Hill Air Force Base launches record number of F-35s
By The Associated Press
A formation of U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs assigned to the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings stationed at Hill Air Force Base perform aerial maneuvers during as part of a combat power exercise over Utah Test and Training Range, Nov. 19, 2018. (Staff Sgt. Cory D. Payne/Air Force)
OGDEN, Utah — Officials say the Hill Air Force Base recently launched a record number of F-35 fighter jets to demonstrate military capabilities.
The Standard-Examiner reports Hill’s 388th and 419th Fighter Wings conducted the combat power exercise Monday, launching 35 F-35A Lightning IIs over about an 11-minute period.
The Air Force’s 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, pumped out 150 sorties in the past two weeks, in addition to the unit’s normal flying operations, to test their capabilities to operate the F-35A Lightning II in a deployed environment.
Col. Michael Ebner, 388th FW vice commander, says the operation was the most Lightning IIs simultaneously launched in the history of the Air Force's F-35A program.
Ebner says in addition to sharpening certain combat flying skills, the effort also was intended to demonstrate the wings' ability to conduct a large-scale combat deployment at a moment’s notice.
Pilots from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings taxi F-35As on the runway in preparation for a combat power exercise Nov. 19, 2018, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. (Senior Airman Justin Fuchs/Air Force) (Micah Garbarino/388th Fighter Wing)
Ebner says launching aircraft from multiple squadrons at the same time presented several challenges and allows the wings to evaluate the capabilities of pilots, maintainers and command and control teams.
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