Air Force Studies Environmental Impact of Placing F-15EX, F-35A Squadrons at U.S. Bases

The Air National Guard is assessing the impact of the beddown of F-15EX and F-35A fighter squadrons at four locations as the service prepares to retire aging F-15C/D aircraft.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 02:56 PM ET

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Pratt and Whitney will make 178 new engines for F-35a Lightning IIs like this one. [Courtesy: Lockheed Martin]

Key Takeaways:

The Air National Guard (ANG) is modernizing its fighter fleet by replacing aging F-15C/D aircraft with new F-15EX and F-35A squadrons, with deployments scheduled to begin in 2026-2027.
ANG has initiated a 45-day public scoping process to evaluate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of basing these new squadrons at four identified locations across Massachusetts, California, and Louisiana.
The assessment will consider impacts such as noise, air quality, and infrastructure, with a final decision on squadron locations expected in spring 2024 following environmental impact statements.

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The Air National Guard (ANG) is assessing the social, economic, and environmental impacts of locating new Boeing (NYSE: BA) F-15EX and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35A Lightning II squadrons at four locations around the U.S. as it makes way for fleet modernization.

ANG launched a 45-day public scoping process Tuesday, soliciting input from communities that would be impacted by the proposal, according to a Notice of Intent (NOI) published July 19 in the Federal Register. The news comes as the service plans to retire aging F-15C/D fighters, which it says will not be serviceable beyond 2026.