F-35 Lightning II demonstration comes to Misawa

by Airman 1st Class Patrick S. Ciccarone
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/29/2014 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Lockheed Martin hosted an F-35 Lightning II cockpit demonstration simulation Sept. 24 through 26 at Misawa Air Base, Japan.

The demonstration was brought to Misawa in order to increase awareness of the new aircraft and to become familiar with the multi-role fighter that will ultimately be the mainstay aircraft of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied nations.

"The F-35 is going to be everywhere in the world," said Paul DuLaney, F-35 project manager for Lockheed Martin and former Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot. "We're introducing it to Airmen here, so everyone can understand just how important it will be to the mission."

The three branches of service will each have a version of the F-35 in the near future. The Air Force is scheduled to operate a conventional take-off and landing variant, the Navy will have a carrier version, and the Marine Corps will receive a vertical short take-off and landing variant model aircraft.

"Although the three variants have different capabilities, they all will be able to perform multi-role missions in the field," DuLaney explained. "The technology implemented in the F-35 is a quantum leap in comparison to the aircraft we have today."

Currently, the F-35 is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., and is undergoing flight training operations before being permanently stationed  in other locations around the world.

"The first group of Air Force F-35s in the Pacific will be stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska," said 35th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Timothy J. Sundvall.

In addition to the various branches acquiring the aircraft, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has also purchased the new fighter.

"The JASDF decided Misawa will be the home for the first F-35 in Japan," Sundvall said. "You will see them sometime in 2017 to eventually replace the Japanese F-2."

In time, the F-35 will also replace the current U.S Air Force assets at Misawa, the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The F-35 Lightning II cockpit demonstrations' next stop on the tour is Yokota Air Base, Japan.