F-35's homes being selected

[AirDOGGe]

The Air Force has filed a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed operational basing of the F-35 Lightning II within the continental United States.

The current active Air Force and Air National Guard alternatives under consideration are:

Burlington Air Guard Station, VT
Hill Air Force Base, UT
Jacksonville Air Guard Station, FL
Mountain Home AFB, ID
Shaw AFB/McEntire Joint National Guard Base, SC.


To any AAFO members who live near one of those bases.....CROSS YOUR FINGERS!


(lucky stiffs..grumble*)

[rampking]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

I don't get it. Why are so many National Guard bases on the list rather than active USAF bases ?
Why is the lastest and greatest hot fighter deployed getting sent to a ANG base right at the outset?
We're talking about an aircraft that may be the first with a combat laser weapon in the future.
I watched all the USAF base closures in California these last 40 years, I take it even more base closures (Disarmament) are still coming?
I'm for putting them at Moffett Field !
Agree ?

[AirDOGGe]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

I'll buy that if NASA will...Moffett is theirs (AMES) at the moment, but if the Air Force asked to use it, I'm sure they'd love to get that financial burden off their backs.

They haven't based fighter jets at Moffett since the 50's though. Too many people live around it now.

[mrcraigarcher]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

We've been anxiously waiting for the F-35s here at Hill AFB for years. Can't wait!

[rampking]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

Just dreaming on my part.
Grew up watching and hearing the constant P-3 Orion flts out of there for so many years.
I would not say that NASA is really very busy there.
I would think of it as a an upgrade to the present ANG C-130 and Blackhawk based there.
Only excitement there is when a AN-124 or Air Force One come to visit once in a while.
The Moffett Commissary is the busiest place on base from what I can see.
There is a subdivision around every USAF installation except Groom Lake and Edwards AFB, problems with the neighbors will always be an issue.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

Oh, I don't know. i was experiencing several low overflights of single and paired Blackhawks yesterday, and it was pretty cool. And once in a rare while we get 1 to 4 F-18's in the pattern, probably flying in from some ocean-going carrier for a re-fueling stop on the way to their destination, or visa-versa.

[rampking]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

Yep, caught the Blackhawks you are referring to.. transitting low over Burlingame heading back to Moffett before dusk.
You know by that distinctive deep rumble that it is no CHP/Sheriff or medical helicopter going by.
Funny, one just passed over as I am writing this !
By the way, check out the Pacific Coast Dream Machines at the end of this month at the Half Moon Bay Airport.
Sounds like we both need out warbirds 'fix'

http://www.miramarevents.com/dreammachines/p-51-mustangs.html

[AERRACE]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

The ANG Blackhawks you guys saw were probably part of the search team looking for the 4 missing sailors near the Faralone Islands. As for jet fighters ever being based at Moffett again, that is a long dead issue. I grew up, 1955 on, in Sunnyvale and can remember how unpopular the jets were. The early jets did "fall out of the sky" with what seemed to area residents, alarming regularity. When the last F11Fs left in mid 61 the quiter ADs and the P3s were tollerated. Even before the Navy left the cities of Sunnyvale and Mountain View had adopted a very strong NIMBY attitude towards other aviation uses,ie. air cargo, for Moffett. As the de-cladding of Hanger 1 progresses one can only hope that the powers that be at NASA will take the 3 Google mogals up on their offer to cover the 33 MILLION Dollar cost of not only recovering the hanger, but all its utilities up to modern standards. Hopefully then the Smithsonian will revisit its plan to create a west coast there.

Frank

[AirDOGGe]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

Yes, my mother told me such stories from the early 50's of old fighters with their unreliable engines of that era coming down somewhere in town fairly and unfortunately often, sometimes described with vivid details (Thx mom!). That's not the case today with current aircraft. If necessary, Former Moffett NAS, currently Moffett Federal Airfield, COULD become Moffett AFB in the future should the need arise.

I won't be betting any paychecks on it in Vegas though...




Unfortunately, Google's offer requires letting them use said historical hangar as their private jet garage, and that part I don't care for. Money can't buy EVERYTHING (I hope).

But Google will probably end up buying the whole shamoozle someday for their private 'port....Right after they purchase naming rights and rechristen my hometown of Mountain View as "GoogleVille".


There must be a better source for funds somewhere that would leave Hangar-1 reskinned but unoccupied, and as such museum-available.

P.S.....SOME of those BHs may have been part of the search, but at least one solo bird was circling around town earlier in the day in left or right circles...probably a training or orientation flight.


.

[DWYER]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

We've been anxiously waiting for the F-35s here at Hill AFB for years. Can't wait!

Here here!! Another vote for Hill AFB!!!

[First time Juke]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

Yes, my mother told me such stories from the early 50's of old fighters with their unreliable engines of that era coming down somewhere in town fairly and unfortunately often, sometimes described with vivid details (Thx mom!). That's not the case today with current aircraft.

My daddys memoirs had similar story..two biplanes collided while he was on 4th grade at school..sure it has an impact. It is not nice too see the debris at the field and hear the emergency vehicles rushing there..especially if you hear afterwards that all died.

Let's be careful out there.

[Chappie]

Re: F-35's homes being selected

If any Guard units get the F-35 it should the 113th at Andrews. We've got the Alert mission after all.


Chappie