Move over 7th Special Forces Group. The F-35 Training Program is alive and well. With the first of 59 F-35’s arriving today, this program begins to take shape and thousands will begin arriving. Oh yea, did I tell you we are not ready to house them yet. Having the opportunity of showing some of these new 7th Special Forces Group and F-35 Training personnel homes, it is quite obvious from their comments, we don’t have what they are looking for or we just don’t have it available yet. Okay builders, step it up, meet the need. Oh yea, the banks aren’t lending you any money. Any suggestions anyone in meeting the needs of our newly assigned military personnel to the area. NO RENTALS, NO HOMES, HOW DO YOU FIX THIS MESS?
First F-35 arrives at Eglin Air Force Base
Angel McCurdy
2011-07-14 15:21:25
EGLIN AFB — The first F-35 landed at the 33rd Fighter Wing on Thursday to applause and cheers.The first production model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter arrived at Eglin Air Force Base about 1:15 p.m. from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Fort Worth, Texas. “This is an extremely exciting day for us. We’ve been waiting two years for this day,” Col. Andrew Toth, commander of the 33rd, said as he waited for the jet to arrive. “Having it here is just outstanding. There are a lot of smiles out here today.” The F-35 was the first of 59 expected to come to Eglin eventually. Five other F-35s are due by the end of year. Toth said maintenance training will begin immediately and flight training is expected to begin this fall. Members of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will be trained to fly the plane. “Over the next couple years we will be able to conduct a fully integrated program,” he said. “It will be the first of its kind.” The Joint Strike Fighter is the country’s first fifth-generation, multi-role fighter. It is equipped with the latest technology and will have capabilities that exceed aircraft at Eglin now. It is being built in multiple configurations to suit the combat missions of the American military branches as well as allies who are participating in the F-35 project. As the jet landed, more than 100 visitors in the stands near the 33rd’s hangar stood with cameras ready to get a look at the plane that sounded like a large vacuum cleaner. In between the screams and whistles, military men and women shouted, “One down, 58 to go.” Congressman Jeff Miller was not on hand for the arrival but added his voice to the celebration. “Today is an exciting day for Northwest Florida,” he said in an email. “We are very proud to welcome the nation’s premier strike fighter to its new home on the Emerald Coast. I look forward to the arrival of the rest of the aircraft in the coming months.” Lt. Col. J.B. Wilbourne flew an F-16 that escorted the F-35 to Eglin. “This has been the best week ever,” Wilbourne said. “The F-35 will ensure air dominance for the United States for the next 30 years, and today takes the first step toward that. “Today makes everything we’ve done a reality,” he added. “I’m out on cloud nine.” The Joint Strike Fighter project has faced numerous delays since it was first announced. When the Pentagon signed the contract with Lockheed Martin to build the F-35 in 2001, the first jets were expected to be delivered to the Department of Defense in 2008. However, by March 2008 only one F-35 had been completed and was undergoing test flights. The F-35 made its first appearance at Eglin in April 2009, when one of the jets was flown in for a ceremony for military and local officials. The jet remained at Eglin for a few days for test flights.
First F-35 arrives at Eglin Air Force Base
Angel McCurdy
2011-07-14 15:21:25
EGLIN AFB — The first F-35 landed at the 33rd Fighter Wing on Thursday to applause and cheers.The first production model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter arrived at Eglin Air Force Base about 1:15 p.m. from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Fort Worth, Texas. “This is an extremely exciting day for us. We’ve been waiting two years for this day,” Col. Andrew Toth, commander of the 33rd, said as he waited for the jet to arrive. “Having it here is just outstanding. There are a lot of smiles out here today.” The F-35 was the first of 59 expected to come to Eglin eventually. Five other F-35s are due by the end of year. Toth said maintenance training will begin immediately and flight training is expected to begin this fall. Members of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will be trained to fly the plane. “Over the next couple years we will be able to conduct a fully integrated program,” he said. “It will be the first of its kind.” The Joint Strike Fighter is the country’s first fifth-generation, multi-role fighter. It is equipped with the latest technology and will have capabilities that exceed aircraft at Eglin now. It is being built in multiple configurations to suit the combat missions of the American military branches as well as allies who are participating in the F-35 project. As the jet landed, more than 100 visitors in the stands near the 33rd’s hangar stood with cameras ready to get a look at the plane that sounded like a large vacuum cleaner. In between the screams and whistles, military men and women shouted, “One down, 58 to go.” Congressman Jeff Miller was not on hand for the arrival but added his voice to the celebration. “Today is an exciting day for Northwest Florida,” he said in an email. “We are very proud to welcome the nation’s premier strike fighter to its new home on the Emerald Coast. I look forward to the arrival of the rest of the aircraft in the coming months.” Lt. Col. J.B. Wilbourne flew an F-16 that escorted the F-35 to Eglin. “This has been the best week ever,” Wilbourne said. “The F-35 will ensure air dominance for the United States for the next 30 years, and today takes the first step toward that. “Today makes everything we’ve done a reality,” he added. “I’m out on cloud nine.” The Joint Strike Fighter project has faced numerous delays since it was first announced. When the Pentagon signed the contract with Lockheed Martin to build the F-35 in 2001, the first jets were expected to be delivered to the Department of Defense in 2008. However, by March 2008 only one F-35 had been completed and was undergoing test flights. The F-35 made its first appearance at Eglin in April 2009, when one of the jets was flown in for a ceremony for military and local officials. The jet remained at Eglin for a few days for test flights.
No comments:
Post a Comment