Page 11 - Nellis Creech NTTR Bullseye July 1 2016

BULLSEYE News July 1, 2016 11

www.aerotechnews.com/nellisafb Facebook.com/NellisBullseye

F-35A nearly combat ready

By Kari Tilton David Lyons, 388th FW commander. well, according to Capt. Richard Palz, great progress,” said Lt. Col. George
“By any measure, the aircraft did 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, of- Watkins, 34th FS commander. “The
419th Fighter Wing Public A airs well. We should be ready to declare ficer in charge. Mountain Home deployment marks
IOC very soon.” another significant milestone in vali-
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — A small team of Lockheed Mar- dating the F-35A’s capabilities as we
The first off-station deployment While at Mountain Home, Hill’s tin contractors provided ALIS and pursue IOC.”
exercise for the F-35A Lightning II pilots and maintainers achieved a 100 logistics support just as they would
confirmed that the Air Force’s newest percent sortie generation rate with during real-world deployments and In February, Hill F-35A pilots
fighter jet is on track to reach initial 88 of 88 flights and a 94 percent hit their spare parts and logistics support dropped laser-guided bombs at the
operational capability later this year. rate with 15 of 16 bombs on target. was excellent, Lyons said. Utah Test and Training Range in
Maintainers achieved 92.3 percent Utah’s west dessert, marking the first
A declaration of IOC means the Mission Capable rate. Known for its highly advanced time these weapons were employed by
F-35A will be combat ready. stealth capability, the F-35 is the a combat-coded unit. In May, Hill’s
“As a longtime F-16 pilot, I can tell world ’s most advanced multi-role F-35 pilots began f lying routine four-
Seven F-35A aircraft and 181 per- you these numbers are impressive,” fighter and is designed to gather, ship configurations. Hill’s f leet of
sonnel from Hill’s active duty 388th said Col. David Smith, 419th FW fuse, and distribute more informa- F-35 aircraft has also received light-
Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th commander. “The F-35 performed tion than any aircraft in history. It ning protection and anti-ice modifi-
Fighter Wing pushed the aircraft phenomenally.” can penetrate enemy territory that cations, and pilots are now using the
to its limits at Mountain Home Air non-stealth aircraft such as the F-16, lightweight “Gen-3” helmet.
Force Base, Idaho, during the train- Hill’s F-35A pilots f lew large-force A-10, and F-15 cannot.
ing June 6-17. exercises with F-15Es from Mountain The base is slated for three opera-
Home’s 366th Fighter Wing and re- The Air Force’s first operational tional F-35 squadrons and a total of
The simulated deployment tested mained undefeated during air-to-air F-35A arrived to the 388th FW’s 34th 78 aircraft by the end of 2019. The
the F-35A against a stringent set of engagements against red air, or “en- Fighter Squadron here in September 388th and 419th FWs f ly and main-
IOC requirements to include basic emy” aircraft. 2015. Hill AFB now has 21 pilots and tain the Air Force’s newest fighter
close air support, aerial interdiction 106 maintainers who are qualified on aircraft in a Total Force partnership,
and limited suppression and destruc- The Autonomic Logistics Informa- the F-35A. which capitalizes on the strengths of
tion of enemy aircraft. tion System – the aircraft’s complex the active duty and reserve compo-
information technology infrastruc- “Since the aircraft’s arrival last nents.
“This was really the capstone event ture known as ALIS – and the mis- fall there have been too many mile-
in our preparations to reach IOC and sion systems software performed very stones to count and we’re making
it was a resounding success,” said Col.

Successfully Treat
Chronic Low-Back, Neck,
Joint Pain or Neuropathy
and Return to an Active
Lifestyle!

We honor our Veterans!

PTSD, Insomnia, or Sleep Apnea Neuropathy and Pain Centers of America is a professional
leads to Depression, Heart Attack, Stroke, medical treatment facility in Las Vegas that provides
unparalleled and dramatically successful results for
Cancers & Sudden Death. patients suffering from chronic pain of all kinds.

Dr. Chan is a renowned specialist one of the very No Surgery • No Steroids • All “In-Office” Treatments
few in America in Sleep Disorders & Heart Disease,
Robert H. Odell, Jr. MD PhD
with expertise to help you. Diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology

Call 702 568-9968 American Academy of Pain Management
American Board of Pain Medicine
Anthony Q. Chan,
Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice of the World Institute of Pain.
MD, FAASM, FACC, FAHA, RPSGT
Call Us Today! 702-257-7246
Former Adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine (Cardiology)
Stanford University School of Medicine 8084 W Sahara Ave, Suite B • Las Vegas, NV 89117

2749 Sunridge Heights Parkway, Henderson, Nevada 89052 www.nvpainrelief.com

Learn about heart disease & sleep apnea

www.chanwellclinic.org