US Air Force/Senior Airman Duncan C. Bevan
by Gareth Jennings
The US Air Force (USAF) is to stand up the 495th ‘Valkyries’ Squadron as its first overseas unit to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
The first of two new US Air Force F-35A units at RAF Lakenheath in the UK is to be designated the 495th ‘Valkyries’ Squadron. (US Air Force)
The 48th Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath in the UK made the announcement on 16 February, noting that the new name was selected from a poll taken in December 2020. The 495th Squadron has also been given the motto ‘Mala Ipsa Nova’, Latin for ‘Bad News Itself’.
The first F-35As are set to arrive at RAF Lakenheath towards the end of 2021. A second squadron at the base will be announced in due course.
Having declared IOC for its conventional take-off and landing (CTOL)-variant F-35A in August 2016, the USAF is now ramping up its aircraft numbers and basing locations. The USAF has a programme of record of 1,763 F-35As over the life of the programme, of which 284 have been delivered to date. As noted by Janes World Air Forces, the type is operated by the 315th and 134th Fighter Squadrons at Burlington Air National Guard Base; the 34th, 421st, and 4th Fighter Squadrons at Hill Air Force Base; the 16th Weapons Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base; the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base; the 61st, 62nd, and 63rd and 69th Fighter Squadrons at Luke Air Force Base; the 466th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base; as well as the 355th and 356th Fighter Squadrons at Eielson Air Force Base.
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