New F-35 Fighter Jets Coming To Fort Worth Naval Air Station
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Built in Fort Worth and first in service here, too.
The United States Air Force will send the very first F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.
The first fighter jets will go to the airmen in the 301st Fighter Wing.
Governor Greg Abbott released the following statement regarding the news:
"The 301st Fighter Wing is the ideal location for basing F-35s. The State of Texas has a long history of supporting the U.S. military, and it is a top priority for my office to ensure that Texas is the most military-friendly state in the country. The Lone Star State is already home to the Air Force's Advanced Instrument Course and the undergraduate and advanced flight schools for both the Air Force and the Navy/Marine Corps and I am pleased that the greatest military aviation department in the world has chosen Ft. Worth as the location for its newest squadron."
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement Thursday afternoon:
"This morning, the United States Air Force informed me that NAS JRB Fort Worth has been selected to receive the first Air Force Reserve F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. After a highly competitive process, the USAF picked the 301st Fighter Wing to be the first Air Force Reserve unit to transition into the fifth-generation aircraft. I am greatly pleased that the Air Force recognized what we in Texas already knew: that NAS JRB Fort Worth and the local community offer exceptional value to the United States Air Force. This selection is a true testament to the professionalism of the Airmen in the 301st Fighter Wing, the leadership at NAS JRB Fort Worth, the commitment of local Fort Worth leadership, as well as the unparalleled support for the military from the State of Texas."
The F-35 is manufactured at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth Plant which isn't far from NASJRB.
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