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Arrival of First F-35 Lightning II Celebrated at Ogden Air Logistics Complex

Bob Nelson

The arrival of the firstLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base was celebrated Friday. Eventually more than a hundred of these planes will be housed and maintained at the base. Dignitaries including US Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee were on hand for the celebration today. Mayors from all the cities surrounding the base were also there.  Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35, Lorraine Martin says the ALC in Ogden is responsible for upgrading and maintaining major components of the craft including doors, panels and covers now and will soon add to the maintenance list radar, landing gear, canopy, control surfaces, edges, displays and weapons.

"...some incredibly important compounds of the F-35 to be cared for and repaired here at Hill Air Force Base," says Martin.

Credit File: Hill Air Force Base
The first F-35 Lightning II, tail number 5009, arrives at Ogden Air Logistics Complex, Hill Air Force Base.

Senator Hatch says Ogden and the surrounding community deserves all of the credit.

“…and to have us be the original depot to take care of this plane is pretty doggone-big-time stuff. And it’s tribute to the workers here, to the unions here, to the military leadership here, to the community most of all because the community’s patriotic,” says Hatch.

Three distinct variants of the F-35 will eventually replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force. Both of those older fighters are currently being maintained at the ALC in Ogden.

Bob Nelson is a graduate of the University of Utah with a BA in mass communications. He began his radio career at KUER in 1978 when it was still in Kingsbury Hall. That’s also where he met his wife, Maria Shilaos, in 1981. Bob left KUER for commercial radio where he worked for 25 years, and he is thrilled to be back at KUER. Bob and his family are part of an explorer group, fondly known as The Hordes and Masses, which has been seeking out ghost towns and little-known places in Utah for more than twenty years.
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