Sam Friedman,
After years of hearing about the new F-35 fighter plane that’s coming to Eielson Air Force Base, Interior residents may get to see one.
The 354th Fighter Wing announced Wednesday that one F-35A Lighting II will be at Eielson for testing this month. It’s not one of the planes that will be stationed here in 2020. On Oct. 17, 354th Fighter Wing Cmdr. David Mineau will talk with community leaders about the F-35A’s mission in Alaska, according to a new release from the 354th Fighter Wing.
The F-35 is a multipurpose fighter plane designed to replace older fighters, including the Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcons, the A-10 Warthog, the Navy’s aircraft carrier-based F-18 Hornet and the Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier II “jump jet.” The F-35 is the most expensive weapons program in U.S. history. Each F-35A costs about $95 million. The U.S. plans to buy more than 2,400 of them and sell hundreds to allies.
The training mission will be the first appearance of the F-35 at Eielson, though not the first in Alaska. In May, some F-35Bs —the Marine Corps variation of the F-35 — participated in the Northern Edge training exercise out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
The F-35A is the Air Force variation of the F-35.
Since 2016, the base has been preparing for the arrival of two squadrons, along with about 3,000 airmen and their families, civilian employees and contractors.
Construction at Eielson began during summer to prepare for the new squadrons.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/air-force-sending-one-f--fighter-jet-to-eielson/article_561e2076-a9a8-11e7-a89b-6fd2cc1d562c.html
