Aerospace

Air Force Names Next Guard Bases to Receive F-35As

Even though fourth-generation fighters such as the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon aren't going away anytime soon, the service anticipates the Lockheed Martin-made F-35 will become its dominant aircraft, the release said. The Air Force plans to buy 1,763 F-35s overall.

"Selecting Truax Field and Dannelly Field will increase Air National Guard F-35A units providing fifth-generation airpower around the world," Wilson said.

Dannelly Field -- home to the 187th Fighter Wing, the legacy unit for the Tuskegee Airmen "Red Tails" -- is expected to receive 18 aircraft, according to a statement from Rep. Martha Roby, a Republican representing Alabama's 2nd Congressional District.

"Landing this mission is a tremendous boost for the River Region community and the entire state. It could bring as many as 1,000 jobs, $70 million in upfront facility upgrades, and as much as $3 billion in capital investment in Montgomery," she said in a statement.

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, said placing the F-35 at Truax Field will boost his state's military footprint and increase national security.