USAF squadrons grounded due to sequestration, PACAF largely spared

Alaskan Aggressor F-16s grounded

Sequestration has forced the USAF to ground 17 combat squadrons in an effort to cut flying hours across the force by 44,000 hours leading up to September this year. The 17 squadrons will stand down effective Tuesday (9th April) or upon their return from deployments, and the USAF will distribute 241,496 flying hours that are funded to squadrons that will be kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013.

In the Pacific region, the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) has remained relatively unscathed compared to USAF Europe (USAFE) or Continental U.S-based units, with one PACAF squadron being stood down, four squadrons being reduced to basic mission capable status through to September, one squadron reduced to basic mission capable to July before being reinstated to fully combat capable July-September and nine squadrons being kept fully combat capable.

A summary of how PACAF combat units are affected can be found below:

18th Wing, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
44th Fighter Sqn	F-15C/D Eagle	Basic Mission Capable to 7/13, Combat Capable to 9/13
67th Fighter Sqn	F-15C/D Eagle	Basic Mission Capable
961st Airborne Ctrl Sqn	E-3 Sentry	Basic Mission Capable
33rd Rescue Sqn	HH-60G Pave Hawk	Combat Capable
35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
13th Fighter Sqn	F-16C/D Viper	Combat Capable
14th Fighter Sqn	F-16C/D Viper	Basic Mission Capable
51st Fighter Wing, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
25th Fighter Sqn	A-10 Thunderbolt	Combat Capable
36th Fighter Sqn	F-16C/D Viper	Combat Capable
8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
35th Fighter Sqn	F-16C/D Viper	Combat Capable
80th Fighter Sqn	F-16C/D Viper	Combat Capable
3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
90th Fighter Sqn	F-22A Raptor	Combat Capable
525th Fighter Sqn	F-22A Raptor	Combat Capable
962nd Airborne Ctrl Sqn	E-3 Sentry	Basic Mission Capable
354th Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
18th Aggressor Sqn	F-16C/D	Stood down 9th April
15th Wing/Hawaii ANG, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
19th/199th Fighter Sqn	F-22A Raptor	Combat Capable

For the full list of USAF units and how they are affected please follow this link.