So, just for grins. Is there a reason the US military stations its most rare and expensive fighter aircraft in the heart of the worst hurricane prone region of the USA, rather than in Nevada or some such?
Just wondering. Seems like you would want to keep uber-rare billion dollar aircraft in the desert west where natural disasters are rare. But hey, that’s just me.
And yes, hindsight is 20-20. But still and all, everybody knows Florida is ground zero for devastating hurricanes. Seems kind of bone-headed to station your most expensive and rare hardware there.
Walter Short, the Army General in charge of Hawaii was run out of the Army after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Different times.
America's most effective and literally irreplaceable air superiority fighter was left in the path of a major hurricane with days of warning.
Will Generals and Colonels be demoted to Airman and sent to Fairbanks to de-ice airplanes?
You know they won't.
To answer your question about stationing aircraft in the south...airspace. Pure and simple. In the late 40’s into the 50’s Americans complained about sonic booms destroying their windows, china, glasses. The DOD had to pay claims to reimburse for these occurrences. In order for mach1,2,3+ flight to occur for training the best pilots as in the world, it must be done over water, away from population centers. The FAA controls the air corridors around the country above 10k feet. Many jet routes conflict with military operating areas (MOAs) over land. But over the water, there is more space with fewer civilian aircraft in the Warning Areas off the Gulf Coast, Atlantic coast and Pacific coast. Fly, fight, Win. Go AirForce. Aim High.