The U.S. Air Force's First Europe-Based F-35A Squadron Has Been Activated
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42603/the-u-s-air-forces-first-europe-based-f-35a-squadron-has-been-activated
The U.S. Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing announced Friday that it has reactivated the 495th Fighter Squadron, known as the “Valkyries,” today, at the symbolically specific time of "exactly 8:49 and 50 seconds." The unit will be the first U.S. Air Force F-35A squadron in Europe, or anywhere outside the U.S., really. Its activation, which The War Zone wrote about when it was first planned last year, was timed to coincide with its designation as a fighter squadron 30 years ago today. The squadron's inventory will eventually consist of 27 F-35A Lightning II aircraft, according to the Air Force.
RAF Lakenheath, located about 70 miles northeast of London, will receive the squadron's aircraft when they begin to arrive later this year. The base is home to the squadron's parent unit, the 48th Fighter Wing, which includes the F-15E Strike Eagles of 492nd Fighter Squadron "Madhatters" and the 494th Fighter Squadron "Panthers," as well as F-15C/Ds belonging to the 493rd Fighter Squadron "Grim Reapers."
In Norse mythology, Valkyries — Old Norse for "choosers of the slain" — were servants of Odin who determined who lived and died in battle. At the time of the name's selection, Lt. Col. McGlaughlin said, “‘Valkyries’ epitomizes the force’s move toward more inclusivity and equally represents the fifth-generation stealth fighter’s air superiority … Like the Valkyries themselves, we’ll be vital to determining the fate of our adversaries in the battlespace.”