This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
F-35 jets from Utah's Hill Air Force Base arrived Saturday at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, marking the aircraft's first overseas training deployment to Europe.
The F-35A Lightning II jets — from the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 466th Fighter Squadron, 419th Fighter Wing — will conduct air training over the next few weeks with other Europe-based aircraft in support of the European Reassurance Initiative, according to a HAFB news release.
"This is an incredible opportunity for USAFE Airmen and our NATO allies to host this first overseas training deployment of the F-35A aircraft," said Gen. Tod D. Wolters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa commander. "As we and our joint F-35 partners bring this aircraft into our inventories, it's important that we train together to integrate into a seamless team capable of defending the sovereignty of allied nations.
"RAF Lakenheath will be the first overseas beddown location for the F-35A," Wolters added. "This deployment allows our pilots and maintainers to learn more about the European operating environment and will improve our interoperability with partners in the region."
The introduction of the premier fifth-generation fighter to the European area of responsibility brings with it state-of-the-arts sensors, interoperability, and a broad array of advanced air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions that will help maintain the fundamental sovereignty rights of all nations, the release said.
The trans-Atlantic flight for the training deployment was supported by Air Mobility Command and the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England. Multiple air refueling aircraft from four bases offloaded more than 400,000 pounds of fuel during the "tanker bridge" from the United States to Europe.