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  • New aircraft coming to Hill AFB to support fighter training mission

    HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Residents in the local community will see new aircraft regularly flying to and from the base as a handful of F-5 Advanced Tiger fighters arrived Sept. 28 to train alongside F-35A Lightning IIs from the 388th Fighter Wing.The Air Force recently awarded Tactical Air Support

  • Resilience in keeping the mission alive

    In the sweltering heat of the Florida sun, a tall six-foot-two-inch Airman walks down the flightline at Tyndall Air Force Base. With silver-framed glasses and a green reflective belt adorned with a cobra snake proudly displaying his squadron’s initials, MXS, he runs his hand down the side of an

  • Tyndall's LO Airmen protect F-35 stealth capabilities

    The 325th Maintenance Squadron low observable maintenance unit plays a crucial role in maintaining F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Tyndall, ensuring its stealth features stay ready via four major means: visual, infrared, audio and radar.

  • USAF, RAAF demonstrate interoperability in austere location

    U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptors assigned to Air Combat Command 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron conducted hot pit refuels alongside Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 75th Squadron at RAAF Base Curtin, Australia.

  • ACC Command Team visits the Installation of the Future

    Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, Chief Master Sgt. David Wolfe, ACC command chief, and their spouses, visited Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 21-22, 2024, to gain direct insight into the 325th Fighter Wing’s mission transition and installation rebuild.

  • ACC Commander: Dominance in electromagnetic spectrum is not optional

    The Crows of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing welcomed the Air Combat Command leadership team and their spouses to Eglin Air Force Base, recently, where they saw firsthand the wing’s role in providing joint and coalition partners with electromagnetic warfare (EW) capabilities needed to dominate the

  • 388th, 419th Fighter Wings aim to boost readiness, align training

    The active duty 388th and reserve 419th Fighter Wings from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, joined forces to complete the largest integrated off-station F-35A Lightning II exercise in their history, while they work toward synched deployment planning and training.

  • Florida Air Force Reserve group returns to the Tyndall skies

    The 44th Fighter Group, Air Force Reserve, conducted their first flying Unit Training Assembly at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, April 6, 2024, since returning to Tyndall. This training proved valuable for the pilots and maintainers by giving them hands-on experience with F-35A Lightning II’s and

  • Red Flag-Nellis 24-2: shaping the future of air combat

    Red Flag 24-2 presented a prime opportunity to forge pathways for collaboration with joint services and NATO countries. It showcased the cutting-edge capabilities of fifth-generation F-35 Lightning IIs and sophisticated threat replication techniques. U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps

  • 95th FS and FGS complete first training deployment

    Airmen from the 95th Fighter Squadron and Fighter Generation Squadron recently executed their first F-35A Lightning training deployment to Truax Field, Wisconsin Air National Guard Base, March 1-16, 2024.

  • F-35 Demo Team announces new pilot and commander

    U.S. Air Force Capt. Melanie “MACH” Kluesner, an F-35A Lightning II pilot assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron, became the new certified pilot and commander of the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team during the Air Combat Command Heritage Flight Training Course at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,

  • Bamboo Eagle’s scale provides valuable lessons for Hill Airmen

    Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings deployed with the 421st Fighter Squadron and Fighter Generation Squadron recently returned from Bamboo Eagle, a week-long exercise that took place over expanses of the western United States and eastern Pacific Ocean. 

  • 388th Fighter Wing and RAAF integrate F-35A maintenance at Red Flag 24-1

    Maintainers from the 388th Fighter Wing, 421st Fighter Generation Squadron, and 3 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) recently joined forces at Red Flag 24-1, at Nellis Air Force Base, for bilateral maintenance training centered around the F-35A. The primary objective was to allow both

  • Team Tyndall advances combat capabilities with F-35 munitions training

    The 325th Fighter Wing recently performed a Rehearsal of Capabilities drill, Airmen from the 325th Munitions Squadron, 95th Fighter Squadron and the 95th Fighter Generation Squadron prepared, loaded and deployed simulated munitions from the F-35A Lightning II for the first time since the aircraft

  • AF Year in Photos

    This year's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This annual feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Restoring an F-35A Lightning II: A collaborative endeavor

    F-35 maintenance experts here are taking on a seemingly impossible task – stitching two mishap damaged aircraft together to a fully operational F-35A Lightning II. Led by the F-35 Joint Program Office, the project requires a “dream team” from the JPO, the 388th Fighter Wing, the Ogden Air Logistics

  • Hill AFB fighter wings deploy Airmen, F-35As to Japan

    This week, Active duty and Reserve Airmen from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings here deployed the F-35A Lightning II to Kadena Air Base, Japan, as part of an effort to assure allies and deter threats to stability in the Pacific region. 

  • 388th and 419th FW airman return to Hill following Middle East deployment

    Pilots, maintainers, and support personnel from the U.S. Air Force’s 388th Fighter Wing and U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 419th Fighter Wing have returned to Hill Air Force Base after completing their deployment of the F-35A Lightning II to U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility (AOR) throughout

  • SERE-iously prepared for every situation

    The two-man SERE team from the 325th Operations Support Squadron Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape is new to Tyndall, but not unfamiliar to operational fighter wings across the Air Force. As the “Installation of the Future” continues to evolve into a fully combat-capable F-35A Lightning II

  • Long awaited F-35 aircraft touch down at Tyndall

    As the Air Force continues to evolve by modernizing its capabilities and maintaining air superiority in an ever-changing global security landscape, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida has officially transitioned from an air dominance training mission to a fully combat capable F-35A Lightning II fighter

  • AFMC innovation team revolutionizes stealth fighter fleet

    In the latest successes of an innovation project developed by a team of Edwards Air Force Base’s test pilots, software developers from the 309th Software Engineering Group and the Air Combat Command Federal Laboratory, an F-35A Lightning II recently took flight with a complement of software

  • New Mission, New Equipment

    The 325th Fighter Wing has begun the process of acquiring new aerospace ground equipment in preparation for the incoming F-35A Lightning II mission. With new equipment ready to go, the 95th Fighter Generation Squadron will continue the checker tail legacy of projecting unrivaled combat airpower with

  • Sharing the love and thunder: F-35A Lightning Mission

    In preparation for the incoming F-35A Lightning II fighter mission, local civic leaders and Airmen from Team Tyndall had the unique opportunity to tour the Lockheed Martin F-35 production facility in Fort Worth Dallas, Texas, April 26, 2023. No matter the installation, community support is vital to

  • Israeli Air Force Adir participates in Red Flag for first time

    The Israeli Air Force returned to Nellis Air Force Base to participate in Red Flag 23-2, this time with its F-35I Adir. The large-scale exercise took place from March 13 to 24, challenging participants to adapt to and overcome complex, multi-domain scenarios, all while up against Nellis’

  • Meet the 2023 Air Combat Command Demonstration Team Pilots

    Air Combat Command recently announced the 2023 ACC demonstration team pilots. Throughout a nine-month air show season, the single-ship demo teams travel across the United States to connect with the American public and veterans. The teams highlight Air Combat Command’s combat capabilities through

  • Training in the load barn vital for weapons troops

    There is a barn on Hill Air Force Base that houses things weighing thousands of pounds that can maim an untrained person in many ways if they do not move safely and efficiently. Called the “load barn,” it is owned by the men and women of the 388th Logistics Support Squadron’s Weapons Standardization

  • Lightning within [F-35]

    325th Fighter Wing leadership along with Airmen from across the installation toured the Lockheed Martin F-35 facility in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 20, 2022. Col. George Watkins, 325th FW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Wayne Sharp, 325th FW command chief, thought this would be a great opportunity for

  • T-38s, F-35s sync for pilot training

    The 2d Fighter Training Squadron and the 61st Fighter Squadron, stationed at Luke AFB, Arizona, traveled to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, to conduct the capstone for student pilots in the F-35A Lightning II basic course, Sept. 12-23, 2022.

  • Tyndall ROCs and rolls with future flight line construction rehearsal

    With the largest rebuild in Air Force history well underway, the 325th Fighter Wing, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center are ensuring the nearly $5 billion project goes to plan. “The end goal is to rebuild Tyndall and

  • 388th FW sends F-35s to large-force joint integration exercise

    Hill's 388th Fighter Wing will participate in a four-day interoperability exercise at Whiteman Air Force Base involving active duty, guard and reserve fighter, bomber, refueling and support units from across the country. Exercise Agile Tiger is designed to meet training objectives consisting of

  • 388th OSS exploring agile communications options for F-35A

    The flow of information is critical in any war-time environment, and space and cyber capabilities almost completely dominate that arena for modern militaries. The 388th Fighter Wing’s Operations Support Squadron cyber Airmen are currently exploring high-speed communications options to support F-35A

  • Airmen hand-paint F-35s for high-tech stealth

    With stealth designed in from Day One, the F-35 has an unmatched ability to evade enemy detection and enter contested airspace. The F-35’s aligned edges, reduced engine signature, internal carriage of weapons and fuel and embedded sensors all contribute to its unique stealth performance.

  • 388th OSS enhancing combat capability by taking on F-35A software

    Communications Airmen in the 388th Operations Support Squadron recently completed a combat training exercise successfully testing the first all-military support for the F-35A Lightning II’s Autonomic Logistics Information System. In the 388th Fighter Wing, the job of creating the first Air Force

  • Lightning Technician Program Airmen Complete Validation Exercise

    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

  • 388th MUNS tailors munitions course to F-35A

    Airmen in the 388th Fighter Wing have created the first combat-coded F-35A Combat Munitions Training course to keep ammo troops familiar with every weapon in the Lightning II’s arsenal. The 388th Munitions Squadron is responsible for receiving, storing, building and transporting weapons to the

  • An inside look at F-35 pilot helmet fittings

    Reservists in the 419th Operations Support Squadron play a crucial role to ensure the safety of pilots assigned to the 419th Fighter Wing, the Air Force Reserve’s only combat-capable F-35 unit. “We are responsible for maintaining and repairing pilot gear to ensure everything is in proper working

  • Nellis AFB to become 5th Generation Center of Excellence

    The Department of the Air Force announced plans today to make space for a larger fighter presence at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, by realigning the base’s close air support and rescue missions to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, starting in fiscal year 2022.

  • ACC A2 Airman emitting ‘accelerate change’

    The foundational purpose of a threat emitter is to replicate a surface-to-air missile system, designed to track, shoot and guide a missile to the target aircraft. While on the pilot’s side, their aircraft are equipped with sensors to detect SAM systems and alert the pilot to the threat type,

  • F-35 Demo Team meets F135 Engine Team

    Members of the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team visited Tinker Air Force Base to meet and thank the men and women of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex Heavy Maintenance Center for their work on the F135 engine that powers their aircraft.

  • 4th Fighter Squadron enhances interoperability during Atlantic Trident 21

    U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft and Airmen from the 4th Fighter Squadron, compromised of active duty Airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing and reservists from the 419th FW, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, are participating in Atlantic Trident taking place at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base,

  • For the Warfighter: Operational Test advances at NE21

    As Northern Edge 21 concludes, the 53rd Wing is returning home having achieved major test objectives for multiple weapons systems May 3-14, 2021. In addition to F-15EX deep end testing and B-52 long-range kill chain milestones for hypersonic weapons, the 53d Wing’s F-35s, MQ-9s, F-15Cs and F-15Es,

  • Reserve Airman makes history with innovative Project FoX/F-35 development

    For the first time ever, Air Force personnel livestreamed F-35 data directly from the aircraft’s mission systems computers to a connected computer tablet during a ground test March 31, 2021, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The event was a milestone for the Fighter Optimization eXperiment (FoX), a

  • First ANG F-35 Pilot Graduates from USAF Weapons School

    Nationally recognized as the first Air National Guard (ANG) unit to be tasked with the F-35A Lightning II mission, Vermont’s 158th Fighter Wing now welcomes another title: home of the first ANG F-35 pilot to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.

  • Education or Operational: F-35 Demo Team showcases combat capabilities

    When not flying at air shows across the world or practicing at their home-base, the F-35 Demonstration Team’s mission is the same as many of the Airmen in the 388th Fighter Wing, to be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. The maintainers on the team are responsible for performing maintenance and

  • Hill Airmen deploy F-35A for large combat exercise

    Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing here are deploying to Nellis AFB, Nev., to take on a tough adversary – other Airmen. Approximately 200 Airmen from Hill AFB will participate in Red Flag 21-1 from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12.

  • 388th Maintenance Group reorganizes, stands up four new squadrons

    The 388th Maintenance Group held a joint ceremony here, provisionally standing up four new squadrons as part of a wing-wide reorganization effort aimed to streamline administrative and operational control over hundreds of maintainers and their mission, making them more agile and responsive as they

  • 421st Fighter Squadron returns to Hill AFB

    Hundreds of Airmen from the expeditionary 421st Fighter Squadron returned to Hill Air Force Base today following a six-month deployment to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The deployment, in support of the United States Air Force Central Command mission, included both Airmen from the active

  • First USAF pilot hits 1,000 flying hours in F-35A

    On Oct. 22, 388th Fighter Wing pilots flew a four-on-six tactical intercept mission over the Utah Test and Training Range in the F-35A Lightning II, using sensors and stealth to take on the enemy. The sortie lasted roughly two hours. It would have been just like any of the thousands of other

  • 4th Fighter Squadron wraps up three weeks of training in Alaska

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron, along with Reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing, returned Saturday after three weeks of training in Alaska, including Red Flag 20-3 at Eielson Air Force Base. Red Flag is a large force combat exercise that takes place several times each year at both

  • 388th Fighter Wing develops leaders with every sortie

    The 388th Fighter Wing launches between 50-100 combat training sorties nearly every day from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The training program is crucial not only to prepare for deployments, but also to develop leaders who will push the Air Force's F-35 capabilities further in the future.

  • F-35 crews conquer new territory in CENTCOM AOR

    The 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron did something in early July which had never been done before by an F-35A Lightning II unit - go into alert status. The squadron performed alert status exercises to provide the necessary data points to mission planners with the U.S. Air Force Central Command

  • Hill Airmen take F-35 to Alaska for three weeks of training

    Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings are heading north with the F-35A for three weeks of training alongside a variety of other Air Force units at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Different from the Red Flags the wing has completed at Nellis AFB, Nevada, which focused

  • For third time, Hill AFB fighter wings deploy F-35As to Middle East

    For the third time in approximately 12 months, Airmen from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings deployed F-35A Lighting IIs into combat. The 421st Fighter Squadron departed Hill AFB recently for Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, to support the United States Air Force Central Command mission in

  • Airmen pitch improvement ideas, get funding in 388th FW “Shark Tank”

    Three new improvements will soon be making lives a little easier and impacting the mission here thanks to the Airmen’s research and squadron innovation funds. After a wing-wide competition was announced, three ideas – an F-35A canopy template, and automated industrial crib and an MRE-style nutrition

  • Green Mountain Boys Reach F-35 Milestone: 500 Sorties

    On May 6th, six pilots assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, stepped into the brisk morning sun and approached their F-35 Lightning IIs. That morning, six F-35s were launched to train for a large force exercise flying mission – and it just so happened that the third

  • First group of Airmen from Hill’s 34th Fighter Squadron return home

    Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings returned home following a six-month deployment to the Middle East. The 34th Fighter Squadron’s deployment, which started in November, 2019, was first F-35 Immediate Response Force deployment as well as the second F-35A Lightning II

  • Commanders of ACC, AFRC visit Hill AFB to celebrate F-35 success

    Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, and Lt. Gen. Richard Scobee, Air Force Reserve Command commander and chief of the Air Force Reserve, paid a visit to the active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing to help commemorate a key milestone in F-35A Lightning II

  • Hill fighter wings receive final F-35A Lightning II

    The 388th Fighter Wing here received its final F-35A Lightning II Dec. 17. The delivery brings the total number of aircraft at Hill to 78. The first operational F-35As arrived at Hill in Sept. 2015. Since then, the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings have flown more than 17,500 sorties

  • 4th Fighter Squadron returns to Hill after first F-35A combat deployment

    Last week, Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings returned home following a six-month deployment to Al-Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The 4th Fighter Squadron’s deployment, which started in April, was the first F-35A Lightning II combat deployment. The Airmen

  • Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing hosts Utah Make-A-Wish families

    Four children and their families from Make-A-Wish Utah visited the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base and earned their wings during a "Pilot for a Day" program here Oct. 18. Make-A-Wish grants the life-changing wishes of children battling a critical illness.

  • Coalition partners participate in UAE's large force exercise

    The coalition of U.S., French and Emirati Air Force’s collaborated in a two-day large force exercise beginning on Aug. 27 in United Arab Emirates.The UAE Air Warfare Center kicked off the exercise by forming two opposing teams, Red and Blue, who began planning the mission which would be followed

  • PHOTOS: Hill F-35A sunset launch

    The active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings from Hill Air Force Base conducted local night flying operations this week. The wings are required to train at night to maintain their readiness and all-weather capabilities. Increased flying also provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate the