Air Force officials released the criteria to determine where F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will be based. Airspace, flight training ranges, weather, support facilities, runways, taxi ramps, environmental concerns and cost are factors. More than 200 sites will be evaluated. Other factors, including maintenance and logistics and integration with the Air National Guard and Reserve, will also be considered. The result will be two candidate basing lists, one for operations and the other for training for the 250 to 300 aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2017. The lists will be announced in the spring of 2010. (Source: AFNS, 09/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the F-35 training center.
