Eglin's Nomads scuffling around

Having recently participated in the exercise Northern Lightning at Volk Field Air National Guard Base (WI), the 33rd Fighter Wing has now been dispersed to the southeastern part of Florida.

Dozens of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs from the 33rd Fighter Wing, named the "Nomads" and normally based at Eglin AFB (FL), have travelled to Naval Air Station Key West and MacDill AFB, both in Florida, for flying training.

From 10 February 2023 through 3 March, the 33rd Fighter Wing with its subordinated units, the 58th Fighter Squadron "Mighty Gorillas" and 60th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Crows" are conducting off-site training at the aforementioned bases.

Unlike operating from Eglin, the open airspace and optimal weather conditions at these locations allow F-35 pilots from both squadrons to utilise the aerial ranges within minutes after take-off. This, also avoiding the fog delays in the morning which are impacting training flights during the spring at their home base.

The Eglin pilots are conducting trainings involving Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM), touch and go’s, hot pit refueling, and both ground and air refueling.

The 33rd Fighter Wing, a graduate flying and maintenance training wing for USAF's F-35A Lightning II, US Marines's F-35B and US Navy's F-35C, is organised under Air Education and Training Command's (AETC's) 19th Air Force.

Being a part of of the AETC, and only equipped for education and training, this is the main reason that EG coded F-35As are not to be seen outside the Continental United States (CONUS).

During the eighties and nineties of the last century, while operating the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, the EG code on the tail was a common sight in Europe.

Photos by USAF