Air Force grounding: Little impact on Nellis so far, no impact on Creech

Nellis Air Force Base officials said plans announced Tuesday to ground one-third of the Air Force’s combat fleet has had little effect so far on the Las Vegas base where fighter pilots train.

“Currently the only unit at Nellis affected by Air Combat Command’s decision to stand down flying units has been the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron,” Nellis spokeswoman Master Sgt. Kelley Stewart wrote in an email, referring to the Thunderbirds team.

She said command leaders are “still looking at the other missions performed here but no decision regarding those missions has been finalized.”

Officials at Creech Air Force Base, a hub for remotely piloted Predator and Reaper overseas combat operations, said their unmanned aircraft continue to fly missions.

“Our units are still flying and providing vital ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capabilities for U.S. and allied forces,” said a spokeswoman at the base at Indian Springs, 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.