Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing to conduct routine night training this week, possibly in C.O. skies

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing will conduct routine F-15 Eagle night training missions from Monday through Wednesday of this week, which could involve flights over Central Oregon.

Night training allows the citizen-airmen pilots based at the Portland Air National Guard Base to stay current with mandatory Air Force requirements.

"We could be flying out east, depending on weather and mission requirements," said Steven Conklin, with the 142nd Wing Public Affairs.

"Conducting night air combat training is critical to ensure our pilots are ready to execute in a combat environment,” said Col. Daniel McAllister, 142nd Operations Group Deputy Commander. “In addition, it is required in order to fulfill our enduring home station aerospace control alert mission protecting the Pacific Northwest." 

Night flying is conducted as an essential training requirement for nighttime maneuvers. Training flights will be completed each evening before 10:30 p.m.

About the 142nd Wing:

The Portland Air National Guard Base employs around 1,500 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from Northern California to the Canadian border, as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequaled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.