WHAT THE F-35 TRAINING SQUADRON MEANS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN DOLLARS & SENSE

As Paul Harvey would say, “and the rest of the story”.

A new era begins: F-35 arrives
By JR McDONALD
A new chapter in Eglin Air Force Base aviation history began when the first F-35 Lightning II arrived here on July 14. The F-35 has been part of our local conversation for some years now as our community prepared to host the first-ever fifth generation, multirole fighter in the history of U.S. and international defense. Late 2009 was the last time a 33rd Fighter Wing aircraft, piloted by Wing Commander Col. “Sledge” Harmer, flew over the Emerald Coast. As a former pilot with the wing, I watched with pride as one chapter of our decorated history ended and another one began. On Oct. 1, 2009, the 33rd Fighter Wing became an Air Education and Training Command Wing and preparations began for the arrival of the first F-35 aircraft. Normally after a fighter wing stops flying, the surrounding communities experience a negative impact on the local economy. That will not be the case at Eglin. Because the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided to base the 7th Special Forces Group and first-ever DoD F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin, the Emerald Coast will see a positive economic impact just when we need it most. On a larger scale, within the state of Florida, there will be 8,700 people who will work on the F-35 program valued at approximately $800 million. Economically speaking, in the years to follow, the state will see consistent steady job growth related to this program. The 33rd Fighter Wing team has been working extremely hard over the past year and a half preparing for the F-35 training fleet. While the jet was assembled, tested and prepared for delivery at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas-based factory, the fighter pilot and maintainer training syllabus, courseware, academics and equipment were readied at the Integrated Training Center. The next generation of U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and international fighter pilots and maintainers are now in for a treat. Gone are the days of chalkboards, textbooks and poster boards. The Integrated Training Center is a stateof-the-art facility with the most advanced training equipment on the market today. So here’s the plan. The first F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, better known as the CTOL variant for the U.S. Air Force, has arrived. As many as six more jets will be delivered to Eglin in the near term. Now that planes are here, the men and women of the 33rd Fighter Wing will take measured, deliberate actions to prepare the aircraft academics, instructors, courseware and simulators as they welcome their first class of students later this fall. As locals, we’re no stranger to, and have an astute appreciation for, highly capable aircraft that can perform at unparalleled levels. Tyndall Air Force Base received the first fifth-generation fighter back in 2003 — the F-22 Raptor — and now it’s our turn to receive the most advanced multirole fifth-generation fighter in the world. We have a front-row seat to watch the next family of fighter aircraft take to the skies to defend America’s ideals of freedom, democracy and equality for the next 50 years. The entire F-35 team greatly appreciates all of the tremendous support we have received from the community during our time of preparation, and I pledge our dedicated efforts to make the F-35 Lightning II training program a source of pride for the Emerald Coast.

Story written by JR McDonald is the Lockheed Martin vice president for Corporate Domestic Business Development. He is a Choctawhatchee High School graduate and a former F-15 pilot with the 33rd Fighter Wing.