In the early morning of Feb. 16, F-35A Lightning II aircraft from the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah departed the Vermont Air National Guard Base in transit to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
“We understand the concern experienced by some this morning, and while the Vermont National Guard will not respond to individual comments related to this mission, the Public Affairs Office has logged all concerns, and leadership takes each comment seriously,” Maj. Scott Detweiler said in a press release.
As an operational F-35 Fighter Wing, the Vermont Air National Guard does everything in its control to balance F-35 mission requirements with the impact on the local community. There are times when operational security and real-world missions prevent the sharing of information on specific aircraft movements. Please continue to follow vtguard.com/F-35 for the most up-to-date, releasable information.
The full press release provided by U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs is available at https://www.usafe.af.mil/News/Press-Releases/Article/2936742/us-aircraft-head-to-europe-to-enhance-natos-collective-defense/. Much of it appears below:
In coordination with the German government, U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Feb. 16, 2022, to bolster readiness, enhance NATO’s collective defense posture and further increase air integration capabilities with Allied and Partner nations.
F-35A Lightning II aircraft from the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah are agile, versatile, high-performance, 9g capable multirole fighters that combine stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness. The aircraft are equipped for a variety of missions to deter aggression and defend Allies should deterrence fail.
“The deployment of U.S. F-35As to Spangdahlem Air Base increases the defensive posture of the NATO Alliance and enhances our ability to operate together,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, Commander U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa and Commander Allied Air Command. “We are facing a dynamic environment and this deployment significantly enhances our support to NATO’s defenses.”