419fw [lots of youtube videos/info etc.]

[spazsinbad]

419th Fighter Wing hosts F-35 virtual field trip
06 Apr 2020 419th Fighter Wing hosts F-35 virtual field trip

"HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) --
With closures at schools across the nation due to COVID-19, the 419th Fighter Wing invited students to use their computers or cellphones to “visit” for a virtual field trip to see the Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-35 Lightning II.

Col. Brian Silkey, the wing’s vice commander and longtime fighter pilot, recorded a video for the wing’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. “We wanted to do a little something for America’s students during this difficult and uncertain time,” Silkey said. “We thought it would be fun to use the technology we have at our fingertips to bring the F-35 to them. Ultimately, we want them to know we’re all in this together and we hope that some are inspired to follow their dreams to serve in the U.S. military.”

During the virtual field trip, Silkey provided an overview of the aircraft’s capabilities to his online audience to include details on its stealth technology and how it gives pilots a significant advantage on the battlefield. He also showed off his G-suit and futuristic helmet.

Members of the 419th FW and their active-duty counterparts in the 388th FW are currently the only combat-capable F-35 units in the Air Force. Even amid the coronavirus pandemic, the wings are sustaining mission-essential flying operations with limited manning to maintain readiness. Several hundred personnel from the wings are deployed to the Middle East.

In addition to its F-35 mission, the 419th FW also has a full-spectrum mission support group to include civil engineering, security forces, medial, logistics, aerial port, firefighting, supply and transportation. The unit is made up of about 1,300 Reserve Citizen Airmen who serve part-time in the military, but are full-time members of the local community."

Source: https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display ... ield-trip/

419fw: https://www.youtube.com/user/419fw & https://www.419fw.afrc.af.mil/

F-35 Virtual Field Trip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QpFUvBlqkY


http://www.f-16.net/g3/var/resizes/f-16 ... 1371905391

[mixelflick]

Seeing more and more F-35's flying with the 9x.

Hmmm....

[Dragon029]

They've only been allowed to carry them for the past 3 years (less for some units), and it takes time to qualify pilots to use them on the jet. You're also seeing F-35s being used operationally more, where often they're tasked with something like air policing, where if they're going to be saying hello to another jet up close, and that jet turns hostile within visual range, it's nice to have the 9X's as an option.

[spazsinbad]

Hill Airmen, F-35s Return from Middle East Deployment 07 May 2020 Brian W. Everstine

https://www.airforcemag.com/hill-airmen ... eployment/

[doge]

Does F-35 often cause a Sonic Boom (i.e. Supersonic) happening a lot ?
Does that Means that F-35 can easily break through supersonic speeds but... (The Powerrrrrrrr)
https://www.ksl.com/article/50100832/hi ... into-april

Hill Air Force Base's F-35 night training continues into April
By Mike Anderson, KSL TV | Posted - Feb. 3, 2021
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Utahns can expect more F-35 training at night through mid-April, but pilots said they'll be less likely to hear any more sonic booms like the one that startled residents on the Wasatch Front last week.
Both the 388th Fighter Wing and the 419th Reserve Wing will be out over the Utah Test and Training Range in Tooele County.
While flying in the dark can be more difficult, it's the time when most of their combat operations happen.
The F-35 is loud and it is fast. The high-tech jet can hit well over 300 mph during takeoff alone.

"I love it. I love flying fighters and I have really enjoyed flying the F-35," said pilot Johnathan Hassell, who is one of the dozens of pilots stationed at Hill Air Force Base.
He scheduled many of the training missions Utahns will be hearing in the coming weeks around Davis County.
The goal is to be ready to handle combat at night.
"It is a huge factor in what we do. It is also much more difficult at that time," Hassell said.

They have to be ready to fly in any condition, but most of their operations happen at night and they use thermal or night-vision imaging to see what they're doing.
A lot of what they do happens beyond the speed of sound.
"We actually fly supersonic quite a bit as part of our normal training, and I know last week there was a sonic boom heard over Salt Lake City. And, to be honest, that was a bit of a surprise for us as well," Hassell said.
It was a surprise because the test and training range on the west end of Tooele County is usually far enough away to avoid catching residents off guard along the Wasatch Front.

"I've been flying fighters for over a decade and I have never heard of a sonic boom being felt or heard, I think it was 50 or 60 miles away from our training area," Hassell added.
Last week's inversion was blamed for the unusual distance the boom was heard.
Hassell said for them, going supersonic happens with the simple push of the throttle. "And then it's almost imperceptible in the cockpit itself," he said.
While those closest to the base will hear them, he said it's unlikely that the Wasatch Front will hear those booms again.

"I can't guarantee that that won't happen again," Hassell said. "But my understanding was that was a rather unusual occurrence as far as the weather patterns of that night."
Most of the training will wrap up between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. It will end on April 9.
Over the past couple of years, all three HAFB fighter units have supported combat operations in the Middle East.

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-new ... ntil-april

Hearing ‘Sonic Booms’ unlikely as F-35 night-flying continues until April
By: Brian SchneePosted, Feb 03, 2021
OGDEN, Utah — Consistent with past night-flying operations out of Hill Air Force Base in the past, the 388th Fighter Wing will continue to fly at night until early April.
“We expect to be flying almost every weekday kind of now through April,” said Jonathan “Rev” Hassell, a pilot and Director of Operations for the 388th Operations Squad. “The F-35 is a all-weather fighter, we’re trained to fly all of our missions during the day and nighttime so as part of that, maintaining our combat readiness we need to train at those missions during the nighttime.”
Hassell has been flying the F-35 for about two years and recently returned from a deployment with the 421st Fighter Squadron overseas.
Within the past few weeks, Utahns across the Wasatch Front were reporting a loud boom and shaking from a ‘sonic boom’ that had been confirmed by the 388th Fighter Wing. Hassell says that it’s common for pilots to break the speed of sound, but it’s not every day you can hear or feel the sonic boom from such great distances.

“We actually fly supersonic quite a bit as part of our normal training and I know last week there was a sonic boom heard over Salt Lake City and to be honest that’s a bit of a surprise for us as well,” said Hassell. “I’ve been flying fighters for over a decade and I have never heard of a sonic boom being felt or heard I think it was 50 of 60 miles away.”
Both active duty 388th and reserve 419th Fighter Wings are conducting night-flying on weeknights where weather permits safe flying conditions.
“These times may also change based on a number of factors including weather, airspace availability on the Utah Test and Training Range, and other support elements,” the 388th Fighter Wing stated in a media release.
“It is (night-flying) a huge factor in what we do,” said Hassell. “If you take our regular mission set whether it’s air-to-air training or air-to-ground training and then you make it dark, it’s just much more difficult to accomplish.”

Over the course of the past two years, all three of the wing’s fighter squadrons have deployed in support of combat operations in the Middle East
78 F-35A Lightning IIs called Hill Air Force Base ‘home’.
“The 388th and Reserve 419th are the Air Force's first combat-capable F-35A units, and fly and maintain the jet in a Total Force partnership, which capitalizes on the strength of both components,” the 388th said.
“The F-35 this is the most advanced fighter we call it a fifth generation aircraft,” said Hassell.

[doge]

HillAFB uses the HMD at night.
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/ni ... may-occur/

Night training continues at Hill AFB, sonic booms may occur
by: Tracy Smith Posted: Feb 4, 2021
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (ABC4) – Night flight training will continue for Hill Air Force Base members through the first week of April.
Most of the flying is scheduled to finish between 7 and 10 p.m., but there will times where the flying ends later at night.
And even though it is unlikely, you could hear more sonic booms.
Jonathan “Rev” Hassell, Director of Operations of the 388th Operations Support Squadron and a pilot, explains, “We do try to train during the wintertime, as you know the sun sets a lot earlier then. So we are able to get our training over with between 7 and 10 p.m.”

The times can vary depending on weather, airspace availability on the Utah Test and Training Range, and other flight support elements.
The pilots of the fighter wings train at night to keep their combat readiness and all-weather capabilities.
Hassell says, “Night flying is a huge factor in what we do; it’s also much more difficult at times. if you take our regular mission set, air to air training or air to ground training, and then you make it dark, it’s much more difficult to accomplish.”
Night flying is usually limited to what is required to keep the pilots at the top of their game with the skillset.

Hassel explains they use different systems in the F-35 to accomplish the same tasks at night as you would in the daytime.
“We have a system in our helmet, a night vision camera, it actually portrays the image from the night vision camera right on the front of my visor,” he says. “I can look everywhere and see, it almost turns night into day. We also have the thermal imaging cameras located around the F-35 we are able to tie into and display that image on our helmet as well.”
Hill AFB has had all three of its fighter squadrons deployed to support the efforts in the Middle East.

Hassell says the best way to find out what is happening is to check the 3-day fighter wing schedule web page and follow Hill’s social media.
Hassel has flown both the F-22 and now the F-35 and says they are the best in the world at what they do. Both aircraft are powerful and go faster than the speed of sound, which can cause a sonic boom.
Hassell explains, “We actually fly supersonic quite a bit as part of our normal training. I know last week there was a sonic boom heard over Salt Lake City, and to be honest, that was a bit of a surprise for us as well. I’ve been flying fighters for over a decade, and I have never heard of a sonic boom being felt or heard – I think it was 50 or 60 miles away from our training area.”
He continued, “I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again, but it’s my understanding it was part of an unusual occurrence with the weather patterns that night.”

Hassell explains breaking the sound barrier is not like it was with aircraft in the past. Now, he says, “It’s as easy as pushing the throttle forward and is almost imperceptible in the cockpit.”
Utah’s Hill Air Force Base is home to the F-35 Lightning II. The 388th and 419th are the Air Force’s first combat-capable F-35A units. They serve as part of the Air Force’s Total Force Partnership.
Hassell ended by saying, “Those of us here at Hill Air Force base and living in the community, really appreciate the support of the local community, it’s been phenomenal to see. I really love living in Utah and looking out at these beautiful mountains and enjoying all of the outdoor activities as well as the great flying.”

https://www.standard.net/news/military/ ... b1327.html

F-35 night flying continues at Hill AFB, with regular sorties scheduled through April
By MITCH SHAW Standard-Examiner Feb 4, 2021
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Officials from Hill Air Force Base say F-35 pilots there will soon be taking to the night skies yet again, and this time it’s for an extended period of time.
Micah Garbarino, spokesperson with Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing, said base pilots are scheduled to conduct local night-flying operations on most weekdays, now through the second week of April. Garbarino said most of the flying is scheduled to be finished by 10 p.m., but there will be some instances when flying ends later than that. He also said the times could change based on things like weather, airspace availability on the Utah Test and Training Range, and other support elements.
During the flying operations, Northern Utah residents should expect increased noise.
Garbarino said Hill pilots regularly fly a limited number of night hours to meet Air Force proficiency requirements.

Jonathan Hassell, director of operations with Hill’s 388th Operations Support Squadron and an F-35 pilot, said night flying is a quintessential part of the jet’s existence. The plane’s stealth capability, which includes remaining inconspicuous under cover of darkness, has consistently been touted in Air Force circles as one of its main advantages over other fighter jets. Hassell describes the F-35 as an “all-weather fighter” and said pilots need a broad range of experience flying in various conditions.
“Night flying is a huge factor in what we do — it’s also much more difficult at times,” Hassell said. “If you take our regular mission set, whether it’s air-to-air training or air-to-ground training, and then you make it dark, it’s just much more difficult to accomplish.”
Hassell said night training is a pilot’s only opportunity to practice using certain systems of the Air Force’s “next-generation” fighter, like the jet’s night and thermal vision cameras, which essentially light up darkness and display a clear, visible portrait of the night landscape on a pilot’s helmet visor.

“It almost turns night into day,” Hassell said.
According to an Air Force fact sheet, Hill operates one of the busiest airfields in the military, with approximately 45,000 flight operations taking place there annually. Aircraft from all over the United States and internationally frequently fly into Hill’s Ogden Air Logistics Complex, which performs maintenance on dozens of aircraft. Hill’s Utah Test and Training Range in Utah’s west desert also draws aircraft from all over the world.
But the fighter wings perform the bulk of flight operations on base, training to remain combat ready with the F-35. Arrivals and departure are coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration, Salt Lake International Airport and Ogden-Hinckley Airport. The base fact sheet says pilots limit flying over densely populated areas, schools, churches and other public buildings. F-35s climb to assigned altitudes as quickly as possible to mitigate noise.

[doge]

Supersonic Every Day !? It's a robust stealth coating...
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/hi ... d-barrier/

Hill Air Force Base fighter jets breaking the sound barrier
by: Hailey Hendricks Posted: Mar 3, 2021
CLEARFIELD, Utah (ABC4 News) – Hill Air Force Base F-35A Lightning II aircrafts are traveling at supersonic speeds every day and night, in approved airspace. But officials say it’s not often you hear their jets breaking the sound barrier.

388th and Reserve 419th fighter wings do a majority of flying from Hill Air in Clearfield to the Utah Test and Training Range west of Tooele.
These fighter jets have the capability to travel faster than the speed of sound, which the National Weather Service reports is roughly 750 miles per hour in Utah.
Training to remain combat-ready with F-35 aircrafts, Hill Air officials said it takes about 15 minutes to fly from Clearfield to the west desert.

In car, travel time is roughly an hour and a half.
Loud booms and shaking can be felt by Utahns along the Wasatch Front when these jets break the sound barrier, creating what’s known as a sonic boom.
“We actually fly supersonic quite a bit as part of our normal training,” said Lt. Col Jonathan “Rev” Hassell, a 388th Operations Support Squadron Director of Operations. “I know…there was a sonic boom felt over Salt Lake City and to be honest, that was a bit of a surprise for us as well.”

Hassel said it’s not every day you can hear or feel sonic booms from long distances.
“I’ve been flying fighters for over a decade and I have never heard of a sonic boom felt or heard 50 or 60 miles away from our training area,” Hassel said. “I can’t guarantee that won’t happen again, but my understanding is that was rather an unusual occurrence as far as the weather pattern.”
Night flying operations have been going on since last month and will continue through April, between the hours of 7 and 10 p.m., as these pilots maintain their readiness for combat and all-weather capabilities.

[doge]

USAF and USMC Pilots Exchange. wow.
https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article/280 ... ps-exchan/

Air Force pilots see F-35 lethality and interoperability in Marine Corps exchange
By Micah Garbarino, 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published October 07, 2021
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --
For three former F-16 pilots in the 388th Fighter Wing here, transitioning to the F-35 didn’t only mean learning a new aircraft, it also meant transitioning to a completely different service, the United States Marine Corps.
Roughly three years ago, Maj. Graeme Ross, Capt. Justin Newman, and Capt. Spencer Weide, were all stationed in Korea and they all decided to transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the F-35A Lightning II.
“The F-16 was my baby, that’s what I grew up loving and wanted to fly, but you see the F-35 come on line and hear about all it can do with stealth and fifth-generation capabilities, and you quickly realize that’s the future,” Weide said.
There was a catch. There were still only two operational F-35 units in the Department of Defense. The Air Force was rapidly filling its pilot slots at Hill Air Force Base, and the Marine Corps needed help filling theirs at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. To transition, Ross, Newman and Weide took advantage of a unique opportunity – an exchange program with the Marine Corps, flying the F-35B Short Takeoff and Vertical landing variant.

LEARNING THE ROPES
“It was an opportunity to take pilots of different experiences and train them together in a platform that was designed for multiple services and multiple countries to be interoperable,” Newman said.
Within a few months of each other, the pilots went through an initial Air Force F-35A course at Eglin AFB, Fla., then a Marine Corps F-35B course at MCAS Beaufort, S.C., where they also learned a few new words.
“There’s a lot of unique jargon in any military branch,” Ross said. “They call a two-ship a ‘section’ and a four-ship a ‘division.’ They still use port and starboard and fore and aft and I’m like, ‘which way is that again?’ I still don’t know.”
In addition to culture, the jets have their differences too. While similar in cockpit layout, low observable and fifth-generation technology, there are several systems differences, Ross said. The F-35B carries less fuel, pulls fewer Gs, carries a different weapons load-out, and has no internal cannon.
One of the most obvious differences is the huge lift fan directly behind the cockpit, which allows the jet to hover, takeoff from ships, and land vertically.

HITTING THE POSTAGE STAMP
During their exchange, all three pilots landed on Navy amphibious warships, which, at approximately 850 feet, are smaller than aircraft carriers, but capable of deploying a variety of aircraft.
“Unlike an aircraft carrier, you can take one of these smaller boats, rapidly put it off the coast of ‘Country X’ and say, 'We have fifth-generation airpower in your country tonight,'” Weide said. “And everything is self-contained. All the jets, helicopters, Ospreys and Marines you need. That’s the way they live. Ready to go anytime.”
“You hear it said, and it really does look like a postage stamp in the ocean,” Ross said. “But the F-35 was designed for the landing operation to be very simple if you follow the correct steps.”
The ship and aircraft both have systems that are constantly communicating with each other, speed, heading, wind direction and other factors.
“It’s a small target, but you’re not going very fast. Things are tight. At a certain point the aircraft systems take over and as a pilot you just have to sweeten it up,” Ross said. “It’s still a very weird feeling sitting in a 40,000 lb aircraft and hovering above the deck for a while.”
All the pilots agreed that the aircraft and ship systems, combined with the “intense qualification training,” made the amphibious landings less daunting. However, taxiing onboard a ship – with wheels and wingtips feet from the edge, or a structure, or another aircraft – was a different story.
“It’s unnerving,” Newman said. “Our front wheel is positioned behind the cockpit, so they’re taxing your wheel right up to the edge of the boat to turn, and you’re hanging out there, looking down into the water. You’re locked in on the Airman guiding you, trusting them and they’re like, ‘We got you!’”

FIFTH-GENERATION AIRPOWER
The pilots also had a chance to integrate into the Air Force’s largest exercise - Red Flag - at Nellis AFB, Nev., with the Marine Corps. While there are differences in the A and B model, both share stealth and fifth-generation technology that give them a killer edge on the battlefield.
Here’s how Weide describes it:
“Our first mission was offensive counter air and we were there to suppress enemy air defenses and as escorts for the fourth generation aircraft. I remember hearing on the radio all of the F-16 guys just (freaking out) and that’s what I used to know in the Viper… not being able to see what was going on and getting shot at left and right. Now, I’m up here. I’m calm. Nobody sees me and I see everything. I understand what is happening in the whole battlespace. I remember being amazed that in my first Red Flag mission that I was calm, because of how much information this thing gives me.”
That Red Flag experience gave all the pilots a chance to see a more tactical perspective on F-35 deployment. While with the Marine Corps, their flying and training in Yuma had been geared heavily toward close air support and strike coordination and reconnaissance missions.
“Because of that heavy CAS focus, the benefit in the exchange for us as pilots wasn’t really at the tactical level,” said Newman. “It was more at the strategic level, thing like learning the reality of Naval logistics, the constraints of operating from a boat without a lot of infrastructure.”
Over the summer, Ross, Newman and Weide, all moved to Hill AFB and returned to their native service in the 421st, 4th and 34th Fighter Squadrons respectively. Now that they’re back in the Air Force, they’re looking forward to more of that tactical F-35 employment in day-to-day training and being a touchpoint for future F-35A/B integration.
“It’s two different styles of aviation that have grown up in parallel. We do a lot of the same things, but in completely different ways,” Ross said. “But, now when we’re in a joint exercise or operation doing mission planning, and there’s a Marine sitting across the room, I can communicate with them and they’re going to know exactly what I’m talking about.”

[doge]

Footprint.
https://www.388fw.acc.af.mil/News/Artic ... -exercise/

Lightning Technician Program Airmen Complete Validation Exercise
By Staff Sergeant Thomas Barley, 388th Fighter Wing / Published November 22, 2021
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --
The 388th Maintenance Group completed a validation and verification exercise of its Lightning Technician Program last week.
The Lightning Technician Program (LTP) is a section within the 421st Fighter Generation Squadron that is comprised of 48 multi-capable Airmen from five different AFSCs.
LTP Airmen go through an 18-month training cycle in order to become qualified technicians with cross-functional capabilities. This cross-functional capability allows the 388th Fighter Wing to be more flexible in combat by increasing our ability to support operations with a smaller footprint.
“We have avionics technicians who are performing egress specialties and we have F-35 crew chiefs who are now fuel systems and low observable technicians,” said U.S. Air Force Captain Christopher McLeod, 421st FGS Director of Operations.

Additionally, at the basic level all LTP technicians are trained in Core 54 tasks. These core tasks allow all Airmen to become Multi-Capable by performing basic aircraft generation skills like servicing, launching, recovering and the pack out of aircraft regardless of their AFSC.
“We’re accelerating change, specifically in the realm of Agile Combat Employment and 5th Generation Multi-Capable Airmen”, said McLeod. “Our team has the ability to do approximately 70 percent of the capabilities that a main operating base affords but with a much smaller footprint.”

Similar to a deployed environment, Airmen were assigned to six F-35s with a sole focus on maintaining and generating these aircraft during the exercise. This afforded LTP techs the opportunity to exercise muscle movements they don’t use on a day-to-day basis.
Exercises like this afford the LTP section the ability to validate everything that they’ve done up to this point and allows them to understand where their stress points are for future operations.

After the week-long exercise McLeod says the team successfully generated 36 of 36 sorties, accomplished 79 cross-functional tasks, and demonstrated what a highly trained, multi-capable team can do, reducing a normal personnel footprint for a 6-ship by 50 percent.
“The data we get from this exercise allows us to strategically shift our training programs, refine our LTP constructs and define our overall composition in order to have the strongest possible team in a combat environment,” said McLeod

McLeod said the LTP team will exercise one more time before employing their capability at Red Flag with a 35% decrease in manning footprint compared to a traditional unit.
Red Flag is an advanced aerial combat training exercise that is organized at Nellis Air Force Base and hosted on the Nevada Test and Training Range.
“Our LTP Airmen are incredibly hard working, and mission focused” said McLeod. “Bottom line, our LTP program is exactly where it needs to be to take the 388th FW into the next fight: lethal and agile.”

[doge]

Going to Germany.
https://www.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Di ... o-germany/

Hill fighter wings deploy Airmen, F-35’s to Germany
Published Feb. 16, 2022 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs & U.S. Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Pilots, maintainers and support personnel from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing here deployed the F-35A Lightning II to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
The jets arrived at Spangdahlem today to bolster readiness, enhance NATO's collective defense posture and further increase air integration capabilities with Allied and Partner nations. The deployment is with the full cooperation of the German government.

“Our Airmen and aircraft were ready to go. I’m thankful for their hard work, and all of the support we received from Hill Air Force Base to get out the door,” said Col. Craig Andrle, 388th Fighter Wing commander. “This deployment proves we can provide our Air Force the capabilities of the F-35A anywhere in the world rapidly.”
The 388th Fighter Wing is the Air Force’s first active duty combat-capable F-35A Lighting II unit. The F-35 is America’s most advanced multirole fighter, which combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness. The aircraft are equipped for a variety of missions to deter aggression and defend Allies should deterrence fail.

“The deployment of U.S. F-35As to Spangdahlem Air Base increases the defensive posture of the NATO Alliance and enhances our ability to operate together,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, Commander U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa and Commander Allied Air Command. “We are facing a dynamic environment and this deployment significantly enhances our support to NATO’s defenses.”
In addition to the F-35A deployment to Spangdahlem Air Base, on Feb. 14, 2022, eight F-15Es from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., deployed to Lask, Poland, and six KC-135 Stratotankers from the 100th Aerial Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K., deployed to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
These deployments were conducted in full coordination with host nations and NATO military authorities, and although temporary in nature, they are prudent measures to increase readiness and enhance NATOs collective defense during this period of uncertainty.

Hill AFB is home to 78 F-35A Lightning IIs. The 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings are the Air Force's first combat-capable F-35A units, and fly and maintain the jet in a Total Force partnership, which capitalizes on the strength of both components.
“A group of Reserve F-35 pilots and maintainers have joined our active duty counterparts in a deployment to the region and stand ready to support increased security for our NATO allies," said Col. Matt Fritz, 419th Fighter Wing commander. "We train specifically for moments like these to answer the nation’s call in short order.”
This is the second time that the 388th and 419th have deployed to Spangdahlem. The first was part of a Theater Support Package in 2019.

[doge]

Hill's F-35s operated around Ukraine.
https://ksltv.com/485248/hill-afb-f-35s ... r-ukraine/
https://www.standard.net/news/military/ ... n-simmers/
https://ac.nato.int/archive/2022/us-f35 ... r-policing

Hill AFB F-35s deploy to Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions near Ukraine
Feb 24, 2022 BY CARY J. SCHWANITZ, KSL TV
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Six F-35 Lightning II jets from Utah’s Hill Air Force Base that deployed to Germany last week have now “forward-deployed” to NATO’s eastern flank near the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea the Air Force said Wednesday.
A news release said the aircraft moved from their original European operating location at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

They will support NATO’s “Enhanced Air Policing mission from forward operating locations at Estonia’s Amari Air Base, Lithuania’s Siauliai Air Base, and Romania’s Fetesti Air Base,” the release said.
“We are facing a dynamic environment, and the deployment of F-35s to NATO’s eastern flank enhances our defensive posture and amplifies the Alliance’s interoperability,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Force in Europe – Air Forces Africa commander.

Hill AFB sent planes, pilots, maintenance crews, and support personnel from the active-duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter wings on February 16.
“Our airmen and aircraft were ready to go. I’m thankful for their hard work, and all of the support we received from Hill Air Force Base to get out the door,” said Col. Craig Andrle, 388th Fighter Wing commander last week. “This deployment proves we can provide our Air Force the capabilities of the F-35A anywhere in the world rapidly.”

The news release said, “The F-35 provides unprecedented communication capabilities, command and control, and lethality for the combined and joint force. These capabilities afford NATO leaders the flexibility to project power and assert air dominance in highly contested environments.”
Hill AFB is home to 78 of the F-35A Lightning IIs.

https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-a ... to-europe/

US, NATO air forces mobilize as war comes to Europe
By Rachel S. Cohen and Stephen Losey Friday, Feb 25 2022
American and NATO air forces are bolstering their stance in Eastern Europe after Russia launched its opening gambit in a far-reaching invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.
The scope and speed of Russia’s military reach into the country has prompted Western officials to quickly decide on next steps, after weeks of vowing not to send reinforcements into Ukraine itself.
Six U.S. F-35A Lightning II fighter jets deployed from Germany to multiple countries on NATO’s eastern flank on Thursday for air policing flights in solidarity with the transatlantic alliance. They’ll disperse alongside F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle fighter jets across Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said.

The presence of the Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet signals a swift response if Russia expands its offensive outside Ukraine’s borders and into NATO countries. The F-35A can act as a quarterback to pass targeting information and other data between other U.S. and NATO fighters in the region, should the alliance need to react quickly to Russian aggression.
The six F-35As come after the Defense Department promised on Tuesday to send up to eight Lightning IIs that had arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany from Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
“Why are they in the Baltics? It’s assurance, deterrence and, quite frankly, I think they’ll do training as well, depending on how the situation evolves,” a senior F-35 official said Wednesday. Air Force Times is withholding their name because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

That training involves working out the kinks in sharing targeting data and other sensor information between the F-35A and European jets, they said. The official expects multiple types of fighters running tactics drills together to ensure everyone is up to speed.
“Europe’s going to have 500 F-35s. Only 50 of those are going to be U.S. airplanes at [RAF Lakenheath, England], give or take,” they said. “It has to be seamless with our partners.”
The F-35As are likely collecting information about activity in the surrounding area through their sensors as well, while avoiding being tracked themselves, the official added.

“They want to make sure that they’re communicating across the data links and sharing the right information. ‘Is this working? Are there any anomalies?’” the F-35 official said of training. “The other 50% of it is honing the tactics.”
The official doubts U.S. fighters would enter Ukrainian airspace or fire weapons.
They official estimated that about 200 people likely stayed at Spangdahlem while another 100 airmen moved farther east in a “hub-and-spoke” deployment intended to be more flexible in an emergency. That model keeps the bulk of military forces at an established installation like a brick-and-mortar base or an aircraft carrier, but sends a smaller group out to set up camp closer to the intended mission.

Among those headed to the potential front lines may be Hill’s specialized cadre of versatile maintainers who know all about fixing the jets, known as the Lightning Technician Program.
“I would expect them to retrograde back to [Germany] at some point because I don’t think they’re taking a lot of their spare parts and stuff with them,” the official said. “It’s a short duration, but they can tailor that however they want.”
The scenario and conditions are likely close to what the airmen have trained to face while at home, the source said.

“When you take a [fifth-generation] fighter, you’re certainly going to go to a prepared airfield,” they said, noting the troops may be living in tents at the Baltic bases. “The minimum requirements were water, shelter and fuel. Hopefully there’s weapons there if you had to reload.”
Lt. Col. Tyson Wetzel, an Air Force intelligence officer and military strategist currently serving as an Atlantic Council fellow, said in an online briefing late Wednesday the force the United States and NATO has amassed in Eastern Europe is enough to give Russian President Vladimir Putin pause before expanding a military campaign beyond Ukraine.
Russian jets early Thursday took out military facilities and surface-to-air missile launchers that protect Ukraine from overhead attack, allowing them to patrol the skies so their ground and naval forces can move around the country more freely.

The opening moves of the Russian air campaign likely aimed to sever military units’ ties to their commanders — “cut the head off of the snake, if you will,” Wetzel said. Interrupting Ukrainian troops’ access to command, their leaders’ control, and communications more broadly can hurt their ability to slow Russia’s advance.
Experts said ahead of the invasion the air defense systems were perhaps the most vulnerable aspect of Ukraine’s military protection.
“The United States set the tone for this type of attack in 1991 in the opening hours of [Operation] Desert Storm,” Wetzel said. “It is a methodology that still works today.”

Russia could control Ukraine’s skies within 48 to 72 hours as a precursor to “softening up resistance to allow for the ground invasion,” Wetzel projected.
“The Ukrainian Air Force, which is small and has some older aircraft, but is still a very capable, professional force, I’m sure they will rise to meet some of the Russian aircraft,” he added, predicting air-to-air combat between the two nations will ensue.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and NATO declined to comment directly on reports of possible aerial dogfighting between Ukrainian and Russian jets.

If Putin successfully annexes the entire country, NATO countries would comprise nearly all of Russia’s western border — boosting the risk of cross-border confrontation that could draw the alliance’s 30 countries into a fight.
Since the 2014 invasion of Crimea, the military has sought to bolster infrastructure in Europe that would allow it to deter or quickly respond to Russian aggression. The Air Force, in particular, has funded construction at NATO bases so it can more easily deploy aircraft to Eastern Europe.
But despite years of renewed focus there, progress remains piecemeal.

The American F-35As arriving at Amari Air Base in Estonia will find a new tactical fighter aircraft parking apron and taxiway, built to allow the base to support the F-35, as well as the Air Force’s other fighter aircraft and the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack plane.
Those projects and others across the continent were paid for by the European Deterrence Initiative, a pot of Pentagon funding set aside for NATO-related infrastructure improvements.
Upgrades to Amari’s parking apron, hazardous cargo pad, dorm building and squadron operations facility are all complete, USAFE said in an email Thursday, and improvements to its refueling infrastructure are slated to wrap up within the next year.

Other construction projects are further behind.
At Kecskemet Air Base in Hungary, jobs to improve fuel storage, taxiway construction and other infrastructure to accommodate F-15s, A-10s and C-5s “were paused for several months due to a hold on funding,” USAFE said. The Air Force hopes to gather industry bids on the work this summer.
A parking apron expansion at Malacky Air Base in Slovakia, meant to accommodate A-10s and F-15s, is moving forward after the country signed a military treaty with the U.S. this month. Designs were on hold for a year, but are now being “refreshed,” USAFE said, with a construction contract award to come.

Another project to build a new taxiway at Rygge Air Station in Norway is on hold, USAFE said. The service hopes it can revive the project in a later year.
Other possible plans for new builds are too early in the process to tell whether the Air Force will move forward with finding contractors.
To reduce its reliance on brick-and-mortar installations, the Air Force in 2016 began pursuing “base-in-a-box” kits — formally known as “Deployable Air Base System-Facilities, Equipment and Vehicles” (DABS) kits. Ideally, the kits would include the essentials for airmen in Europe to respond to Russia on short notice.

But in 2019, an inspector general report said management problems hampered the DABS program and put it considerably behind schedule. The initial plan was to construct the first storage facility by 2019, but the IG found it wouldn’t be ready until 2022.
The project has stalled further since then. USAFE said the first DABS project was designed to be placed in Sanem, Luxembourg, a central storage and logistics station, but the work was deferred due to lack of funds.
The money has since been restored, USAFE said, and the Air Force aims to award a contract for the project in the next year.

Other DABS kits are planned for Campia Turzii, Romania, which hosts American MQ-9 Reaper drones, and other bases that await revised kit designs and construction bids.
“Assuring our allies that we’re there with them is No. 1,” the senior F-35 official said. “Hopefully, that assurance will also lead to deterrence, or at least the Russians may think twice.”

https://www.airforcemag.com/us-air-forc ... ce-stalls/

US Air Force Discusses Tactics with Ukrainian Air Force as Russian Advance Stalls
March 2, 2022 | By Abraham Mahshie
U.S. and NATO intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets on NATO’s eastern flank are providing tactical information to the Ukrainian Air Force as new air defense assistance arrives inside Ukraine, though the U.S. is being careful to avoid steps that might be seen as escalatory, a defense official told Air Force Magazine.


ISR and Air Defense Assistance
“Ukraine needs additional deliveries of weapons, especially for our Air Force, now, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on March 3.
A defense official who spoke to Air Force Magazine on the condition of anonymity said the U.S. Air Force and NATO are conducting “a lot” of tactical-level discussions with the Ukrainian Air Force.
Earlier in the day, DOD confirmed that the air space over Ukraine remains contested with Ukrainian aircraft and air defenses still viable.
The ISR shared with the Ukrainian Air Force by the United States and NATO includes NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) data and data gathered by AWACS in NATO eastern flank air space as well as by satellites, radar systems, and radio and communications. The data is being used to help the Ukrainian Air Force develop an air picture of what’s flying and where, the official said.
Roughly 25 KC-135 and KC-10 refuelers from the United States, Turkey, and the Netherlands are supporting the effort, the defense official confirmed.
The U.S. Air Force is also sharing sensor data picked up by some 30 American fighter jets, including F-15s, F-16s, F-18s, and F 35s, operating on air policing missions on the NATO eastern flank.

[doge]

Agile Combat Employment.
https://www.minneapolis.afrc.af.mil/New ... -savannah/

419th validates Agile Combat Employment during Sentry Savannah
Published May 13, 2022 By Senior Airman Erica Webster 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Air Force reservists in the 419th Fighter Wing are simulating a futuristic, fast-paced deployment using new techniques during Sentry Savannah, a large military exercise that kicked off here May 2.
Hosted by the Air National Guard’s Air Dominance Center, Sentry Savannah is a total force integrated exercise that showcases the nation’s fourth- and fifth-generation fighter aircraft, testing the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated deployed environment and training the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrow’s fight.

The exercise, which runs through May 13, has assessed 419th FW Airmen on their ability to rapidly deploy and process fighter aircraft, equipment, cargo and personnel, while maintaining mission readiness at their home station at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
For F-35A Lightning II pilots in the wing’s 466th Fighter Squadron, Sentry Savannah allowed them to practice and evaluate their air dominance capabilities in a simulated near-peer environment using high-level air-to-air combat exercises.

“This is a very important exercise for us,” said Col. Matthew Fritz, 419th FW commander. “The reason being is that we’re here trying to give proof to the concept of what is called ACE.”
Agile Combat Employment is a deployment concept that involves the use of multiple forward operating bases versus operating out of one or two main airfields during deployments. This showcases the Air Force’s operational edge by demonstrating the adaptability and rapid mobilization of combat sorties from locations with limited resources and personnel.

“Moving the wing across the country to a location separate from the main operating base gives us an opportunity to ensure that we know exactly what we need to operate from another location autonomously,” said Maj. Michael Oldenborg, an F-35 pilot with the 466th FS. “We’re not relying on any of the equipment down here in Savannah. We brought everything down here with us as if we were in a forward deployment combat location.”
At the core of the ACE concept are Multi-Capable Airmen, or MCA, trained to accomplish tasks outside their designated career field. This enables the unit to efficiently employ rapid mobilization and generation of aircraft and personnel while maintaining a smaller footprint of resources in a variety of environments.

“If we deploy to the Pacific or another region, we want to keep our footprint small to reduce the chance of a crippling attack,” said 2nd Lt. Colby Cole, officer in charge of the 466th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. “In a combat environment, we can’t always take everyone with us. So not only will some Airmen have to be a crew chief, they’ll also need to know how to handle other maintenance functions, like fueling or ammo.”
The first iteration of the MCA concept for the 419th FW began during the March drill weekend with eight Airmen from the 419th Maintenance Group learning tasks and duties associated with the launch and recovery of the F-35.

“Being around aircraft can be difficult and overwhelming, so the goal is to build to the point where we have our Airmen feel confident and capable in completing these new tasks,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jake Lewis, accessories flight chief in the 419th AMXS. “We put together a solid team of Airmen to bring down here (to Savannah) and I couldn’t be more proud of what they’re accomplishing.”
The environment at Sentry Savannah enables Airmen to have one-on-one mentorship experiences with Airmen in various specialty roles, ensuring they understand the skills and responsibilities involved. Gaining insight in this simulated deployed environment allows Airmen to bring their new knowledge back to home station where they can then build on that experience.

Through participation in this exercise, the 419th FW is gaining critical insight into the logistics that will characterize future deployments. The experience will allow them to more efficiently execute the wing’s mission of deploying combat-ready Citizen Airmen, ensuring air superiority with the F-35.
“It’s extremely important for us to prove our ACE capabilities,” Fritz said. “That is the fight of the future.”