An F-35A from Eglin AFB, Fla., taxis down the flightline before takeoff during Checkered Flag 17-1 at Tyndall AFB, Fla., on Dec. 8, 2016. Air Force photo by SSgt. Alex Fox Echols III.
Vice President Mike Pence and Acting Air Force Secretary Matt Donovan on Aug. 6 announced the Air Force completed a basing study that greenlights F-35s to operate from Tyndall AFB, Fla., beginning in 2023.
The service has said since last winter that the F-35s would fly from the base after F-22s left.
In October 2018, Tyndall suffered a direct hit by Category 5 Hurricane Michael, which damaged nearly all of the installation’s buildings.
Base officials are working on a plan to design a flexible installation that can welcome the F-35 as well as the MQ-9 and possibly other aircraft without major modifications.