US Air Force Chief of Staff General Ken Wilsbach presented the 2025 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy to Captain Michael Cloninger of the 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Operations Group, during a ceremony at the Pentagon on September 8, 2026. The trophy represents the US Air Force's most prestigious flight safety award and recognizes exceptional airmanship during emergencies where aircrew prevent accidents or minimize damage and loss of life.
The award stems from an incident on September 18, 2024, while Cloninger was deployed to the US Central Command area of responsibility. Flying as number two in a four-ship formation during a Battle of Britain anniversary flyover, the right main wheel assembly separated from Cloninger's F-22 Raptor immediately after takeoff. The flight aborted the primary mission and remained close to the airfield while the flight lead confirmed that the entire right main wheel assembly was missing.
Facing an unprecedented system failure with no established checklist procedure, Cloninger selected the gear-up landing procedure rather than risking an asymmetrical touchdown on a bare strut. He circled for approximately one hour to burn off excessive fuel while coordinating emergency response actions with air traffic control and operations supervisors. He then performed a shallow, on-speed approach, achieving a centerline touchdown that successfully prevented a post-landing fire.
Following the touchdown, Cloninger shut down both engines and completed an emergency egress from the aircraft. US Air Force maintenance teams evaluated the stealth fighter on site and subsequently flew the $156 million airframe out of the operational theater after diagnostics. Military officials described the total preservation and return to service of the aircraft as an unprecedented recovery for a belly-landed F-22 Raptor.
The Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy is the only safety award presented personally by the US Air Force Chief of Staff. It was established by the family of First Lieutenant Koren Kolligian Jr., a pilot whose T-33 Shooting Star disappeared off the coast of California on September 14, 1955, to honor military aircrew who demonstrate extraordinary skill during critical flight emergencies.
