The U.S. Air Force’s first two front-line F-35 wings in January 2020 conducted their biggest-ever mass staging of the single-engine stealth fighters.
Fifty-two of the 78 F-35As belonging to the active-duty 388th Fighter Wing and the reserve 419th Fighter Wing on Jan. 6, 2020 lined up on the runway at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The so-called “elephant walk” marked the wings’ declaration of “full warfighting capability.”
The large-scale staging also is a reminder of the importance of rapid sortie-generation for U.S. forces, especially in South Korea.
The 52 F-35s represent more combat-ready stealth warplanes than China and Russia combined possess. The Hill wings’ three squadrons, which as of early 2020 are the Air Force’s only deployable F-35 units, have been working up to their full combat capability since the first F-35 arrived at the base in late 2015.
Hill’s 78th and final F-35 arrived in December 2019. The two fighter wings at the base pool planes, people and facilities. The 34th Fighter Squadron in early 2016 deployed six jets to the United Kingdom for training. Three years later, the wings simultaneously were able to deploy all three of their shared squadrons.
The 4th Fighter Squadron deployed to the Middle East for airstrikes on militants while the 421st Fighter Squadron traveled to Europe for training alongside NATO allies and the 34th Fighter Squadron spent two months in Idaho for training. “In a seven-day span the wings had aircraft, equipment and personnel operating out of nine different countries,” the Air Force stated.
“Every training opportunity, exercise and deployment we’ve completed over the past four years has been a key stepping stone in reaching full warfighting capability,” said Col. Steven Behmer, 388th Fighter Wing commander. “This is just the beginning of sustained F-35A combat operations and we will remain focused on staying ready to deploy whenever, wherever we’re needed.”