Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth is set to be the home of F-35 fighter jets, new cargo aircraft and an airborne medical transport, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger said Monday.
Twenty-six Lockheed Martin F-35s will replace the aging F-16s used by the 301st Fighter Wing squadron, Granger said during a press conference at the base. Having the F-35s in Fort Worth has been in the works since March 2020. The fighter jets are built at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, which is next to the base.
The 301st Fighter Wing squadron is expected to receive its first F-35 jet in the summer of 2024, according to a press release..
The Texas Air National Guard’s aging C-130-H aircraft, used for cargo and personnel transport, will be replaced with the new C-130J models. Sen. John Cornyn previously announced that the U.S. Air Force selected Fort Worth to house eight new C-130J aircraft and the planes would arrive in 2022 or early 2023.
The J models reduce manpower requirements, lowers operating and support costs and provide life-cycle cost savings.
“I’m glad the Air Force made the right decision to bring these modern aircraft forward, which add capability, performance and value,” Granger said.
Fort Worth will also be the newest location of an aeromedical evacuation squadron, which uses aircraft to evacuate wounded military personnel and civilians from danger to medical facilities.
“It’s amazing to see the same runway that trained pilots for World War II, now supporting the future of American air power,” she said.
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