HEADLINES
USAF FLAUNTS F-35A READINESS IN MASS MISSIONS
THE 388TH FIGHTER Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron and its maintenance unit recently completed a combat surge to evaluate its ability to operate the F-35A in a deployed environment. The exercise focused on combat operations and tactical scenarios and included aircraft battle damage, downed pilot recovery, and operating in an environment with limited or no communications. Over a two-week period, the squadron carried out nearly 150 sorties and maintenance personnel loaded a variety of munitions onto the aircraft. Operations simulated real-world combat situations and the pilots wore full combat gear. Missions were conducted from Hill AFB, Utah, and alternate locations, and a secure deployable operations facility was utilized for mission planning, debrief, intelligence, and the autonomic logistics information system (ALIS). A larger wing surge included launching 35 F-35s in an 11-minute period, which, according to Col Michael Ebner, 388th FW vicecommander, was the most Lightning IIs that had simultaneously been launched by the USAF.
The 388th Fighter Wing also employed the laser and GPS-guided 500lb (227kg) GBU-49 for the first time during a ‘Combat Hamme…
