North America
USAF F-35As of the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron ‘Black Widows’ – normally based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, as part of the 388th Fighter Wing (FW) – are continuing to rack up milestones during their current deployment to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, as part of a European Theater Security Package (TSP).
Four F-35As touched down at Powidz air base, Poland, on July 16, to take part in Operation Rapid Forge – a forward deployment readiness exercise across Eastern Europe. The manoeuvres marked the first time F-35As had landed in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia On July 18, F-35As landed at Šiauliai air base in Lithuania, joining F-15Es and C-130Js that had arrived in the country two days earlier. During the manoeuvres, an MC-130J Commando II landed at a remote airfield where equipment and fuel lines were set up and an F-35A was refuelled and relaunched. Also on the 18th, two F-35As from the unit visited RAF Marham, Norfolk, for joint training with RAF and Royal Navy ground crew. The first visit of the A-model Lightning II to Marham included ‘hot pit’ refuelling – topping up the aircraft’s fuel tanks with engine running.
On July 23, F-35As touched down at Lielvarde air base, L…
