Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      An F-35A Lightning II test aircraft AA-1 undergoes flight testing over Fort Worth, Texas. Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K., was selected as the first U.S. Air Forces in Europe base to host the F-35A. (Courtesy photo/Liz Kaszynski)A Strike For Change
                        
                        
                        An F-35A Lightning II test aircraft AA-1 undergoes flight testing over Fort Worth, Texas. Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K., was selected as the first U.S. Air Forces in Europe base to host the F-35A. (Courtesy photo/Liz Kaszynski)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Lakenheath selected to host first F-35s in USAFEPublished Jan. 8, 2015
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Ryan Crane
                    
                    
                    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
            **RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --**Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K., was selected as the first U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) base to host the F-35A Lightning II.
Air Force officials and the secretary of Defense chose RAF Lakenheath based on numerous attributes, including the air space, infrastructure and combined training opportunities the U.K. has to offer.
"The F-35, a true 5th generation fighter, gives teeth to our ability to support collective defense of Europe and its partners," said Gen. Frank Gorenc, the USAFE and Air Forces Africa commander. "It assures allies and partners alike and provides a credible deterrent."
The F-35s will be delivered to two fighter squadrons in multiple phases beginning in 2020. Each of the squadrons will have 24 Lightning IIs assigned; totaling 48 aircraft assigned to RAF Lakenheath once full mission capability is achieved.
"Lakenheath is the perfect base for the perfect weapon system in the perfect country," said Col. Robert Novotny, the 48th Fighter Wing commander. "From the beginning, the United States and the United Kingdom have been side-by-side on F-35 program development. This is about continuing to work together with our allies and partners to ensure a secure future for Europe."
The U.S. is one of nine joint strike fighter partner nations who have agreed to adopt the new platform. This makes European basing crucial to maintaining and improving combat readiness for Air Forces in Europe according to Gorenc.
In addition to basing F-35s at RAF Lakenheath, there are also plans to construct shared maintenance facilities for the aircraft in Italy and Turkey. The F-35 partnership is expected to bring the added benefits of increased allied interoperability and cost sharing.
"When pilots from different nations fly the same platform they talk the same language," Gorenc said. "Interoperability with F-35 partner nations is assured for decades."
As new threats evolve around the world, NATO continuously seeks new technologies that can deter and defeat those threats.
"Air superiority, freedom from attack and freedom to attack, has always been the primary mission of the U.S. Air Force," Gorenc said. "With air superiority everything is possible; without it nothing is possible."
The F-35A joins the F-22 Raptor as the U.S. Air Force's latest 5th generation fighter. It will replace the aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, which have served as the U.S. Air Force's multi-role and attack fighter aircraft for more than 20 years.Joint Strike Fighter 



RAF Lakenheath 



U.K. 



England 



USAFE 



F-35 



F-35A Lightning II Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil