Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 20 September 2019

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Next-generation F-35 fighter jets go to National Guard unit

By WILSON RING half-century life of the pro-
Associated Press gram. The model of plane
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. that will be based in Burl-
(AP) — The first two of an ington cost about $94 mil-
eventual 20 F-35 jets arrived lion each.
Thursday at the Vermont Assigning F-35s, which are
Air National Guard base designed to replace a
in South Burlington, the first number of aging fighter
Guard unit to receive the models, to Vermont shows
next-generation fighter. the days are long gone
Guard members and when Air National Guard
friends clapped as the units received hand-me-
planes flew over the airport down aircraft while new
for the first time Thursday planes went exclusively to
afternoon, doing several active duty Air Force units,
flyovers after the three- said Ian Bryan, a retired
hour flight from the factory Tennessee Air National
in Fort Worth, Texas. Guard pilot who worked in
The delivery follows years of Washington as a legislative
work and planning, as well National Guard members, left, view the first two F-35 fighter jets that arrived on Thursday, Sept. liaison with the National
as missions in the Guard's 19, 2019, at the Vermont Air National Guard base in South Burlington, Vt., after they were flown by Guard Bureau.
previous aircraft, F-16s guard pilots from the factory in Fort Worth, Texas. Vermont, and the Guard,
that flew continuously for Associated Press are at the forefront of learn-
weeks over New York after ing how to make the best
the Sept. 11 attacks and in dential neighborhoods and about the impact it would more than 200,000 flying use of the new airplanes,
combat tours in Iraq and industrial complexes in the have," Greco said. "The evi- hours. he said.
elsewhere in the Middle middle of Vermont's most dence was overwhelming "It's really important to us to "Ten years from now, we
East. populous county. it would have a very nega- do everything we can to need to have figured out
"Bringing the F-35 to Ver- Rosanne Greco, the for- tive effect on close to 7,000 mitigate the impact on the how to use this F-35 thing,
mont secures our future for mer chair of the South Bur- people" who live near the community," he said. and it's going to be the lead
decades, and our country lington City Council and a airport. The Air Force describes the as the wings fall off some of
needs this airplane," Col. retired Air Force colonel, Smith said prior to Thurs- F-35 as its fifth-generation these old airplanes," Bryan
David Smith, the com- said she supported basing day's arrival that the Air Na- fighter, combining stealth said. Vermont Air Guard Lt.
mander of the 158th Fighter the plane in her home city tional Guard understands technology with speed Col. Tony "Scrappy" Marek,
Wing, the new home to the until she learned by read- the concerns. The Guard and agility. Different mod- one of the pilots who flew
F-35s, said after the planes ing the Air Force's environ- has modified traffic pat- els are being built for the Air to Burlington on Thursday,
arrived. mental impact statement terns the planes will use Force, Navy and Marines said flying the F-35 is similar
But for some members of about how noisy the F-35 is and checked the takeoff and are being sold to U.S. to the F-16 he used to fly.
the community, the arrival and what she feels are the times to minimize noise dis- allies across the world. "It's been over a decade in
of noisier aircraft marks the dangers of having a new, ruptions, he said. It is also the U.S. military's the making," Market said.
failure of yearslong efforts unproven weapon system As for safety, he said, more most expensive weapons "It's a remarkable airplane.
to keep the Air Force from at a suburban airport. than 400 F-35s have been system of all time, with an ... It does truly amazing
delivering the planes to an "All I had to do was read delivered so far, and the estimated total cost of $1.5 things, and I'm really excit-
airport that sits amid resi- what the Air Force said planes have accumulated trillion over the expected ed to be able to fly it."q

Three Mile Island nuclear power plant’s shutdown is imminent

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — based energy giant made ed and put into operation action in the reactor core. plant, Lyman said.
The final shutdown of Three in May after it became in the United States. The control rods — made of He said he also expects
Mile Island, where 1979's clear that it would not get Edwin Lyman, acting di- minerals and soft metals — plant operators will discon-
terrifying partial meltdown a financial rescue from rector the nuclear safety absorb neutrons and make nect Three Mile Island from
became a landmark event Pennsylvania. project for the Union of it impossible for nuclear fis- the electric grid.
in the life cycle of nuclear The accident that de- Concerned Scientists, said sion to continue. As the economics of the
power in the United States, stroyed Three Mile Island's the steps to shut down a The core remains hot, and nation’s aging nuclear fleet
is imminent. Unit 2 badly undermined reactor are similar to when heat removal systems must have deteriorated, seven
Exelon Corp. officials said public support for the en- the plant temporarily shuts cool it down gradually to plants — eight reactors
the plant will stop produc- ergy source: No nuclear it down for a refueling out- avoid cracking the reactor — have closed in the last
ing electricity around noon plant that was proposed age. The first step will be to vessel before the fuel rods eight years, leaving 97 op-
Friday, following through after the accident has insert control rods to stop are removed to a spent erating, although several
on a decision the Chicago- been successfully complet- the nuclear fission chain re- fuel storage pool at the more are slated to close.q