Preparations Underway in Florida for the Arrival of F-35 Fighters, Including Pilot Training and Maintenance Improvements
The Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing is making steady progress towards a fully stealthed F-35 fleet following years of training to pilot the advanced aircraft. Many pilots at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, who formerly piloted F-15C Eagles, have been certified to operate the F-35 Lightning II or are in the process of doing so, according to 125th Fighter Wing spokesperson Maj. Cammy Alberts.
This transition marks the retirement of the F-15C, which first entered the Air Force inventory in 1979. With the F-35, the 125th Fighter Wing aims to secure the southeastern United States, focusing on ground target identification. Alberts reported that the wing is well into its training pipeline, with full certification across the force ongoing.
In preparation for the F-35's stealth technology, the 125th Fighter Wing is constructing a simulator building for realistic training against modern threats like electronic jamming and anti-aircraft weapons. Additionally, the wing is upgrading its hangars to accommodate the F-35's stealth coating. Transitioning a Guard unit to F-35s typically takes longer than for active-duty units, as the 125th's pilots, maintainers, and logisticians have undergone intensive preparation for the fifth-generation fighter fleet. Pilot training started in 2021, a year after the base was chosen to receive the stealth aircraft.
The Air Force plans to station 20 F-35As at the Guard unit, with the first three jets arriving at the base in March. The 125th, with a single fighter squadron, expects to train 20 to 30 pilots for the 18 primary aircraft. Alberts declined to provide a timeline for the remaining deliveries due to operational security concerns, but confirmed that the aircraft are arriving on a scheduled, phased basis.
The unit has taken strategic measures to handle the logistical demands brought on by the F-35's arrival. The 125th Logistics Readiness Squadron stocked over 8,000 F-35 components on base to reduce reliance on manufacturer shipments and shorten maintenance delays. The squadron also streamlined inventory systems, upgraded infrastructure, and drew on experience from other F-35 units to ensure swift repairs.
The last of Jacksonville's F-15s departed at the end of 2024, with some being retired and stored in Arizona, while others were transferred to other Air Force units. More than 15,000 F-15 components were redistributed to other units or placed in storage. The 125th Fighter Wing is actively recruiting into critical career fields for F-35 maintenance, operations support, and avionics to ensure long-term mission success.
Five Air National Guard units are being equipped with the F-35A: Wisconsin's 115th Fighter Wing, Alabama's 187th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts' 104th Fighter Wing, Vermont's 158th Fighter Wing, and Vermont was the first in the Air National Guard to receive the F-35 in 2019.
In managing the transition from legacy aircraft to the fifth-generation F-35 fleet, the 125th Fighter Wing faces several challenges, including advanced logistical support demands, extensive pilot and maintenance crew training, and strategic inventory management. The unit employs comprehensive training programs, precise resource allocation, effective inventory management, and collaboration among different sections to meet these challenges and operate efficiently with the new aircraft.
- The Air Force's Space Force and Air Force industries are closely monitoring the progress of the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing, as they transition their fleet from the F-15C Eagles to the F-35 Lightning II.
- The Pentagon has recognized the importance of the F-35's advanced stealth technology in ensuring the security of the southeastern United States, especially against potential threats like missiles and anti-aircraft weapons.
- As the 125th Fighter Wing shifts from the F-15C Eagles to the F-35, they are confronting the challenge of finance, as they invest in new infrastructure, such as simulator buildings and upgraded hangars, to accommodate the F-35's stealth coating.
- The aerospace industry is keenly interested in the 125th Fighter Wing's transition, as they aim for a fully stealthed F-35 fleet, due to the potential implications this could have on the future of aircraft design and technology.
- In an effort to secure the long-term mission success of the F-35 fleet, the 125th Fighter Wing is actively recruiting in critical career fields such as maintenance, operations support, and avionics.
- The strategic measures taken by the 125th Fighter Wing, such as stocking over 8,000 F-35 components and streamlining inventory systems, demonstrate a commitment to efficiency and resource management in the face of the logistical demands brought on by the F-35's arrival.
