News Search

  • 'Trial by Flag' for new F-35A pilots

    The desert screams by below. The clouds scream by above. Both stretch on into the horizon. It’s deceptively calm in the cockpit. There’s a constant, seemingly discordant stream of chatter coming through his helmet. The digital screens in front of him, along with images projected onto his visor,

  • Helping F-35A pilots operate, survive at Red Flag

    The F-35 is lethal and survivable in almost any environment, but it’s just a machine, unable to do anything without a skilled pilot. Those pilots need gear to interface with the jet, operate and survive. Outfitting the pilots is the job of the Airmen in the 388th Operations Support Squadron Aircrew

  • 'Lethal' F-35A heading to Red Flag 19-1

    Pilots and maintainers from the 388th Fighter Wing are bringing the F-35A and ‘increased lethality’ as they take a lead role in Red Flag 19-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, From Jan. 26 - Feb. 15, approximately 200 Airmen from Hill AFB, including reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing, will

  • 421st Fighter Squadron and AMU receive first F-35A

    The 421st Fighter Squadron here received its first F-35A Lightning II Dec. 12. The squadron is the last of three squadrons in Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing to take possession of combat-ready aircraft, bringing the 388th Fighter Wing closer to full strength. The arrival of the first jets in the 421st

  • COMBAT POWER: Our best photos

    Hill Air Force Base's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19 and launched 35 F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time. Here are the best photos of the day.

  • F-35A combat power exercise conducted at Hill AFB

    The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th Fighter Wing conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19, launching dozens of F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time.

  • 388th FW drops GBU-49 in combat training

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 34th Fighter Squadron recently returned from a weapons evaluation exercise at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they employed the GBU-49 for the first time in F-35A combat training. The GBU-49 is a laser and GPS guided bomb that can be used in a variety of conditions

  • F-35 maintainers at Hill shaping future with BOLT

    After several months, an innovative program in the 388th Fighter Wing is proving it has the potential to deliver combat power more efficiently and may shape how the Air Force determines future requirements to sustain F-35A Lightning II operations. The Blended Operational Lightning Technician program

  • 388th Fighter Wing completes combat exercise

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit recently completed a combat exercise where they tested and evaluated their capabilities to operate the F-35A Lightning II in a deployed environment.The units focused on combat operations and tactical scenarios – aircraft

  • 388th FW, 419th FW fly 10,000th F-35A sortie

    Maj. Daniel Toftness, a reservist in the 419th Fighter Wing, departs for a sortie in an F-35A Lightning II Oct. 18, 2018, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The flight marked the 10,000th sortie with the aircraft at Hill since the first operational F-35s arrived in September 2015.

  • 388th, 419th FW's weapons load crews compete

    Loading weapons on an aircraft is a coordinated effort, requiring communication, teamwork, precision, and in wartime, speed. The active duty 388th and reserve 419th Fighter Wings recently held a weapons loading competition to test the effectiveness of four weapons crews in all those areas in

  • New tech to ease F-35A flight line maintenance

    Maintainers on Hill’s flight line are beginning to utilize new high-tech, hand-held tablets to work on the F-35A, America’s most advanced multi-role fighter aircraft. The handheld tablets will augment laptops, called Portable Maintenance Aids, currently used by Airmen to connect to the F-35A’s

  • 388th FW dialing-in cannon loading, firing in training

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and 4th Fighter Squadron were the first operational units to load and fire the F-35A’s cannon during training Aug. 13, and what they learned will influence how they train and fight.Loading and firing the cannon was one of the few capabilities

  • PHOTOS: 388th FW fires F-35A cannon for first time

    Pilots from the 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron were the first operational unit to fire the F-35A’s 25 mm cannon in a strafing run during training. The two-ship formation fired on two sets of ground targets on the Utah Test and Training range Aug. 13. Loading and firing the cannon was one

  • PHOTOS: 388th, 419th FWs load F-35A cannon

    Maintenance Airmen from the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, accomplish the first-time operational loading of 25 mm target rounds in an F-35A Lightning II, Aug. 10, 2018, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The F-35A is the only F-35 variant with an internal cannon. It is capable of firing 50 rounds per

  • 388th Fighter Wing standing up final F-35A aircraft maintenance unit

    Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing recently began standing up the last of its aircraft maintenance units, a big step toward receiving the full complement of F-35A Lightning IIs by the end of 2019. The 421st AMU, which will support the 421st Fighter Squadron, is preparing to receive its first aircraft in

  • Hill Airmen, aircraft progress together as F-35A program matures

    Two years after the Air Force declared IOC for the F-35A, pilots and maintainers at Hill’s active duty 388th and reserve 419th Fighter Wings are steadily erasing the word “initial” from in front of “operational capability.”Since the IOC announcement on Aug. 2, 2016, Airmen and the jet have grown

  • Airmen, jets return from Japan deployment

    Airmen and F-35A aircraft from the active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing returned here May 4-5 following a six-month deployment to Kadena Air Base, Japan. The deployment was part of a routine “theater security package” that demonstrates continuing U.S. commitment to stability

  • Hill’s 4th FS/AMU receives first F-35A

    Hundreds cheered the historic arrival of the 4th Fighter Squadron’s and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit’s first F-35A as tail number 5133 landed on base Wednesday and taxied into Hotel Row.

  • Final operational F-16s depart Hill

    The last six operational F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft lifted off from the runway here Sept. 21 at approximately 11 a.m. on their way to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, where they will continue flying.Several military and civilian Airmen watched as pilots stepped to the jets and taxied away for takeoff.

  • External pylon training increases F-35A weapons payload capability

    Active duty and Reserve Airmen here recently initiated certification training to load external pylons on F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing. The removable pylons are used to secure external munitions under the aircraft’s wings, greatly enhancing its combat capability.As a

  • First operational F-35A squadron receives final aircraft

    The 388th Fighter Wing accepted its 23rd and 24th combat-coded F-35A Lightning lls last week. The June 21 addition means the 34th Fighter Squadron and 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit have their full component of operational jets.

  • F-35As arrive in Bulgaria

    Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft and approximately 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, today, from RAF Lakenheath, England. The F-35As are participating in the first-ever training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen are from the 34th Fighter

  • F-35As deploy to Estonia for the first time

    Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft and approximately 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Ämari Air Base, Estonia, today, from RAF Lakenheath, England. The F-35As are participating in their first-ever training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen and are from the 34th Fighter Squadron,

  • F-35A deployment brings advanced airpower capability to Europe

    This weekend’s deployment of an initial six F-35A Lightning II fighters and several hundred Airmen to Europe demonstrates the aircraft’s readiness to conduct operations with America’s European partners, according to Air Force leaders.The April 15 arrival at Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, U.K.,

  • Breaking News: Air Force declares the F-35A ‘combat ready’

    The F-35A Lightning II fifth generation fighter aircraft was declared ‘combat ready’ today by Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command.Carlisle lauded the aircraft’s performance, noting that the aircraft had met all key criteria for reaching initial operational capability.Airmen

  • AF commanders aim to ensure smooth take-off for F-35A

    Wing commanders from U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II units met at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, July 20-21 to discuss integration of the two aircraft. The conference focused on joint training, maintenance techniques, manpower and strategies to develop successful integration the

  • Maintenance team keeps F-16s airworthy

    388th Fighter Wing maintainers are working with their Reserve counterparts to support F-16 operations at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Deployed maintainers checked for corrosion on aircraft assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and completed an 8,000-hour rotary actuator time change