[...] Proposals and Actions: This EA analyzes the potential environmental consequences of a proposal to replace F-15 aircraft with F-22A aircraft at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Hickam AFB is: (1) an existing AFB with an F-15 air superiority mission, established support for fighter aircraft, access to adequate training airspace, support for varied training opportunities, and available infrastructure and communication links, (2) has the ability to integrate Air National Guard (ANG) experience with the capabilities of the active Air Force as part of the national mission in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism, and (3) locates advanced U.S. weapon systems on the Pacific Rim where they can rapidly respond to existing and projected national threats. The F-22A air-to-air and air-to-ground operations use low observability, and speed to overcome adversaries and ensure air dominance over any battlefield.

The proposed Air Force and Hawaii ANG (HIANG) initiative is to replace 15 Primary Aircraft Inventory (PAI), 2 Backup Aircraft Inventory (BAI), and 3 Reserve Aircraft Inventory F-15s (20 aircraft) with 18 PAI and 2 BAI F-22As (20 aircraft). Beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, F-22As would occupy the same HIANG location on the southern part of Hickam AFB currently occupied by the comparably sized F-15s. An estimated 20 facilities would be renovated and/or constructed over a 5-year period at a cost of approximately $146.4 million in FY 2007 dollars. F-22As would fly approximately 50 percent more missions than the F-15s in existing offshore airspaces currently used by the F-15s. As with the F-15s, the F-22As would conduct operations with defensive flares, chaff, and air-to-air munitions in approved overwater airspaces. [...]