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Hundreds welcome first four F-35C aircraft to NAS Lemoore in grand ceremony
In all, four of the Navy’s newest fighters arrived for a Wednesday afternoon ceremony at Naval Air Station Lemoore. When the pilots emerged from their cockpits, they were greeted with enthusiastic applause and what is perhaps the largest American flag in the Valley, which on Wednesday afternoon served as an appropriate backdrop for the historic occasion.
The hanger, at least for a while, will be the home of the re-established Strike Fighter Squadron 125, the former training squadron for the F-18 Hornet. VFA 125 is being re-established to begin training Naval aviators to pilot the new aircraft.
The squadron’s commander, Cmdr. John Turner, flew in on one of the four jet fighters and managed to deftly park his aircraft directly in front of the crowd of some 700-800 invited guests, VIPs and media, but only after he and his fellow aviators treated the onlookers to a flyby over the hanger, followed by pinpoint landings on the air base’s east runway.
Top brass was also on hand, including three-star Vice Admiral Mike Shoemaker, the Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Rear Admiral Roy Kelley, the Joint Strike Fighter Fleet Director. The maker of the F-35, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, also sent its Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeff Babione to the Wednesday gathering at Naval Air Station Lemoore.
The local commander, Capt. Markus Gudmundsson, the Strike Fighter Wing boss, also made remarks to the large crowd.
In an earlier press conference, Shoemaker praised the introduction of the versatile jet fighter, built by Lockheed Martin at a cost of approximately $100 million per plane. “What a grand day for naval aviation,” he said to a throng of local reporters, “and for Naval Air Station Lemoore and the community. It is a historic day.”
With its stealth technology, and helmet mounted display systems, the F-35 is the world’s most sophisticated airplane. In addition to the Navy’s acquisition of nearly 100 of the jets, which will be introduced to NAS Lemoore over the next 8-10 years, the Air Force and Marine Corps have also purchased the new fighters.
“They are very, very pleased with its capabilities,” said Shoemaker. We’re very excited about this platform … and its capabilities.” He said he expects to have a full fleet squadron (VFA 147) trained in the F-35C by the fall. “We will grow here to a fleet (eventually) of 100 airplanes.”
Shoemaker added that NAS Lemoore will be the only Navy base to house the new airplane as it’s slowly “ramped” up in the next few years. “I think we’re on the right path.”
One of the newest aviators to begin training in the F-35C says he’s impressed by the country’s fifth generation jet fighter, which will eventually phase out the venerable Hornets, in use since the early 1980s.
“I’m very much excited for it,” said Lt. Robert Grant, a Hornet pilot currently transitioning to the new airplane. “It’s going to be completely different (from the Hornet, a fourth-generation fighter). With the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) and the F-35C the Navy has a fifth-generation capability, so it’s got integrated stealth, it’s got sensor fusion, it’s got all these amazing new capabilities that a fourth-generation platform like the Super Hornet just can’t provide.”
Base Commander David James told the gathered press that he expects upwards of 1,500 active-duty military personnel to relocate to Lemoore, bringing with them an expanded payroll which could benefit the surrounding communities, and the Valley. He said that the Navy has no plans to expand base housing, but that there are ample opportunities for housing in nearby communities like Lemoore and Hanford.
The man responsible for managing the F-35C program, Babione, was on hand Wednesday to praise his company’s latest foray in the military hardware. “We’re introducing a game changing capability here with the F-35,” he said. “It really stands apart from any other plane” with its advanced avionics and its life expectancy of 8,000 hour over 30 years.
Later, speaking to the large crowd in the hanger, Babione again praised the aircraft, particularly after seeing it perform landings and takeoffs from the USS George Washington. “It was absolutely amazing. It is the most impressive display of Naval power in the world. Today we’re on the precipice of Naval aviation history.”
