ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The T-38 Talon fleet-wide operational pause was lifted May 28, 2026, across Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Global Strike Command.
The Air Force continues making progress toward safely returning the fleet to service and anticipates inspected aircraft will begin returning to flying status within the next few days.
Collaborative engineering and maintenance teams across the joint force have finalized the inspection procedures to be accomplished to ensure a safe and thorough return to flight.
Affected major commands continue to actively mitigate impacts to operations, training and readiness. During this period, aircrews are maximizing simulator training to maintain proficiency and currency requirements.
The operational pause was initiated last week to ensure the safety of aircrews following a May 12, 2026, mishap at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.