Photo By 2nd Lt. Chad Dixon | An F-35A Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah taxis on the flightline at Naval...... read more read more
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Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas – The 301st Fighter Wing received its first F-35A Lightning II at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, on Aug. 8. This arrival marked a new era in air power for the unit and Air Force Reserve Command.
In 2021, the wing was selected to become AFRC’s first stand-alone F-35 wing responsible for owning, maintaining and operating the F-35A mission. The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter and will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness and reduced vulnerability for the U.S. and allied nations.
"The arrival of the F-35 marks a new chapter for the 301st Fighter Wing," said Col. Benjamin R. Harrison, 301st Fighter Wing commander. "While it replaces our aging fleet of F-16s and introduces the most technologically advanced fighter into the wing – none of this would be possible without the dedication and professionalism of our Airmen, civilians, and contractors, or the outstanding support of our community partners."
The wing received two F-35s as part of a broader plan to equip the unit with a total of 26 F-35s. This phased approach ensures a smooth transition as the wing integrates the new aircraft into its operations.
"Today's arrival of F-35s is part of a scheduled plan to receive all the aircraft over the next 12-15 months," said Harrison. "As we continue to receive aircraft and transition into sustainable operations, we will leverage opportunities to increase all of our Airmen’s F-35 competencies and proficiencies.”
During the integration of the new platform, the wing will focus on building the necessary competencies and proficiencies among its personnel to ensure the highest level of combat readiness.
Harrison explained, "Our initial cadre of pilots and maintainers are formally trained F-35 Airmen and were hand-selected to lead the F-35 conversion and we are excited to usher in a new era of combat capability for the wing, AFRC, and the Air Force.”
The wing’s history began during World War II with the P-47N Thunderbolt and most recently included the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which served as the wing’s reliable workhorse from 1992 until its divestment in 2023. The F-35 beddown process began with the planning and consideration process in 2016 and is projected to span until 2026 when the last F-35 arrives. Now, the F-35 replaces the F-16 and drives forward the 301 FW legacy. As the 301 FW integrates the F-35, the wing will continue its mission to train and deploy combat-ready airmen.
For more information, please contact the 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs office at (817) 782-7170 or 301fw.pa@us.af.mil.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.15.2024 10:35 |
| Story ID: | 478680 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, 301st Fighter Wing Receives First F-35, by Nije Hightower, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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