Air National Guard's new fighter basings announced

On 18 April 2023, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) announced that they selected Barnes ANGB (MA) as the preferred location to host the next Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II squadron to replace their legacy F-15C/D Eagles.

Next to the new ANG Lightning II base, NAS JRB New Orleans (LA) and Fresno ANGB (CA), will replace their legacy Eagles with Boeing F-15EX Eagle IIs.

Ultimately, the new equipped squadrons will consist of 18 F-35As with the 131st Fighter Squadron, part of the 104th Fighter Wing, at Barnes ANGB and 18 F-15EXs each at both Fresno ANGB with the 194th Fighter Squadron, part of the 144th Fighter Wing and at NAS JRB New Orleans with the 122nd Fighter Squadron, part of the 159th Fighter Wing.

The decision to host the next Air National Guard F-35As and F-15EXs at their respective bases came after conducting site surveys at each location, assessing the location’s ability to facilitate the mission and infrastructure capacity, while accounting for community support, environmental factors and cost.

Although a final decision has yet to been made, the DAF will conduct an environmental impact analyses at each base. The latter are expected to be completed at the beginning of 2024.

In August 2020 Scramble Magazine wrote about the future basing of new USAF fighters. Looking at the current proposals, at least some of those earlier statements are now doubtful.

To be continued...

Photos via USAF