Feb. 23, 2021 Luke fighter pilot tops 1,000 F-35 flying hours Maj. Nicholas “JAKAL” Rallo, an instructor pilot with the 944th Fighter Wing, became the first Luke Air Force Base F-35 Lightning II pilot to attain 1,000 F-35 flying hours here, February 22, 2021.
Feb. 18, 2021 Reserve fighter pilot reaches 1,000 hours in F-35 HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — A pilot in the 419th Fighter Wing became the Air Force Reserve’s first operational F-35 pilot to reach 1,000 flying hours in the Air Force's newest fighter jet here today. Maj. Daniel “Mental” Toftness joined the Reserve in August 2018 after 12 years on active duty. He
Jan. 26, 2021 Hill Airmen deploy F-35A for large combat exercise HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Airmen from the active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing here are deploying to Nellis AFB, Nev., to take on a tough adversary – other Airmen. Approximately 200 Airmen from Hill AFB will participate in Red Flag 21-1 from Jan. 25 to Feb. 12. The exercise is the Air
April 3, 2020 419th Fighter Wing hosts F-35 virtual field trip HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – With closures at schools across the nation due to COVID-19, the 419th Fighter Wing invited students to use their computers or cellphones to “visit” here for a virtual field trip today to see the Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-35 Lightning II.Col. Brian Silkey, the
March 25, 2020 Hill fighter wings continue flying operations amid COVID-19 crisis HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing are continuing to train and fly the F-35A Lightning II here despite the current global Coronavirus outbreak.There has been one confirmed case on Hill AFB, but none in the fighter wings. As cases continue
March 20, 2020 Women’s History Month: 419 FW commander remembers milestones, personal journey to cockpit HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Hill hosted a Women’s History lunch last week, featuring the commander of the 419th Fighter Wing, Col. Regina “Torch” Sabric, as keynote speaker.Sabric is the first woman to command the 419th FW and the first female pilot in the Air Force Reserve to fly the F-35. She has
Feb. 21, 2020 AFRC commander visits wing, celebrates F-35 success HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Lt. Gen. Richard Scobee, Air Force Reserve Command commander and chief of the Air Force Reserve, paid a visit to the 419th Fighter Wing to help commemorate a key milestone in F-35A Lightning II operations here.Scobee joined Gen. Mike Holmes, Commander of Air Combat
Jan. 6, 2020 Hill's fighter wings conduct F-35A combat power exercise HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th FW conducted a combat power exercise here Jan. 6, launching 52 F-35A Lightning IIs in rapid succession.The fighter wings are home to 78 aircraft. As the Air Force’s only combat-capable F-35A units, the wings must be
Dec. 18, 2019 Hill fighter wings receive final F-35A Lightning II HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – Hill’s fighter wings received their final F-35A Lightning II Dec. 17. The delivery brings the total number of aircraft at Hill to 78.“This is a great milestone,” said Col. Steven Behmer, 388th Fighter Wing commander. “It marks the end of the beginning for us. Since
Oct. 16, 2019 Senate confirms Barrett to be Air Force secretary The 85 to 7 vote makes Barbara Barrett the third consecutive woman confirmed to lead the Air Force and its 685,000 total force Airmen. Barrett replaces Heather Wilson who resigned in May. Undersecretary Matthew Donovan served as acting secretary in the interim.