[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING THE 555TH FIGHTER SQUADRON

  Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, the ``World Famous Highly Respected'' 
555th Fighter Squadron, commonly known as the Triple Nickel, recently 
completed the Department of Defense's first real-world combat Dynamic 
Force Employment DFE to United States Central Command. In plain 
English, the Triple Nickel executed an unplanned departure to the 
Middle East last fall to combat Iranian aggression against the United 
States and our allies in the region.
  During its historic deployment, the squadron flew more than 7,000 
hours supporting operations in the Arabian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, and 
Syria. Demonstrating the rapid, agile, and lethal characteristics of 
airpower, the Nickel executed defensive counter-air missions in Syria--
routinely intercepting and monitoring Russian, Syrian, and Iranian 
aircraft operating near U.S. and partnered ground forces. It also 
provided close air support to troops battling the Taliban in 
Afghanistan, as well as ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
  The Nickel returned home in December as Iran's aggression began to 
wane but deployed a second time only days later when tensions rapidly 
escalated following the U.S. strike against Qasem Soleimani. The 
squadron subsequently executed force protection missions in Iraq during 
and after Iran's missile attacks against U.S. forces. The Triple Nickel 
then deployed to a second expeditionary operating location. U.S. F-16s 
had not conducted combat missions from this location since 2003. From 
there, the squadron was able to immediately respond to the rocket 
attacks on Camp Taji, Iraq, by Iranian-backed Shia militia groups and 
execute retaliatory strikes.
  The squadron returned to Avianio Air Base, Italy, in late April as 
the Air Force's first major combat unit to redeploy during the China 
virus pandemic. Throughout their deployment, the men and women of the 
555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and Maintenance Unit performed 
exceptionally under tense combat pressures executing a new and highly 
mobile deployment construct during a pandemic. The Triple Nickel 
represents the best America has to offer, and I congratulate them on a 
job well done. ``Once Green!''

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