200424-F-HJ760-2042

U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant Saum, the 354th Fighter Wing F-35 Program Integration Office director of operations, and Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron (FS) assistant director of operations, prepare to step to the aircraft at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. This marked the first takeoffs for the F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 356th FS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1054

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Montoya, a 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 dedicated crew chief, performs pre-flight checks at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. Eielson’s first two F-35A Lightning II aircraft arrived April 21. A total of 54 F-35s are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1166

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Jeffrey A. Springer, a 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 dedicated crew chief, performs pre-flight checks at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. The F-35As partnered with the F-22 Raptors stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will make Alaska the most concentrated state for combat-coded fifth-generation fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1261

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Jeffrey A. Springer, a 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 dedicated crew chief, stands by as an F-35A Lightning II prepares to taxi out for its first sortie from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. The F-35As assigned to Eielson will join a team of joint and international partners in the Indo-Pacific theater, modernizing defense capabilities in the region and enabling international interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-2167

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Jeffrey A. Springer, a 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 dedicated crew chief, marshals an F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. The F-35A, the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter, brings an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1309

U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant Saum, the 354th Fighter Wing F-35 Program Integration Office director of operations, and Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron (FS) assistant director of operations, prepare to take Eielson's first F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft out for their first sortie from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. The 356th FS F-35As will train with 18th Aggressor Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-22 Raptors assigned to the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1219

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Montoya, a 356th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 dedicated crew chief, salutes Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. Eielson AFB combines a strategically important location with a world-class training environment, providing an optimal environment for pilots of the fifth-generation aircraft to train and operate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-HJ760-1340

U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron (FS) assistant director of operations, signals the first F-35A Lightning II sortie to take place at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. The squadron’s first F-35As arrived at the base April 21. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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200424-F-JH697-1228

U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant Saum, the 354th Fighter Wing F-35 Program Integration Office director of operations, takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, during the first launch of the F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft for the 354th Fighter Wing, April 24, 2020. The F-35As assigned to Eielson will join a team of joint and international partners in the Indo-Pacific theater, modernizing defense capabilities in the region and enabling international interoperability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)

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200424-F-JH697-1288

U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations, takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, during the first launch of the F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft for the 354th Fighter Wing, April 24, 2020. Today's launch marked the first takeoffs of the F-35s assigned to the 356th FS, the first of two combat-coded F-35 squadrons assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)

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200424-F-JH697-1276

U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations, takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, during the first launch of the F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft for the 354th Fighter Wing, April 24, 2020. Eielson’s strategic location and proximity to the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex make it the premier training location for fifth-generation fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)

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200424-F-JH697-1241

U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant Saum, the 354th Fighter Wing F-35 Program Integration Office director of operations, takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, during the first launch of the F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft for the 354th Fighter Wing, April 24, 2020. Eielson's first two F-35s arrived April 21, with a total of 54 of the jets scheduled to arrive by the end of 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)

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200424-F-JH697-1293

U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations, takes off from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, during the first launch of the F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft for the 354th Fighter Wing, April 24, 2020. The 356th FS F-35As will train with 18th Aggressor Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-22 Raptors assigned to the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik)

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Lightning takes to the skies over Eielson AFB

Published April 24, 2020
By 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- U.S. Air Force Maj. Grant Saum, the 354th Fighter Wing F-35 Program Integration Office director of operations, and Maj. Brian Mueller, the 356th Fighter Squadron (FS) assistant director of operations, prepare to step to the aircraft at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 24, 2020. This marked the first takeoffs for the F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 356th FS. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

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