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First F-35 Lightning II arrives at Luke AFB
Maj. Justin Robinson, 61st FS assistant director of operations, flies the 56th OG flagship F-16C block 25 #84-1297 as he escorts Luke's first F-35 to the base for its arrival on March 10th, 2014. The F-35 was flown by Col. Roderick Cregier, an F-35 test pilot stationed at Edwards AFB. The jet is the first of 144 F-35s that will eventually be assigned to Luke. [USAF photo by Jim Hazeltine]
Mar 11, 2014 - Escorted by two F-16s, Luke AFB's first F-35 Lightning II arrived a little after 11.00h on March 10, 2014 from the Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Texas. [Read more...]
F-35: New fighter creates new culture for 21st Century and beyond
USAF Lt. Col Eric Smith pilots Lockheed Martin F-35A #08-0747 from NAS Fort Worth on the ferry flight to Eglin AFB on July 14th, 2011. [Lockheed Martin photo]
Sep 26, 2013 - She didn't have a smudge on her. Not a leak found anywhere. She even had that "new jet smell." Skies were blue, everything was perfect. [Read more...]
AETC declares Eglin ready for F-35 training
Two F-35A Lightning IIs from the 33rd FW soar over Eglin AFB's range during the unit’s first joint strike fighter formation flight on April 10th, 2012. Lt. Col. Eric Smith, 58th FS director of operations, flew the lead aircraft while Marine Maj. Joseph Bachmann, Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 aircraft maintenance officer, flew wingman. [USAF photo by Capt. Ryan Seymour]
Dec 17, 2012 - Following an independent evaluation of Eglin's capability to conduct F-35A Lightning II pilot training, Air Education and Training Command announced Dec. 17 that the 33rd Fighter Wing can do so starting January 2013. [Read more...]
F-35A reaches 'huge milestone' in program development
Lockheed Martin test pilot Al Norman flew F-35A AF-20 (USAF serial no: 09-5007) on its inaugural flight on August 6th, 2012 from NAS Fort Worth. [Photo by Carl Richards]
Sep 09, 2012 - Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation on September 10, an instrumental step in beginning Joint Strike Fighter pilot and maintenance training for the service. [Read more...]
Eglin launches first F-35 sortie
The F-35A Lightning II JSF lifts off for its first training sortie on March 6th, 2012 at Eglin AFB. It’s the first flight of any 33rd FW F-35 since their arrival to the base. [USAF photo by Randy Gon]
Mar 07, 2012 - No matter what uniform they wear, service members of the 33rd Fighter Wing know the launch of the first F-35 Lightning II flight on March 6 is a small step into the next half century of air dominance. [Read more...]
Air Force celebrates F-35 arrival
The first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter to arrive to the 33rd FW was on display during the aircraft’s official rollout ceremony on August 26th, 2011 at Eglin AFB. [USAF photo by Samuel King Jr.]
Aug 29, 2011 - An official unveiling of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter was labelled as a "historic occasion" by Air Force officials hosting the ceremony August 26 at the 33rd Fighter Wing. [Read more...]
First Air Force F-35 pilot part of aviation history
The Air Force’s first joint strike fighter pilot, Lt. Col. Eric Smith, of the 58th FS, taxis his squadron’s newest aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, to its new home at Eglin AFB on July 14th, 2011. [USAF photo by Samuel King Jr.]
Aug 01, 2011 - With the arrival of the joint strike fighter, the military continues setting the historic milestones for the worldwide aviation industry in preparing the first F-35 Lightning II pilots. [Read more...]
Luke pilots selected to be first F-35 instructors
Lt. Col. Stephen Pieper, 310th FS director of operations, holds a model of the F-35 Lightning II on January 21st, 2009. Colonel Pieper, along with Maj. Chad Lewis, was selected to be part of the initial cadre to fly the Joint Strike Fighter. The two will be part of the 10 initial instructors in the F-35 program and will be responsible for training all subsequent instructors in the Air Force's newest fighter aircraft. [USAF photo by SSgt. Ian Dean]
Jan 23, 2009 - Two Airmen of Luke Air Force Base's F-16 Fighting Falcon family were selected Jan. 9 to become the initial cadre for the F-35 Lightning II. [Read more...]
Task Force readies Eglin AFB for JSF mission
F-35 Lightning II ninth flight - March 13th, 2007 [LMTAS photo]
Sep 27, 2007 - The next generation of fighter aircraft is slated to arrive at Eglin AFB in less than three years and the base is getting ready. [Read more...]
33rd Fighter Wing gains F-35 training mission
JSF AA-1 back in the main hangar. [LMTAS photo]
Aug 10, 2006 - The mission of training new Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers is moving to the 33rd Fighter Wing, Air Force officials announced. [Read more...]
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