Agenda Item Wording:
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Joint letter of support for Naval Air Station Lemoore - Authorize the Mayor to sign a regional joint letter of support for Naval Air Station Lemoore in the proposed action by the U.S. Navy to transition existing FA-18E/F squadrons to F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter squadrons and home basing new F-35C aircraft at the Navy's master jet base over an approximate 10-year period.
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Agenda Date: 4/6/2026
Prepared by:
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, John.Lollis@visalia.gov, (559)713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a regional joint letter of support for Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in the proposed action by the U.S. Navy to transition existing FA-18E/F squadrons to F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter squadrons and home basing new F-35C aircraft at the Navy's master jet base over an approximate 10-year period.
Summary:
Authorize the Mayor to sign a regional joint letter of support for NAS Lemoore in the proposed action by the U.S. Navy to transition existing FA-18E/F squadrons to F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter squadrons and home basing new F-35C aircraft at the Navy's master jet base over an approximate 10-year period beginning no earlier than 2028.
Background Discussion:
NAS Lemoore serves as the U.S. Navy's West Coast hub for the F-35C Lightning II, acting as the "master jet base" for the carrier-variant stealth fighter. In 2014, the Navy announced that NAS Lemoore would be the primary West Coast base for the F-35C due to favorable air space and lower environmental constraints, as well as its ability to support the training of the next-generation fighter that requires high-level maintenance care compared to older jets. The first F-35C fighters arrived at NAS Lemoore in 2017, assigned to the reactivated Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 "Rough Raiders," the West Coast's Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the jet. In 2018, the F-35C F...
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