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    158th Fighter Wing trains in Florida

    158th Fighter Wing trains in Florida

    Photo By Julie Paroline | A crew chief assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group prepares an F-35 for departure to...... read more read more

    SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, UNITED STATES

    01.24.2020

    Story by 2nd Lt. Chelsea Clark 

    158th Fighter Wing

    SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – Women and men of the 158th Fighter Wing train at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, returning to Vermont in late March. Members, aircraft and support equipment departed this week for a training event known as Southern Lightning.

    Over 100 airmen from primarily Maintenance and Operations Groups will fly and maintain F-35 operations throughout the training period, developing their readiness while off-station.

    “This is the first opportunity to take aircraft, equipment and personnel and practice in a new environment,” said Lt. Col. Ernest Tomasi, 158th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander. “We are going to capitalize on our training and lessons learned and continue to improve our processes to be ready with the F-35.”

    The Vermont Air National Guard received its first two F-35 Lightning II aircraft in September 2019, and now has seven assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing. The full complement of 20 aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Vermont by summer.

    As renovations to remaining flight line facilities continue and additional scheduled aircraft arrive in Vermont, the decision to conduct off-station training was planned in advance to support flying requirements and maintain conversion timelines.

    Local F-35 flying operations will continue at the 158th Fighter Wing during Southern Lightning training.

    For more information contact 158th Fighter Wing Public Affairs; Lt. Chelsea Clark, 802.660.5379, usaf.vt.158-fw.mbx.public-affairs@mail.mil.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.24.2020
    Date Posted: 01.24.2020 14:52
    Story ID: 360294
    Location: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, US

    Web Views: 684
    Downloads: 5

    PUBLIC DOMAIN