The commander of the 1st Air Force and NORAD Continental U.S. visited the 104th Fighter Wing April 14th, 2025, amidst the wing's conversion to the F-35 Lightning II.
Lt. Gen. Luke 'Torch' Ahmann received a brief on the conversion progress, a tour of the wing's aerospace control alert facilities, and had the ability to hear feedback and provide insight from members of the wing's command team.
He further reiterated NORAD's pledge to maintain the wing's ACA mission with the F-35 and beyond.
“NORAD’s around-the-clock, no-fail homeland defense mission relies on highly trained units like the 104th Fighter Wing,” said Ahmann. “Their transition to the F-35 brings cutting-edge, fifth-generation capabilities to the defense of North America, significantly enhancing their ability to detect, track, and intercept potential threats. NORAD and the 104th are committed to a seamless transition that supports the homeland defense mission well into the future.”
The first F-35s are expected to arrive in the Spring of 2026.