F-35 Lightning II News

December 26, 2017 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing was selected after being one of the five Air National Guard sites to be considered for the new F-35 Lightning II jet. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson announced this on on Thursday.
“I am thrilled and very pleased that the 187th Fighter Wing has been chosen as the home for the new F-35 fighter jet,” Governor Ivey said at a news conference. “This announcement is huge for the River Region, it is huge for Alabama and is certainly a welcome gift for us as we approach Christmas. The decision to send the F-35 to Montgomery is a testament to the quality of our people and our workforce, and further cements Alabama’s reputation as the leading aerospace state in the nation.”

The F-35A is a 5th Generation fighter jet that combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three variants of the F-35 will replace legacy fighters for the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and 10 other countries around the world. According to the Air Force, the F-35A will replace the Air Force’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years.”

The 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard currently includes a squadron of F-16 fighter jets, a combat communications group, an RC-26 reconnaissance aircraft squadron, and an eagle vision unit. The 187th was one of five Air National Guard units on the short list to receive the F-35.

Once production is concluded, the 187th Fighter Wing will receive the F-35 to replace its F-16 jets, the culmination of a two-year recruiting process. The project means $3 billion in investment and the addition of 1,000 jobs in the coming years.

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