The most recent grounding came Tuesday. It's the third one and could end up being the lengthiest.

F-15A, B, C and D models are affected. Two-seat fighterbomber versions of the F-15 known as Strike Eagles continue to fly.

The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base had returned to the sky only a couple of days ago before its dozens of F-15Cs and Ds were grounded again. Its maintainers were well on their way to finishing Eagle inspections as a result of the second stand-down.

Although the air-to-air combat Eagles aren't flying, fighter wing spokeswoman Capt. Brooke Brander said there's still plenty for airmen to do.

"On the flying side of the house, they're spending time on academics ... as well as flying in simulators," she said.

The simulators are networked so Eagle pilots around the country can train against each other.

Maintainers, which earlier in the week were described as doing a masterful job in getting F-15s inspected after the second standdown, have routine and periodic maintenance to perform.

The other Eglin units that operate F-15s are the 46th Test Wing and 53rd Wing.

The trio of Eagle standdowns sprouted after a Missouri Air National Guard F-15 crashed Nov. 2 during training because of a structural failure.

The ongoing investigation uncovered Monday "possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems ... related to areas beyond those previously inspected," according to the Air Combat Command. Upper longerons, which help connect the cockpit to the rest of the aircraft, were among the F-15 parts checked previously.

Air Combat Command spokeswoman Maj. Kristi Beckman added that the order will last until the crash investigation is completed and inspections and remedial repairs are made.

It's unclear how long that would take.

The grounded F-15s could be mobilized if there's a national emergency.

Beckman noted that Operation Noble Eagle patrols, which protect American airspace, are being handled by F-16s, Navy aircraft and the Canadian air force.

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