Hill AFB jets practice night fights over next two weeks
Apr 26, 2022, 3:50 PM | Updated: Jun 20, 2022, 1:58 pm
An Airman monitors an F-35A Lightning II during a hot pit refuel at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, during night flying operations. (U.S. Air Force file photo by Senior Airman Anthony Pham)
(U.S. Air Force file photo by Senior Airman Anthony Pham)
HILL AFB, Utah — F-35A jets from Hill AFB will be training at night through May 5.
The night flights are scheduled for weekday nights only. The base said the fights should end by 11 p.m but the schedule could change based on weather and other factors.
“Hill’s fighter wings must train at night to maintain their combat readiness and all-weather capabilities,” a news release said. “Night flying is limited to what is required for pilots to remain proficient in those skills for deployments.”
The release said all three of the active-duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings have been deployed over the past two years to support combat missions in the Middle East.
We're night flying at @HAFB this week. Most flying should be done by 11 p.m. We fly nights to maintain readiness and keep that combat edge. https://t.co/FLO2oWsWfF pic.twitter.com/oVw0NdrlUp
— 388th Fighter Wing (@388fw) April 26, 2022
The 34th Fighter Squadron is deployed to Spangdahlem AFB in Germany to support NATO as Russia presses its attack on Ukraine.
In February the 34th “forward-deployed” to NATO’s eastern flank near the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea.
They are part of NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission from forward operating locations at Estonia’s Amari Air Base, Lithuania’s Siauliai Air Base, and Romania’s Fetesti Air Base.
Hill AFB is home to 78 of the F-35A Lightning IIs.
