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Flight Path to 3,000: Shaping the Future of Air Dominance

Flight Path to 3,000: Shaping the Future of Air Dominance

June 12, 2025
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In June, the 3,000th F-35 pilot graduated through the F-35 training system, marking another milestone in the growth of the F-35 global enterprise.

Let's see how we got here:

 

Click the timeline to enlarge

 

  • 2012: The first F-35 schoolhouse, also known as the F-35 Integrated Training Center, opened at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. This marked the beginning of formal F-35 pilot training, and it has since become a key location for training F-35 pilots from the US and international partner nations.

  • 2014: The F-35 schoolhouse at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona opened and began training the first F-35 pilot later that year. The first F-35A arrived at the base in 2014 and the first international pilot from the Royal Norwegian Air Force began training in 2015.

  • 2014: The F-35B pilot training facility opened at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina, shortly before the United States Marine Corps declared Initial Operational Capability for their F-35s.

  • 2020: The 1,000th F-35 pilot, Capt. Craig ¡°Chuckles¡± Turner, graduated at Luke Air Force Base just as the 9,000th F-35 maintainer did at Eglin Air Force Base.

  • 2023: The 2,000th F-35 pilot, Maj. Chris ¡°Blade¡± Jeffers, graduated through the training system at Luke Air Force Base just after the 15,000th F-35 maintainer.

  • 2024: F-35 Foreign Military Sales Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ began training at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas.
  • 2025:?The 3,000th F-35 pilot, LT Austin ¡°Brawndo¡± Haynie, completed training at Naval Air Station Lemoore to fly the F-35C.
Pilots are not only learning to fly their aircraft. They are learning how to win in the future battlespace and come home safely after every mission.
Ken Garrett
F-35 training sustainment director

 

In June, LT Austin ¡°Brawndo¡± Haynie graduated the F-35 training program at NAS Lemoore, making him the 3,000th F-35 pilot to do so.
In June, LT Austin ¡°Brawndo¡± Haynie graduated the F-35 training program at NAS Lemoore, making him the 3,000th F-35 pilot to do so.

 

While qualifying pilots to fly the fifth-gen aircraft is a top priority, the F-35 training supports the process of plan, prepare, execute and assess in mission rehearsal to ensure readiness in any scenario.

¡°Pilots are not only learning to fly their aircraft. They are learning how to win in the future battlespace and come home safely after every mission,¡± shared Ken Garrett, F-35 training sustainment director. ¡°I am proud of the F-35 training team for their unwavering commitment to developing ready-now pilots and keeping pace with the growing F-35 enterprise.¡±

The F-35 training team has supported the graduation of over 3,000 pilots and 18,510 maintainers through the training and is operating from 32 customer training bases. As more Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ join the program, the team will continue driving global readiness and advancing the capabilities of our Âé¶¹Ö±²¥ around the world.