The F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft was declared ‘combat ready’ by Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command, on August 2. In response, Sen. John McCain said “the most expensive weapons system in history,” has a long road ahead.
“The F-35A’s achievement of initial operational capability is another important milestone in the Joint Strike Fighter program and all to the credit of the hard-working Airmen of the 388th and 419th fighter wings at Hill Air Force Base,” stated McCain.
“The Senate Armed Services Committee will continue to exercise rigorous oversight of the Joint Strike Fighter program’s long-delayed System Development and Demonstration phase as well as the start of the operational test and evaluation phase. These next steps are critical to verifying the F-35A’s ability to successfully recapitalize our aging and increasingly vulnerable fighter force structure,” continued McCain.
“Learning the lessons from this program’s failures and those of too many others, the Senate Armed Services Committee will continue to press forward with reforms to our cumbersome defense acquisition to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and our warfighters can safely and effectively perform their missions,” concluded McCain.
Carlisle lauded the aircraft’s performance, noting that the aircraft had met all key criteria for reaching initial operational capability: Airmen trained, manned and equipped to conduct basic close air support, interdiction and limited suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses in a contested environment with an operational squadron of 12-24 aircraft; the ability to deploy and conduct operational missions using program of record weapons and missions systems; and having all necessary logistics and operational elements in place.
The F-35A is the latest addition to ACC’s fleet of deployable and fifth-generation aircraft.
The 34th Fighter Squadron of the 388th Fighter Wing, based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the service’s first operational F-35A squadron. 34th FS Airmen will fly and maintain the F-35A alongside Air Force Reservists from Hill’s 419th Fighter Wing.