FORT SMITH, Ark. — Fort Smith residents can expect to hear the roar of fighter jets over the area until Sept. 20 as the the 188th Wing Arkansas Air National Guard prepares to welcome a new pilot training program.
The 188th Wing issued a noise advisory in Fort Smith on Monday, Sept. 9.
"There will be eight F-35s with the 33rd Fighter Wing from Eglin Air Force Base, Fl., here for an Agile Combat Employment exercise," the base said.
From now until Sept. 20, residents should anticipate loud aircraft noises throughout the area.
"The exercise will validate the pilot training proof of concept by conducting F-35 pilot qualification and upgrade syllabus training," the 188th Wing said.
The test flights come as Fort Smith gets ready for foreign fighter pilots from Singapore to start training at the National Guard base.
Fort Smith Mayor George McGill was selected for a new civic leader program with the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command this month.
McGill said the goal is to find ways for communities to strengthen the partnership between their leaders and the military.
"Our primary focus is to make sure that our airmen on the bases that we host are successful and that their families have all the things that they need being part of a military family," he said.
Fort Smith competed against five other U.S. cities to be the host for the foreign fighter pilot training program.
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