Poland’s first two Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs aircraft arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on Dec. 23. This event initiates a new chapter in the F-35 Foreign Military Sales training program.
aircraft at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort SMith, Arkansas on December 23, 2024. This marks a significant milestone in the Foreign Military Sales training program and highlights the strong partnership between the U.S. and Poland. The aircraft’s arrival will kickstart Polish pilot training at Ebbing ANGB, beginning in January 2025. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by A1C Miles Chrisman)
Training for Polish pilots at Ebbing is scheduled to commence in January 2025. The Air Force’s 85th Fighter Group, stationed at Ebbing, will conduct the F-35 training program. Ebbing ANGB was selected for the program in 2023, surpassing other potential sites like Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas and Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan.
The arrival of the F-35s is key to modernizing Poland’s air force. The training at Ebbing will enable Polish pilots to operate the advanced fighter jets, bolstering Poland’s defense capabilities and underscoring the robust defense and security alliance between the U.S. and Poland.
Ebbing ANGB is poised to become a hub for international F-35 training. Poland’s participation, beginning in January 2025, is the first step in this multinational training initiative. Finland will deploy its F-35s to Ebbing for pilot training in Fall 2025, followed by Germany in Fall 2026. Singapore will also participate, sending F-35s for pilot training in Fall 2026 and expanding its presence in Summer 2027 with F-16 fighter jets from Luke Air Force Base. This will be the only instance of a non-F-35 aircraft participating in the program. Finally, Switzerland is expected to arrive at Ebbing with its F-35 fleet in Summer 2027.
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