The U.K.'s. RAF Lakenheath on Dec. 15 became the first European base to receive a U.S. F-35A Lightning II six years after plans for the delivery were announced as part of an eventual basing of two squadrons of the fifth-generation aircraft. “The Valkyries are leading ...
Lt. Col. Ian D. McLaughlin
The Airborne High Energy Laser (AHEL) has been in development at Lockheed Martin since at least 2019, when the company received a contract for integration, testing, and demonstration of such a weapon on the AC-130J aircraft.
In a move more than five years in the making, the U.S. Air Force activated its first squadron of Europe-based F-35As at RAF Lakenheath, U.K., on Oct. 1. The new squadron’s first commander is Lt. Col. Ian D. McLaughlin, and it will be nicknamed the ...