Photo By Senior Airman Amanda Alvarez | U.S. Air Force Col. Dennis Knight, 325th Maintenance Group commander, left, passes the...... read more read more
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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. —The 325th Fighter Wing opened a new chapter for its F-35A Lightning II fleet during a historic ceremony July 27, 2026, inactivating the 95th Fighter Generation Squadron and reactivating the 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
Col. Dennis Knight, 325th Maintenance Group commander, presided over the ceremony, which symbolized the transition of personnel and assets to a unit with a deep-rooted history in Air Force aviation.
The 95th FGS, officially activated on June 15, 2022, played a short but vital role in reestablishing Tyndall as a combat-capable installation following the base's multi-year rebuild.
“The 95th was instrumental in bedding down Tyndall’s first F-35s, stepping us into the new era of fifth-generation aircraft—the fleet that actually fills our skies with the sound of freedom every day,” Knight said. “The men and women of the 95th were key to many firsts, such as the first employment of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions, and the introduction of hot integrated combat terms for the Lightning II fleet.”
During its two-year tenure, the 95th FGS successfully guided the maintenance group to achieve combat-coded status and earned a Meritorious Unit Award for their actions between June 2022 and May 2024.
Following Knight's remarks, the 95th FGS guidon was furled and officially cased, marking the unit's deactivation. Moments later, the 325th AMXS guidon was unfurled, breathing new life into a squadron whose legacy dates back to 1943.
Originally established as a depot repair squadron during World War II, the 325th AMXS has undergone numerous reorganizations over the decades, earning multiple Air Force-level awards along the way. Maj. Donovan Ricks assumed command of the newly reactivated squadron, taking the reins of Tyndall's fighter maintenance operations.
Addressing his new formation for the first time, Ricks emphasized that while the patch and the name have changed, the core mission remains untouched.
“To the men and women of the 325th AMXS, I look forward to continuing to serve with you,” Ricks said. “We are going to ensure that you are expertly trained and fully equipped as combat Airmen. We will keep our officers in the 95th Fighter Squadron combat mission ready to generate lethal, agile and ready combat airpower for the joint force anytime, anywhere.”
The transition reflects the Air Force’s broader structural modernization efforts, aligning maintenance units to best support combatant commanders globally.
“The guidon doesn't define a unit; it only identifies it,” Knight reminded the Airmen. “No matter the patch you wear, your role is to provide lethal combat forces ... our mission is to fly, fix and fight—of which the most important is to fix. You will continue to do so as a world-class organization, regardless of your name or the patch you wear.”
| Date Taken: | 07.27.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2026 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 570927 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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