Jan 7, 2020 · HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) -- A little more than four years after receiving their first combat-coded F-35A Lightning II aircraft, Hill Air Force Base's fighter wings have achieved full warfighting capability.

8 hours ago · HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — The F-35A Lightning II, also known as “Frankenjet” due to its construction from two separate, damaged aircraft, has returned home to Utah’s Hill Air Force Base.Frankenjet is one of its kind — piecing together an AF-211 that was damaged in a nose-gear collapse at Hill AFB in 2020 and an AF-27 that was damaged in an engine fire at Florida’s Eglin AFB in 2014.

5 hours ago · HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (ABC4) — The F-35A Lightning II, ... The project was a joint effort by the F-35 Joint Program Office, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, and 388th Fighter Wing and Lockheed ...

Jul 27, 2023 · Hill AFB is home to 78 F-35A Lightning IIs. The 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings are the Air Force's first combat-capable F-35A units, and fly and maintain the jet in a Total Force partnership, which capitalizes on the strength of both components.

With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.

Jul 27, 2023 · Today, Air Combat Command released an accident investigation board report regarding an F-35A crash that occurred Oct. 19, 2022, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The pilot, who was assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing, safely ejected and sustained minor injuries.

1 day ago · The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) reported that the repair cost $11.7 million, $2.8 million less than initially projected, and took two years and five months to complete. ... The reconstructed fighter completed its first flight on Jan. 24, traveling from Hill Air Force Base to Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, before ...

1 day ago · The F-35A Lightning II, dubbed a “Frankenjet” and assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing, returns to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on March 26, 2025. SOURCE: Capt. Nathan Poblete/US Air Force via CNN ...

Mar 27, 2025 · HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Airmen at Hill Air Force Base work every day to keep the F-35 Lightning II flying, but not every vital job takes place on the flightline. The accessories flight in the 388th Maintenance Squadron, handles key areas like fuel tanks, ejection seats, wheels and tires.

2 days ago · Almost two and a half years of repairs paid off in January, when the Frankenjet flew for the first time, from Hill AFB to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 facility in Fort Worth, Texas.