Oct. 24, 2017 F-35A scheduled for first operational deployment to Indo-Asia-Pacific Approximately 300 Airmen and 12 F-35A Lightning IIs from Hill Air Force Base, Utah’s 34th Fighter Squadron are set to deploy to Kadena Air Base, Japan for a six month rotation. The aircraft and supporting personnel are scheduled to arrive at Kadena AB in early November 2017.
June 29, 2017 First operational F-35A squadron receives final aircraft The 34th Fighter Squadron and 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Hill Air Force Base accepted its final two combat-coded F-35A Lightning lls June 21, 2017.
May 8, 2017 F-35 complete first European training deployment Eight F-35A Lightning IIs from the 34th Fighter Squadron, along with supporting units and equipment from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, completed the first F-35A training deployment to Europe, May 7, 2017.