Existing (and former) F-35 Units

The first F-35 sqn is supposed to be 332 sqn according to RNoAF.

However, two squadrons are up @Ørland, 332, and 3T - a training squadron. I don't know where the new birds are asssigned.

It's important to note that the past few years, the aircraft have not been assigned permanently to squadrons, but directed as needed by FLO - Norwegian defense logistics org.

that they would have come under the 332nd SQN when they did their formal 'arrival' ceremony a week later on the 10th of November.

I think they were LM property until formal reception checks were passed and RNoAF took ownership.

From COMBAT AIRCRAFT Magazine - USAF Air Power Yearbook 2018 - F-35A order of battle.

F-35A Lightning II

"The F-35A began its first operational deployment in November 2017 when 12 Lightning IIs operated by the 388th Fighter Wing’s 34th Fighter Squadron arrived at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The squadron achieved initial operational capability on August 2, 2016. The first 10 low-rate initial production (LRIP) lots included more than 175 F-35As and the fighters have now been delivered to five bases. The 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida and the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona, are responsible for training F-35A pilots. The latter wing trains international Lightning II pilots. The USAF’s plans include the purchase of 1,763 F-35As by 2038. At the end of Fiscal 2017 there were 119 examples of the aircraft in service with ACC, AETC and AFMC. The service plans to field the F-35A to both the Pacific and European theaters in 2020 and 2021. RAF Lakenheath and Eielson AFB, Alaska will both be home to two squadrons of Lightning IIs.

In January 2017, the USAF announced the selection of Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, as the preferred location for the first AFRC-led F-35A unit. The 301st Fighter Wing, which currently operates the F-16C, is expected to receive Lightning IIs during the mid-2020s. The Air Force is evaluating five Air National Guard facilities as part of a plan to determine the next two units that will receive the F-35A. Burlington International Airport, Vermont had previously been named as the first location for an ANG F-35A unit. The 158th Fighter Wing will see the arrival of its first Lightning II in late 2019."

It appears VMFA-122 is in transition to the F-35B. Posted this image with their squadron flagship bird fairly recently.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbsjL95gp1k ... athernecks

It appears VMFA-122 is in transition to the F-35B. Posted this image with their squadron flagship bird fairly recently.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbsjL95gp1k ... athernecks

That looks great! Looks like its BuNo is 168840:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbhaUstA7iG ... athernecks

It appears VMFA-122 is in transition to the F-35B. Posted this image with their squadron flagship bird fairly recently.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbsjL95gp1k ... athernecks

That looks great! Looks like its BuNo is 168840:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbhaUstA7iG ... athernecks

168840 (MSN BF-37) DC-01 VMFA-211 LRIP5 2B/3I
169024 (MSN BF-39) DC-06 VMFA-211 LRIP6 2B/3I
????

It appears VMFA-122 is in transition to the F-35B. Posted this image with their squadron flagship bird fairly recently.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbsjL95gp1k ... athernecks

That looks great! Looks like its BuNo is 168840:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbhaUstA7iG ... athernecks

168840 (MSN BF-37) DC-01 VMFA-211 LRIP5 2B/3I
169024 (MSN BF-39) DC-06 VMFA-211 LRIP6 2B/3I
????

Do you perhaps have a source for 169024/DC-06? And don't you mean VMFA-122? VMFA-211 has CF as tail code.

Edit: Here's another photo from the VMFA-122 Facebook page:

"DC-00"?

168840 (MSN BF-37) DC-01 VMFA-122 LRIP5 2B/3I
169024 (MSN BF-39) CF-06 VMFA-211 LRIP6 2B/3I

corrected

Do you perhaps have a source for 169024/DC-06? And don't you mean VMFA-122? VMFA-211 has CF as tail code.

yes!, I'm not quitting my day job!

Japan 1st F-35A units are 302 and 301 Hikotai (formerly F-4E), now based at Misawa. 302 will be the 1st unit taking over from Rinji F-35A hikotai this year. 301 will follow in FY 2020. Both Hikotais are formerly based at Ibaraki Airport near Tokyo.

501 Hikotai is being converted from RF-4E to F-35A (in FY 2020 per scramble). Below article is on the decommissioning of 501 Hikotai.
https://okinawa.stripes.com/news/japan- ... e-squadron

RAF Lakenheath and Eielson AFB, Alaska will both be home to two squadrons of Lightning IIs.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4302 ... -splinters

Heading into the week-long President’s Day recess, the office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is distributing a spreadsheet to members logging a host of wide-ranging local projects potentially threatened by Trump’s effort to shift funds from military construction coffers to the border wall.

The list — nearly 400-projects long — features a number of ventures in GOP districts. It includes maintenance facilities for F-35 stealth fighters at Eielson Air Force Base outside Fairbanks, Alaska; the operation of a middle school at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and funds to replace a training maze at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Thought it may be useful to put down the eventual complete picture.

USAF: 44 combat coded F-35A squadrons (exclude test, training sqn) in 31 locations. Breakdown is 12 CONUS (3x3+2x1+1x1 locations), 12 OCONUS, 4 AFRC and 16 ANG squadrons comprising 960 combat coded, 369 training and 434 BAI/attrition F-35A.

Current combat coded: Hill AFB: 388 FW: 3 FS, 34 FS, 421 FS, next Eielson: ? FS, ? FS in end 2019/early 2020 to 2022.

USN: 20 F-35C squadrons (may include USMC F-35C units), Basing west coast confirmed at 7 VFA + 1 VFA FRS (VFA 125)

Current combat coded: VFA 147. Next 6 will convert from F-18 SH sqn at Lemoore. All other SH sqn are based on east coast at NAS Oceana.

USMC: 21 combat coded F-35B squadrons (9 x 16 B, 5 x 10B, 5 x 10C, 2 x 10B (res), not including 2 FRS sqn (2x25, VMFAT 501 & 502 - not up yet), 1 x OT&E (6 - VMX-22)) comprising B: 214 combat coded, 50 FRS, 6 OT&E, 58 BAI, 25 Attrition, C: 50 combat coded, 7 FRS, 15 BAI, 8 attrition). 5th C sqn has not been indicated on USMC Aviation plan. BAI/attrition figures are estimated for C.

Current combat coded: VMFA 121, 211, 122.

Japan 1st F-35A units are 302 and 301 Hikotai (formerly F-4E), now based at Misawa. 302 will be the 1st unit taking over from Rinji F-35A hikotai this year. 301 will follow in FY 2020. Both Hikotais are formerly based at Ibaraki Airport near Tokyo.

501 Hikotai is being converted from RF-4E to F-35A (in FY 2020 per scramble). Below article is on the decommissioning of 501 Hikotai.
https://okinawa.stripes.com/news/japan- ... e-squadron

Do we know if the Japanese F-35B's are going to be operated by the JASDF (Air Force) or JMSDF (Navy)???

"01 Mar 2019 ...The commodore [F-35C wing commodore Capt. Max McCoy] added that the Navy has a transition plan for future squadrons, but since those plans were still subject to change he declined to say which squadrons were next set for transition to the F-35C after VMFA-314...." https://news.usni.org/2019/03/01/f-35c- ... s-squadron

USAF current plan includes 11 training sqns + 2 more for partners and 2 for FMS.

58 FS at Eglin to be followed by another when F-22 training moves permanent to Joint base Langley.
61-63 FS at Luke + 308 FS for Dutch/Danes. 2 more FS to follow in 2022 and 2025 to make 6 Sqns. 21 FS (ROCAF F-16 shifted to Tucson).
6 WPS followed by 65 Aggressor Sqn are based at Nellis.

USAF current plan includes 11 training sqns + 2 more for partners and 2 for FMS.

58 FS at Eglin to be followed by another when F-22 training moves permanent to Joint base Langley.
61-63 FS at Luke + 308 FS for Dutch/Danes. 2 more FS to follow in 2022 and 2025 to make 6 Sqns. 21 FS (ROCAF F-16 shifted to Tucson).
6 WPS followed by 65 Aggressor Sqn are based at Nellis.

I would think that foreign AFs pay for training. But do they also pay for the aircraft?