Latest news with #388thFighterWing
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Frankenjet': This F-35A Lightning II made from two damaged aircraft just returned to Utah's Air Force base
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (ABC4) — The F-35A Lightning II, also known as 'Frankenjet' due to its construction from two separate, damaged aircraft, has returned home to Utah's Hill Air Force Base. Frankenjet is one of its kind — piecing together an AF-211 that was damaged in a nose-gear collapse at Hill AFB in 2020 and an AF-27 that was damaged in an engine fire at Florida's Eglin AFB in 2014. And the Frankenjet is fully operational, now back at the Air Force's largest combat-coded F-35A wing at Hill Air Force Base. 'The Frankenjet is back,' Hill Air Force Base's 388th Fighter Wing posted on Instagram. 'After completing final maintenance in Fort Worth, Texas, this one-of-a-kind jet is now back where it belongs.' Minecraft 'Chicken Jockey' trend hits Utah theaters, movie-goer kicked out after bringing live chicken The project was a joint effort by the F-35 Joint Program Office, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, and 388th Fighter Wing and Lockheed Martin, requiring unique tooling and equipment to merge the two aircraft. The construction was originally done at Ogden Air Logistics before it was brought back to Hill AFB. Their work is considered to be pioneering for potential aircraft battle damage repair. The assigned team rebuilt the cockpit, rewired the aircraft, re-installed landing gear with the proper center of gravity, among other tasks that aren't typically seen in flight line maintenance shops, according to the 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office. 'When we received the aircraft, it was pretty much a shell,' said Senior Airman Jaguar Arnold, the aircraft's crew chief from the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, where the aircraft was hangared in 2024. 'There were a lot of tasks to complete that we hadn't done before at the unit level.' 'When we took responsibility for this project, we were taking on something unprecedented at the field level and it wasn't easy. That can't be overstated.' said 1st Lt. Ryan Bare, Sortie Generation Flight commander for the 4th FGS. 'But, we were also taking on an opportunity for our maintainers to gain proficiency in this type of work and build experience at the unit level. As a program, and as a unit, we've benefited greatly from this.' The Airmen involved worked on so many first-time tasks that the information will be used to update data used by all F-35 maintainers for installing and inspecting new components. As for this project, the effort saved a reported $63 million, with the project costing $11.7 million — while a new F-35A costs more than $80 million. Now operational with combat status, the Frankenjet will be flown by Utah's 4th Fighter Squadron. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
US Air Force builds $80M F-35A for just $6M by merging parts from two crashed jets
In a notable achievement, Airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing have successfully restored an F-35A Lightning II aircraft, merging the remnants of two damaged jets into a single operational unit. This marks the first instance of maintainers creating an airworthy F-35A by combining components from separate aircraft. The restoration project stemmed from the need to salvage an aircraft damaged in a nose gear collapse in 2020 at Hill Air Force Base, while the other had suffered an engine fire at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in 2014. The endeavor has been locally dubbed the 'Franken-bird' due to its unique origins. This interagency initiative involved collaboration among key entities, including the F-35 Joint Program Office, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, the 388th Fighter Wing, and Lockheed Martin. Throughout the restoration process, teams at Hill developed specialized tools, stands, and equipment to aid in merging various aircraft sections, with much of the initial work accomplished at the Ogden Air Logistics Complex. The aircraft was returned to the 388th Fighter Wing in November 2023. Scott Taylor, Lockheed Martin's lead mechanical engineer for the project, noted that the methods and resources implemented during this phase could be valuable for aircraft repairs in combat settings. For the past year, the restored aircraft has been housed within the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, where maintainers have been focused on completing its restoration. Senior Airman Jaguar Arnold, serving as the crew chief for the aircraft, acknowledged the extensive challenges faced during the rebuilding process. 'When we received the aircraft, it was essentially just a shell,' Arnold stated, highlighting the wide range of tasks they were required to tackle, many of which were new to their unit. The restoration involved critical tasks such as re-installing landing gear with attention to the aircraft's center of gravity and procuring and implementing various components, including 'belly bands' and flight controls. The Airmen collaborated closely with engineers and technicians from Lockheed Martin to rewire the systems, rebuild the cockpit, overhaul avionics, and install components typically uncommon in routine maintenance environments. Additionally, the team was responsible for fabricating and applying coatings to restore the aircraft's low-observable features. 1st Lt. Ryan Bare, Sortie Generation Flight commander for the 4th FGS, noted the team's dedication. "We put in long hours, often working nights and weekends," Bare remarked. Balancing the demands of this ambitious restoration with the regular maintenance needs of an active fighter squadron posed logistical challenges for squadron leadership. However, the team successfully navigated these obstacles, reaping rewards from the experience gained. Bare added, 'Taking on this project at the field level was unprecedented and came with its difficulties, but it also made for an invaluable opportunity for our maintainers to enhance their skills.' The lessons learned from this unique project are expected to influence updates to the Joint Technical Data used by F-35 maintainers, promising improved safety for aircraft, maintainers, and pilots. Financially, the Air Force stands to benefit significantly from this endeavor. The project's estimated cost was nearly $6 million, starkly contrasting to the expense of a new F-35A, which exceeds $80 million. Upon successful functional check flight, the aircraft will undergo final certification at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas. Afterward, it is set to return to Hill Air Force Base, where it will rejoin the 4th Fighter Squadron fleet.
