Alabama's Red Tails receive first Lightnings
On 6 December 2023, Alabama Air National Guard's 100th Fighter Squadron 'Red Tails', part of the 187th Fighter Wing, based at Dannelly Field, near Montgomery (AL), received its first trio of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs.
After Vermont and Wisconsin, Alabama's 100th Fighter Squadron is the third Air National Guard unit that is transitioning to the F-35A fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Having previously operated F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, more than a decade of preparation and planning had been underway by members of the 100th FS/187th FW and the state of Alabama.
The "Red Tails" are preparing to receive a total of twenty F-35As over the next five years. Construction over the next several years will total approximately USD 112 million. The unit is projected to be fully operational by 2026.
The following trio of AL coded F-35As arrived at Dannelly: 18-5414, 18-5420 and 20-5628. Strikingly, while now based in Alabama, the first two F-35As were once intended for the Turkish Air Force. After having been stored at Luke AFB (AZ), those were later used for training with the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke.
Credit photos: USAF