USAF decided to bed down 59 F-35s at Eglin AFB

The USAF has decided to bed down 59 F-35s at Eglin AFB, Florida. See Air Force Link -

Not so much, the residents don't like it so the AF is looking elsewhere.

Not so much, the residents don't like it so the AF is looking elsewhere.

F-35s will go to Eglin despite noise protests

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/02/airforce_f35_eglin_020609w/

The Air Force is going ahead with plans to locate the joint F-35 Lightning II school house at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., service officials said Friday.

While the school was expected to be at Eglin, the Air Force did not make the selection official until Friday. The decision was stalled because of protests from some communities near Eglin where noise levels from the F-35 were projected to reach up to 90 decibels.

Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, who oversees the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office and will become Eglin’s senior officer in April, said Friday that ongoing noise measurements of F-35s should show the jets are not as loud as earlier evaluations found. Davis conceded the jets are louder than the F-15 Eagles they’ll replace at Eglin’s 33rd Fighter Wing.

Salute

The current plan is to use the looooong rwy [shuttle-approved] that is really close to the ramp currently used by the Nomad Eagles, and being expanded for the JSF training wing. The airlines like it the best, as well.

I can tell you that ninety-five percent of the Eagles use that long runway, and the one that bugs the local natives most is primarily used by the Test Wing folks. And when they do IT IS REALLY LOUD. The short runway will be used for landings mostly, and that will be due to either crosswinds or weather.

The big problem with the noise is not simply the decibels. It's the increased number of sorties that the training wing will fly compared to the present fighter wing there. So you multiply the noise times the number of flights and you have more "time" that's it's noisy.

The good news here is that we have a great USAF Reserve base just a few miles away, plus Hurlburt, plus an outlying field being improved for the training. The ranges are really, really close, about what we had at England AFB where we could raise the gear and call "downwind" for the first pass. We have lots less civilian traffic than Phoenix. So this is a good place for training in a multi-role jet.
+++++++++++++++

The current plan is about sixty JSF planes, then maybe some more. I have a gut feeling that Luke will get the second training wing, and we won't see more than the original sixty jets here at Eglin.

The Luke community has already been lobbying USAF to "serve". With the low Raptor training requirement, and decreasing Eagle training, Luke wants to have some business continue there.

Gums sends ...

Gums, any word on how this will affect the 33rd? One of the original plans I had heard (probably just rumors and propaganda) was that the 33rd would switch to AETC, become the F-35 training wing, and their Eagles would be put out to pasture. Now, that all seems to be just a bunch of talk.

If the 33rd doesn't get Raptors (which I don't think they will), then I would imagine that they'd simply stand down at the same time as their Eagles. Unless they are planning on having an operational Lightning unit right next to the school house? That's the way DM works with A-10s and Seymour with the Mudhens.

Salute

Dunno for sure, TC.

Will try to get out there and ask one of the troops.

Looks to me that the Nomads are gonna be Nomads once again.

Will check back when I get some firm intell or even rumor, heresay, innuendo.

Gums...

It's to be an equal mix of As, Bs and Cs

Can anyone elaborate on the general ratio of combat coded jets, fleet spares, training and weapon testing to the total force? In other words, say you have 400 jets in a fleet, how many would be combat coded or PAA to front line squadrons, how many for training, testing etc.?

Thanks,
BDF

Can anyone elaborate...

I guess somebody could, but right now, my picture of Big Brother is showing me a sign that says "My boot...Your @$$". He doesn't have a very happy look on his face, either...so I'd better stay quiet.

Salute

The current plan is to use the looooong rwy [shuttle-approved] that is really close to the ramp currently used by the Nomad Eagles, and being expanded for the JSF training wing. The airlines like it the best, as well.

I can tell you that ninety-five percent of the Eagles use that long runway, and the one that bugs the local natives most is primarily used by the Test Wing folks. And when they do IT IS REALLY LOUD. The short runway will be used for landings mostly, and that will be due to either crosswinds or weather.

The big problem with the noise is not simply the decibels. It's the increased number of sorties that the training wing will fly compared to the present fighter wing there. So you multiply the noise times the number of flights and you have more "time" that's it's noisy.

The good news here is that we have a great USAF Reserve base just a few miles away, plus Hurlburt, plus an outlying field being improved for the training. The ranges are really, really close, about what we had at England AFB where we could raise the gear and call "downwind" for the first pass. We have lots less civilian traffic than Phoenix. So this is a good place for training in a multi-role jet.
+++++++++++++++

The current plan is about sixty JSF planes, then maybe some more. I have a gut feeling that Luke will get the second training wing, and we won't see more than the original sixty jets here at Eglin.

The Luke community has already been lobbying USAF to "serve". With the low Raptor training requirement, and decreasing Eagle training, Luke wants to have some business continue there.

Gums sends ...

Gums, your country needs you again to help lead the first operational fielded squadron of a new single engine USAF jet.

Can anyone elaborate...

I guess somebody could, but right now, my picture of Big Brother is showing me a sign that says "My boot...Your @$$". He doesn't have a very happy look on his face, either...so I'd better stay quiet.

Boo!

BDF

Yeah, sorry BDF...I know some people around here must think I'm some sort of paranoid, conspiracy nut, but when people start questioning things like aircraft numbers, and manpower numbers, etc. and so forth, it gets my attention quickly.

A lot of times, it is legitimately an innocent question, but then that question starts turning into a little piece of info here, and there.

While it might not mean a helluva lot to those of us who are just swapping "war stories", it might mean a lot to some bad guy in East Bejeezus who needs those pieces of the puzzle to do his dirty work.

Anyway, I digress...Back

Yes, Gums, reach into the corner of your closet, and pull out the green bags. One of the first to fly the Viper and the -35 would be the ultimate post-retirement gig...just despite what every golfer on Myrtle Beach will tell you!

So, TC - Just how many birds can a C-17 engine ingest before it finally fails? Did you make sure the 11 secret herbs and spices were properly applied prior to the sacrificial bird went into the engine, sacrificing itself to be a KFC air freshener? Have you finally paid back the Coca Cola company for the destruction of its vending machine ???

Gums! Time to mount up in the F-35 so you can give us all a proper review comparing and contrasting early block F-16 and F-35 aircraft

Next F-35 training squadron to be located at Eglin AFB
09 May 2019 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

"ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The Air Force announced May 9 Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the preferred alternative to receive an additional F-35A Lighting II training squadron. Eglin AFB was the location of the F-35 initial joint training site hosting Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps F-35s. The Marine Corps relocated its F-35Bs in 2014 and the Navy announced its plans to relocate F-35Cs in 2019.

“By basing the next F-35A training squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, we are taking advantage of existing facilities and training air space,” said Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson.

Additional F-35As are expected to begin arriving in the fall of 2021. The new squadron is expected to reach full operational capability by spring 2023.

“The F-35 is a game-changer with its unprecedented combination of lethality, survivability and adaptability,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. “Bringing this new training squadron to Eglin (AFB) allows us to expand Fifth Generation fighter training so we can dominate in any conflict.”

Eglin AFB will only receive the additional F-35 training unit if the F-22 Raptor formal training unit temporarily operating at Eglin AFB is permanently moved to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

In March, the Air Force acknowledged plans to move the F-22 training unit to JB Langley-Eustis, pending the outcome of the National Environmental Policy Act and other regulatory and planning processes. This F-35 basing action is also dependent on completing the environmental analysis."

Source: https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display ... eglin-afb/

Next F-35 training squadron to be located at Eglin AFB
09 May 2019 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

"ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The Air Force announced May 9 Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the preferred alternative to receive an additional F-35A Lighting II training squadron. Eglin AFB was the location of the F-35 initial joint training site hosting Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps F-35s. The Marine Corps relocated its F-35Bs in 2014 and the Navy announced its plans to relocate F-35Cs in 2019.

“By basing the next F-35A training squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, we are taking advantage of existing facilities and training air space,” said Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson.

Additional F-35As are expected to begin arriving in the fall of 2021. The new squadron is expected to reach full operational capability by spring 2023.

“The F-35 is a game-changer with its unprecedented combination of lethality, survivability and adaptability,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. “Bringing this new training squadron to Eglin (AFB) allows us to expand Fifth Generation fighter training so we can dominate in any conflict.”

Eglin AFB will only receive the additional F-35 training unit if the F-22 Raptor formal training unit temporarily operating at Eglin AFB is permanently moved to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

In March, the Air Force acknowledged plans to move the F-22 training unit to JB Langley-Eustis, pending the outcome of the National Environmental Policy Act and other regulatory and planning processes. This F-35 basing action is also dependent on completing the environmental analysis."

Source: https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display ... eglin-afb/

Not a certainty that this will eventually happen. The NEPA/EIS process could be contentious especially since there is still a group of politically active locals not happy with engine noise.