Hill AFB welcomes F-35 fighter workload

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander speaks during the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter presentation, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, DoD F-35 Deputy Program Director, speaks at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program; speaks during the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program; speaks during the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air F orce base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune
Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter on Friday. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander (left) Sen. Orrin Hatch, Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander and Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, DoD F-35 Deputy Program Director; sing along to the Air Force song, at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Senator Orrin Hatch speaks during the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter presentation, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander (left) Sen. Orrin Hatch, Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander and Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program, at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander speaks at the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune

Bridger Freeman, Utah State ROTC has his picture taken in front of the F-35 Lightning II, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

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Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander speaks during the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter presentation, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, DoD F-35 Deputy Program Director, speaks at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program; speaks during the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program; speaks during the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air F orce base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter on Friday. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base get their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander (left) Sen. Orrin Hatch, Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander and Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, DoD F-35 Deputy Program Director; sing along to the Air Force song, at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Senator Orrin Hatch speaks during the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter presentation, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander (left) Sen. Orrin Hatch, Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield, Air Force Sustainment Center commander and Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's Executive Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 Lightning II Program, at a presentation where dignitaries and workers at Hill Air Force base got their first look at the the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Maj. Gen. Brent H. Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander speaks at the F-35 Lightning II Program, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Bridger Freeman, Utah State ROTC has his picture taken in front of the F-35 Lightning II, Friday, September 20, 2013. The F-35A is a multi-variant, multi-role 5th Generation Fighter, and will undergo organic depot modification work at Hill AFB.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· September 21, 2013 11:33 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah, the U.S. Air Force and corporate officials held a ceremony Friday to mark the beginning of Hill Air Force Base's new assignment to maintain F-35 stealth fighter jets.

The first F-35 arrived at Hill earlier this week from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The maintenance work is to be conducted under a public-private partnership with Lockheed Martin and the Ogden Air Logistics Complex. The Air Force and Lockheed have estimated the fighter work is tied directly and indirectly to more than 1,000 jobs in Utah and contributes tens of millions to the economy.

The F-35 Lightning II combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, an Air Force news release said. It will eventually replace the A-10 and F-16 for the Air Force, the F/A-18 for the Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries.

Among those at the ceremony were Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch; Rear Adm. Randolph Mahr, deputy program director for the F-35; Maj. Gen. H. Brent Baker, Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander; Air Force Lt. Gen. Bruce Litchfield; and Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin's executive vice president.