft have already been flying.

In a related note, the F-35C detachment to VX-9 based at Edwards AFB, CA, will be relocated to NAS Point Mugu, CA, and re-designated as VX-4.

204th AS's 05-5152 Transports Burn Victims

A C-17A Globemaster III from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron "Nā Pueo", transported six burn victims from the New Year's fireworks explosion that occurred in nearby ʻAliamanu, that also took three lives. The six are being flown to Phoenix, AZ for further treatment for the burns they suffered in the explosion. 05-5152 "Spirit of Go For Broke" (c/n 50160, l/n F159) transported the victims from HIK to PHX as E55152. This C-17A was configured as a medevac transport, and took the six that could withstand the flight.

Further details in this KHON2 News report.

Pregame Flyover

A KC-135R from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, 63-8030 (c/n 18647, l/n T0686), performed a flyover over the Clarence TC Ching Field at the end of the Star-Spangled Banner, before the UNLV-Hawai‘i football game this afternoon. 63-8030 flew from east to west with its tail boom down and the probe extended. The flyover was part of the Military Appreciation Night event to celebrate Veteran's Day.

Hauʻoli Lā Hānau 204th Airlift Squadron

The Hawaiʻi Air National Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron "Nā Pueo", of the 154th Wing, celebrates its 30th Anniversary today. Activated in 1994 to support the Hawaiʻi-based Army and Marine Corps units with eight C-130Hs, as well as humanitarian relief regionally and internationally.

In 2008, eight C-17As replaced the C-130Hs, and also became a joint service unit with the active duty 535th Airlift Squadron "Tigers" / 15th Wing.

Luftwaffe Typhoons Extend Stay

After participating in the last week of RIMPAC 2024, the three Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons from the Tactical Air Force Wing 73 (Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 73) "Steinhoff, and the two A400M Atlas from the Air Transport Wing 62 (Lufttransportgeschwader 62) will be extending their stay at HIK to fly with the F-22A Raptors of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron and US Air Force's 19th Fighter Squadron.

203rd ARS Adds 62-3578

The 203rd Air Refueling Squadron has added 62-3578 (c/n 18561, l/n 629) to their fleet of KC-135Rs. 

62-3578's History:

Aug 1963: Delivered to the US Air Force as a KC-135A.

Dec 1985: Assigned to the 42nd Bomb Wing, at Loring AFB, ME.

May 1992: Assigned to the 92nd Wing, and named "Miss Spokane".

May 1998: Converted to a KC-135R, named "High Life", and assigned to 351st ARS / 100th ARW, at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, UK.

___ 2007: Assigned to the 22nd ARW, McConnell AFB, KS.

May 2014: Assigned to the 141st ARS / 108th ARW, New Jersey ANG, at McGuire AFB, NJ.

___ 2019: Tiger stripes painted on the tail.

___ 2022: Assigned to the 173rd ARS / 155th ARW, Nebraska ANG, at Lincoln ANGB, NE.

Sentry Aloha 24-2

The Hawai‘i Air National Guard is hosting Sentry Aloha 24-2. This exercise, that begins today, and runs until mid-June, has units from the host 154th Wing, along with the following units:

F-16s from the 195th FS, Arizona Air National Guard;

F-16s from the 115th FS, Wisconsin Air National Guard;

A-10Cs from the 47th FS, Air Force Reserve Command;

F-35As from the 442nd TES; and 

F-16s from the 119th FS, New Jersey Air National Guard.

There are also various tanker assets participating as well. NGF is hosting a couple of units, as well as KOA.

Interesting factoid, the 47th FS has its roots in Hawai‘i, as it began its service in 1940 as the 47th Pursuit Squadron. It was based at Wheeler Army Air Field, as part of the 15th Pursuit Group. The 47th fighters were able to down eight Japanese Navy aircraft on 07 Dec 1941. The unit was active for World War II in the Pacific Theater, but after the war ended, it was deactivated in 1946. The unit was reactivated as the 47th Fighter Squadron in 1952, and based in Niagara Falls, New York

Sentry Aloha 24-01

The Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron / 154th Wing is hosting Sentry Aloha 24-01. The two-week one exercise will also include F-35C Lightning IIs, FA-18 Super Hornets, and EA-18G Growlers from the US Navy's VX-9, as wells an E-7A Wedgetail from the RAAF.

Hawaiian Raptors Pregame Flyover

Four F-22A Raptors from the 199th FS /19th FS flew a four-ship flyover at the end of the "Star-Spangled Banner" before this evening's game  between the Air Force Academy Falcons and the Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors.

Photos from the Hawaiian Raptors Instagram post, and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's Instagram post.

154th Wing Invited To William Tell 2023

The F-22 Raptors of the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 154th Wing has been invited to "William Tell Air-to-Air Meet 2023", that will take place in Savannah, GA in September. The 154th, along with the 3rd Wing from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK, will represent the Pacific Air Forces. This will be the first William Tell competition since 2004.

Further information in this Air & Space Forces article.

Operation Centennial Contact

Four KC-135Rs from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 203rd Air Refueling Squadron participated in Operation Centennial Contact this morning. It is the commemoration of 100 years of aerial refueling, that many of the US Air Force and Air National Guard refueling units participated in. The four KC-135Rs, flying as TANKER61, performed the flyover with refueling booms lowered, after a refueling training mission. The route took the tankers over Kalaeloa, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i, and the National Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). 

The four Stratotankers seen in the photos above in order, in the flight were :

63-8030 "Mākaha" (c/n 18647, l/n 686)

63-8883 (c/n 18731, l/n 714)

59-1499 (c/n 17987, l/n 402)

61-0290 "Hōkū Lele" (c/n 18197, l/n 512)

We also shot a video of the Stratotankers on final approach for Runway 8L following the flyover.

204th Airlift Squadron’s 05-5151 Performs Flyover

05-5151 (c/n P-151) of the 204th Airlift Squadron performed a flyover prior to the University of Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors game against the Utah State Aggies to honor veterans on this Veteran’s Day weekend. The flight was crewed by both Hawai’i Air National Guard (154th Wing) and US Air Force (535th Airlift Squadron / 15th Wing) personnel. One of the pilots was Major Britton Komine, who also played wide receiver for the Rainbow Warriors (2001-04).

A video clip from the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's Instagram page.

Hickam-based C-17A Delivers Baby Formula

05-5149 (c/n 50157, l/n F-156), a C-17A Globemaster III based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, transported the first emergency shipment of baby formula from Rammstein Air Base, Germany to Indianapolis, IN for Operation Fly Formula. The C-17A is part of the active duty 535th Airlift Squadron "Tigers" / 15th Wing, and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 204th Airlift Squadron "Nā Pueo" / 154th Wing, as part of the US Air Force's Total Force Integration, which combines both active duty and air guard crews.

Further information in this 15th Wing news release.

HIANG Retires 60-0329 To Museum

The Hawai‘i Air National Guard retired one of its KC-135Rs, 60-0329 "Kape‘a" (c/n 18104, l/n 443) today, after 25+ years with the 203rd ARS. It made its final flight to the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB, in Dayton, OH, where it will be inducted into the museum upon arrival.

During the Vietnam War in 1967, 0329 was involved in the first-ever tri-level air refueling, where it connected with a US Navy A-3, which then refueled a pair of US Navy F-8 Crusaders, then a pair of F-4 Phantoms, and another A-3. The crew was awarded the 1967 Mackey Trophy for meritorious service.

Exercise Wākea

The Pacific Air Forces' 199th FS / 19th FS F-22A Raptors is training with the Armée de l'air in Exercise Wākea. A contingent of three Dassault F3-R Rafales, two A400Ms, and an A330 MRTT, along with personnel made the trip from Tahiti, where they were training in Operation Heifara.

Further information from the 154th Wing's webpage article.

photos to follow ...

HIANG's C-17 Flyover

A C-17A Globemaster III from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 05-5147 "The Spirit of Daniel K Inouye" (c/n 50155, l/n F154), made a pre-game flyover for the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors home game versus the Air Force Academy Falcons.  At the controls were Major Britton Komine, a former Warriors tight end, and Captain Nate Dreblinski, a former Falcons tight end. 

The C-17 is part of shared unit of the 204th Airlift Squadron "Nā Pueo" (154th Wing, Hawai‘i Air National Guard), and the 535th Airlift Squadron "Tigers" (15th Wing, US Air Force).

Hawai‘i Air National Guard's 90-1058

In honor of Veteran's Day (November 11th), our November edition of "HNL RareBirds Classic" goes back to October 2004, and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard's C-130H2 Hercules, 90-1058 (msn 382-5241), as it was on static display at the "Blues On The Bay" air show at Marine Corps Air Field Kāneʻohe Bay. This C-130H2 was assigned to the 204th Airlift Squadron "Nā Manu Ikaika" / 154th Wing at the time.

90-1058 was originally delivered to the Georgia Air National Guard in the early 1990s. It was re-assigned to the Hawai‘i Air National Guard in the mid-1990s, where it served until 2006, when the 204th transitioned to the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III. The fate of 90-1058 is unknown, if it was reassigned, or if it's sitting in storage at AMARG.

Hauʻoli Lā Hānau KC-135!

Sixty years ago, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker made its first flight, and we celebrate its birthday. Presently, the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard's 203rd ARS, in association with the 96th ARS (active duty), has a fleet of eight "R" models.

Further details in this US Air Force article.