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 Watkins, 34th Fighter Squadron commander, drops a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb from an F-35A at the Utah Test and Training Range Feb. 25, 2016. The 34th Fighter Squadron is the Air Force's first combat unit to employ munitions from the F-35A. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jim Haseltine)34th FS drops GBU-12 at UTTR
                        
                        
                        Lt. Col. George Watkins, the 34th Fighter Squadron commander, drops a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb from an F-35A Lightning II at the Utah Test and Training Range Feb. 25, 2016. The 34th FS is the Air Force's first combat unit to employ munitions from the F-35A. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Haseltine)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airman Juan Rivas, Senior Airman Darion White and Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kalsbeek, 34th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, prepare to equip an F-35A with a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Feb. 23, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by R. Nial Bradshaw)34th AMU weapons load crew prepares GBU-12 for F-35A
                        
                        
                        Airman Juan Rivas, Senior Airman Darion White and Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kalsbeek, all 34th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, prepare to equip an F-35A Lightning II with a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Feb. 23, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/R. Nial Bradshaw)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kalsbeek and Airman Juan Rivas, 34th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, prepare to equip an F-35A with a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Feb. 23, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by R. Nial Bradshaw)34th AMU weapons load crew
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Kalsbeek and Airman Juan Rivas, both 34th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron load crew members, prepare to equip an F-35A Lightning II with a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Feb. 23, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/R. Nial Bradshaw)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Hill's F-35s drop first weaponsPublished Feb. 29, 2016
                    
                    By  Nathan Simmons
                    
                    
                    388th Fighter Wing
            **HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) --**Airmen from the 388th and 419th fighter wings dropped laser-guided bombs at the Utah Test and Training Range the week of Feb. 25, marking the first time an F-35 Lightning II combat unit has deployed weapons from the F-35A.Lt. Col. George Watkins, the 34th Fighter Squadron commander, said dropping weapons from the F-35 allows pilots to more fully engage the aircraft and confirm that everything works as planned.“This is significant because we’re building the confidence of our pilots by actually dropping something off the airplane instead of simulating weapon employment,” Watkins said.Air Force F-35s have dropped weapons in test environments, but this is the first time it’s been done on jets designed to deploy once the Air Force declares initial operational capability, which it plans to do between August and December. IOC will be announced when the Air Force deems the F-35 combat capable.Lt. Col. Darrin Dronoff, the director of Hill’s F-35 Program Integration Office, said that while this achievement is a significant step toward Air Force IOC, the milestone goes beyond that mark.“The pilots and weapons loaders in the 388th and 419th fighter wings are perfecting their skills not only to prove aircraft capabilities, but they’ll also be the Airmen called upon to take the F-35 to combat, whenever that call may come,” he said.Hill’s F-35 pilots will begin flying the F-35 in four-ship formations, which is the standard configuration flown in contested combat scenarios, as early as March.Hill AFB 



ACC 



F-35 



F-35A Lightning II 



training 



ammo 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