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      Lt. Col. George R. Watkins addresses the audience and squadron members during the 34th Fighter Squadron activation ceremony July 17, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The 34th FS will be the first combat squadron to fly the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, the F-35A Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alex R. Lloyd)Lt. Col. George R. Watkins addresses the audience and squadron members during the 34th Fighter Squadron activation ceremony July 17, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The 34th FS will be the first combat squadron to fly the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, the F-35A Lightning II. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alex R. Lloyd)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Hill activates their first F-35 fighter squadronPublished July 21, 2015
                    
                    By Mitch Shaw
                    
                    
                    Hilltop Times Correspondent
            **HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) --**The jets won't arrive for another few months, but Hill Air Force Base activated its first F-35 Lightning II fighter squadron during a ceremony here July 17.The 34th Fighter Squadron -- affectionately known as the Rude Rams -- was reactivated, marking the beginning of the F-35's combat era for both the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings. The fighter squadron is a historic one, with a past that can be traced back to Word War II, which included participation in conflicts from Vietnam and the first Gulf War to Iraq and Afghanistan, post 9/11.The squadron was mothballed as an F-16 Fighting Falcon unit in 2010 as part of an Air Force restructuring plan to retire planes and save money, but it returns to accommodate the F-16's replacement, becoming the first operational Air Force unit to fly combat-coded F-35s.Col. David B. Lyons, the current 388th FW commander and former commander of the 34th FS, said the reactivation is one of the highlights of his career. He led the squadron when it was deactivated in 2010."This has got to be one of the finest days of my military career," he said. "To see this squadron shut down in 2010 was heartbreaking, but somebody, somewhere had the good sense to bring it back to duty."Lt. Col. George Watkins, the new commander of the squadron, said that while the first operational F-35 is not slated to arrive at the base until September, the new squadron shouldn't have trouble keeping busy until then.The first group of F-35 maintainers, which will make up the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, have been at Hill AFB for two months, completing mostly administrative work critical to the upcoming aircraft transition.Watkins said the Airmen have been writing programs on how the unit will maintain the F-35 in peace and wartime scenarios and have created a flying hours program that includes directives for training, off-station sorties, contingency scenarios, local flying and any major modifications to the aircraft."There (is) a lot of work to be done before we get that first jet," Watkins said.The initial group of F-35 maintainers from the 419th FW are in training, and the first 419th FW pilot to fly the F-35 will begin training this fall.When the F-35s begin to arrive at Hill AFB, they'll be divided among three fighter squadrons and flown and maintained by members of both the 388th FW and its Reserve component, the 419th FW."There are slated to be a total of 72 F-35s at Hill AFB by 2019, with approximately 35-40 pilots in each of the three fighter squadrons. Hill officials hope to have 15 jets by August 2016 and reach a status known as "initial operational capability," which means the fighter wings meet the minimum operational capabilities to use the jet for normal operations."The 34th FS is scheduled to have five qualified pilots during the first month of flying, taking turns in what will be two F-35s on base. The 388th FW is sending pilots through training at Eglin AFB, Florida, and Luke AFB, Arizona. By January 2016, the wing will have 10 pilots qualified to fly the F-35, including Watkins and Lyons, who both finished their training earlier this year.The colonels answered to those who have criticized the F-35 program for its expense and apparent lack of performance. The most recent cost estimate for operating and supporting the F-35 fleet exceeds $1 trillion and a leaked internal brief written by a test pilot who was flying the F-35 during a January test run revealed the jet was losing dogfights to the F-16."Things aren't perfect, but things are still in development and you can see the potential," Lyons said, adding that the F-35 flies similarly to the F-16, but by fusing many different sensors together, makes the pilot's job easier in the cockpit.Fighter Wing Spokesman Nathan Simmons said that by the time the F-35 is in full operation at Hill in 2019, the 388th will have added more than 260 active-duty positions.ACC 



F-35 



F-35 Lightning II 



activation 



Hill AFB Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    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 fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    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 finalistsMAJCOM 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