US to station F-35 squadron outside its borders for first time
The 495th 'Valkyries' Squadron will be stationed at the Lakenheath base in England, at the 48th Fighter Wing of the Royal Air Force, starting from the end of this year
Dan Arkin
| 23/02/2021
The F-35. Photo from the Lockheed Martin website
The U.S. Air Force is setting up its first squadron of F-35 stealth fighters that will be stationed outside the borders of the US, with Britain as the first destination.
The Air Force determined that the 495th "Valkyries" Squadron will be the first under the US flag to be stationed at the 48th Fighter Wing of Britain's Royal Air Force at the Lakenheath base in England. The first stealth fighters will land at the base at the end of the year, and a second squadron will also be stationed there at a later date.
According to the Janes website, the US Air Force's program involves 1,763 F-35s, with 284 of them already delivered. The stealth fighters are currently stationed at the Burlington, Hill, Nellis, Eglin, Luke and Eielson bases of the Air Force, National Guard and other branches of the military, all within the borders of the US.
The 495th 'Valkyries' Squadron will be stationed at the Lakenheath base in England, at the 48th Fighter Wing of the Royal Air Force, starting from the end of this year
The F-35. Photo from the Lockheed Martin website
The U.S. Air Force is setting up its first squadron of F-35 stealth fighters that will be stationed outside the borders of the US, with Britain as the first destination.
The Air Force determined that the 495th "Valkyries" Squadron will be the first under the US flag to be stationed at the 48th Fighter Wing of Britain's Royal Air Force at the Lakenheath base in England. The first stealth fighters will land at the base at the end of the year, and a second squadron will also be stationed there at a later date.
According to the Janes website, the US Air Force's program involves 1,763 F-35s, with 284 of them already delivered. The stealth fighters are currently stationed at the Burlington, Hill, Nellis, Eglin, Luke and Eielson bases of the Air Force, National Guard and other branches of the military, all within the borders of the US.
