RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, Airmen, and associated equipment have arrived at Payerne Air Base, Switzerland, to participate in Swiss Flight Evaluations hosted by the government of Switzerland.
The Swiss government is recapitalizing the Swiss air force fighter fleet to meet future air defense requirements, and as part of a full and open competition is hosting five competitors: Lockheed Martin F-35A, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E/F, Airbus Typhoon, Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen E. The purpose of U.S. Air Force participation is to demonstrate capabilities of the F-35A.
The F-35 aircraft and personnel are assigned to the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings at Hill AFB, Utah. The 388th FW is the Air Force's first combat-coded, or operational, F-35A unit.
F-35s, along with F-22 Raptors, are the world's premier operational 5th-generation fighters, possessing a unique combination of stealth, speed, agility, and situational awareness along with long-range, air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry, making these aircraft the most advanced air dominance
fighters in the world.