FORT SMITH, Ark. — As the 188th Wing Arkansas National Guard begins its new pilot training program, Fort Smith is gearing up to be a destination for defense training.
On Sept. 12, 5NEWS got special permission to watch some of the first trainings happening at the 188th and learned they're making an impact in more ways than one.
The sound of the fighter jets may have been some residents' wakeup call Thursday morning, and the roaring planes have even prompted a noise advisory for the area.
Four F-35 fighter jets took flight at the 188th for flight tests ahead of Poland coming to train on the base in December.
All eight of the F-35s in Fort Smith right now came in from the 85th Fighter Group in Florida.
"We brought about 80 with us to complete this mission while we're here for the next few days," said Captain Ethan Poteet from the Florida Eglin Air Force Base.
They'll be here for the next two weeks until they have their closing ceremony to celebrate finishing the F-35 training.
But what exactly are they training for?
"For the very mission of strategic deterrence, and that we're ready to go if the flag goes up and we have to go to war," said Major Don Jab Roney, an F-35 pilot trainer.
Pilot training is a tedious process, according to those at the base.
"Right now, they are flying doing what's called SEAD, or suppression of enemy air defenses. And they're going up and they're integrating with, actually, B-2s this morning. So that's a large bomber," Roney explained.
Pilot training is also expensive.
"$400,000 helmets. They have, of course, they provide oxygen, they provide the hearing, the microphones. They have active noise canceling. They also have a night vision camera on the top of it, and then the visor itself, which is the screen that goes over the eyes," Roney added.
While it may be a change of pace for residents in and around the area hearing the jets fly over, they can expect to see tremendous growth over the next few years with more jobs coming to the region.
"We just did a digital hiring fair through public affairs at Area Education Training Command to look at jobs for weapons and clerical instances and also contracting officers that ability through the digital fair," said Colonel Nick Idhe, Commander of the U.S. Air Force 85th Fighter Group.
Multiple jobs are set to be created and about $850 million expected to be poured into the economy until the mission is over in the mid 2030s.
The current training with the group from Florida will wrap up with a celebration at the end of this month.
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