Hill AFB, Utah, and Burlington ANGS, Vt., are the Air Force’s two preferred bases for its initial batches of combat-ready F-35 strike fighters, USAF officials announced Thursday. Hill and Burlington were chosen for operations over candidate locations disclosed last October: Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Shaw AFB/McEntire JNGB, S.C., and Jacksonville ANGS, Fla. (Some Air Force press releases erroneously stated Thursday that Beale AFB, Calif., was the choice for F-35 operations and training. Beale is the preferred site for MC-12 basing, and will not host the F-35.) Kathleen Ferguson, USAF’s installations lead, noted Thursday that these preferred locations do not yet constitute “a final basing decision.” USAF will continue with environmental impact studies regarding the beddown of 250 to 300 F-35s beyond those going to its initial schoolhouse at Eglin AFB, Fla.
The Air Force conducted its first successful test of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on May 14, snapping a streak of three consecutive failed tests and giving the beleaguered hypersonics program a much needed boost. Off the coast of Southern California, the AGM-183A ARRW separated from the wing…