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Information on the F-35

by on Feb. 08, 2010, under Life, Politics

Democracy for America (DFA), Tucson chapter is hosting a panel discussion on the F-35, the Joint Strike Fighter Jet, on Wed. Feb. 10. This event will be at the Ward 6 Council office, 3202 E. 1st St. at 7 p.m. For website info, click here. DFA claims it is a “grassroots powerhouse delivering results for a progressive America and reforming the Democratic Party from the bottom-up.”

The event notice says it is to “Learn how loud the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Jet is and why there are few fixes if it is based in Tucson, the mitigation myth, what you should ask for, and what you can do.”

F-35 jet

F-35 jet

The Ward 6 office is located at the SE corner of E. 1st and Anderson Blvd, one block east of N. Country Club, one block south of E. Speedway.

For information in opposition to the F-35, see www.tucsonforward.com. The website says this newly-formed Tucson Forward group’s mission is “defending our community from the F-35.”

I also received an email from Ward 6 office informing us that Davis Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB) will be hosting “open house” meetings to report on the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) related to the F-35 mission being proposed for Tucson International Airport (TIA).
Here is a schedule of those upcoming meetings, from March 1 to 5, all 6 to 9 p.m.

1-Mar 2010
Sunnyside High School Foyer/Auditorium
1725 E. Bilby Road
Tucson, AZ 85706

2-Mar 2010
San Carlos High School Cafeteria
Milepost 270 Highway 70
San Carlos, AZ 85550

3-Mar 2010
Eastern Arizona College
Gila/Galiuro Room, Activities Center
1014 N. College Avenue
Thatcher, AZ 85552

4-Mar 2010
Bisbee High School Cafeteria
475 School Terrace Road
Bisbee, AZ 85603

5-Mar 2010
Roskruge Elementary School Auditorium
501 E. Sixth Street
Tucson, AZ 85705

For additional information in support of Davis Monthan’s F-35 project entitled Tucson Lightning– “intended to give Southern Arizonans a vehicle to voice their support for the proposed F-35 Lightning II training mission for the 162nd Fighter Wing at the airport” visit their link: http://www.162fw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123187221. New website for pro-F35 is http://www.tucsonf35.com/

It may be time to find out more about this F-35 jet, and what it’s impact on Tucson will be. Attend these meetings to inform yourselves and your neighbors. Hopefully all your questions will be answered.

3/5/10 update: If you missed these meetings, send your input by April 5 to:
Mr. David Martin
HQ AETC/A7C
266 F Street West, Bldg 901
Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4319
FAX: 210-652-4266
Copies of the comment form can be downloaded at www.F-35ATrainingEIS.com.

7/30/10 UPDATE: Luke AFB in Glendale selected over TIA: http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2010/07/30/f-35-to-be-flying-at-luke-afb-not-tia/

More in Tucson Life and Heritage:

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  • http://f35arizona.org Cheryl

    Thanks, Carolyn.
    DFA-Tucson appreciates you spreading the news about the panel & Q & A.
    You and your readers might also want to check out this website:
    http://f35arizona.org
    This study, particularly page 11,  is very interesting:
    http://f35arizona.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Williams_analysis_20091021.pdf
     

  • tiponeill

    Thanks for the info – signed up at
    http://tucsonforward.com/
     
    I hope we can stop  this disaster.

  • Ferraribubba

    I guess that the Tipster would rather hear the afterburner noise of either the SU-31 or the MIG-29 instead? And hear the rumble of those T-80 tanks as they drove past his front door?
    Welcome to NIMBY, Comrade. I always knew that you and Lefty had much more in common than meets the eye.
    Yer pal, Ferrari Bubba

    • Uranus

      I don’t think the issue is the US purchase of the F-35.  I believe the issue boils down to where is it appropriate to base/fly/train with the F-35.  It’s proven to be one very noisy jet.  For this reason, DOD should proactively locate it where it will not be an obnoxious detractor from our quality of life.  I for one don’t think that’s too much to ask/expect!

    • tiponeill

      I guess that the Tipster would rather hear the afterburner noise of either the SU-31 or the MIG-29 instead?

      You mean the way those T-80′s rumble through the streets of Montreal ?
      I could live with it – and the medical care and equal rights would just be a bonus.

      • Ferraribubba

        Hey Tipster: I’m glad y’all brought that up. Did you see that the 60 year-old governor of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, had to go to the good old U.S. of A. to get his life saving heart operation?
        Seems that he WAS TOO OLD TO QUALIFY for a Canadian operation. It was in yesterday’s New York Times.
        Talk about your ‘Death Panels!’
        I will admit that Montreal is a beautiful city. And the food is excellent too. Der Frau visit to watch the Canadian Grand Prix every year. But the people are so damn unfriendly to us English speakers.
        Plus they all smell like they don’t bathe on a regular basis. They just plain stink. Just like must cities in France, with the exception of the Alsace near the Rhine.
        Yer pal, Ferrari Bubba

        • tiponeill

          Talk about your ‘Death Panels!’
          When you compare that to our TOO POOR TO QUALIFY system of Death Panels, again Montreal appeals to me – the choice of odor and noise pollution is an easy one ;)

  • knowthendo

    So, just when was the US military last engaged in an air-to-air combat campaign? 

    And, how much will the taxpayers fork over for this latest incarnation from the Congressional-industrial-military complex? 

    And, finally, now that Secy Gates has fired the project manager for the F35 and fined Lockheed Martin for fraud, what do proponents do to “keep faith alive” in this nod to the American Empire?

    Just questions that someone needs to answer – assuming one believes Americans have real rights, that we’re not all  just self-styled patriot sock puppets…

  • Carolyn Classen

    About 100 people listened to the panel discussion tonight on the F-35. Panelists were Dr. Tom Bever, a linguistics professor who has done research on acoustics & jet noise levels, Chris Reynolds, retired air traffic controller at TIA,  Gary Hunter, retired mechanical/civil engineer who spoke about the EIS process, and attorney Bill Conner who is a homeowner in El Mirage, 2 miles from Luke AFB. Panelists agreed that the F-35 would be a lot louder than the F-16s, and that public input regarding the EIS should be provided at the upcoming DMAFB meetings on March 1 and 5 in Tucson, or by sending a letter to: Mr. David Martin, AETC NEPA Program Mgr., HQ AETC/A7C, 266 F Street West, Bldg. 901, Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4319.

  • Ferraribubba

    Hey Carolyn: You had to bring up linguistics, didn’t you? Does Rynski pay you to be the ‘straight man’ around here since Dion is gone, furthering his “world class education?” <g>
    As you may know, Ferrari Bubba has had a burning thirst about all things concerning linguistcs all his adult life. I have made linguistics my life’s work, so to speak.
    In fact, many of my former lady friends have happily shouted to all who would listen, that Ferrari Bubba was a “cunning linguist’,” the most versatile that they had ever seen!
    No thanks needed, I was only doing my job. Yer pal, Ferrari Bubba

  • Carolyn Classen

    Reminder: open house meeting tonight on Environmental Inpact Statement at Roskruge Elem. School auditorium, 501 E. Sixth Street, 6 to 9 p.m.  Find out what you can about the this new F-35 jet and express your opinion.

  • Carolyn Classen

    About 200 people are there at Roskruge School tonight to learn about the F-35, watch a video and check out the displays.  Many “No-F35″ people were in the audience.  The meeting goes to 9 p.m. tonight, and you can mail your comments in by April 5, 2010.  I’ve updated my blog above with info as to whom to mail your input to.

    • tiponeill

      My bet is that contacting Gabby to express your displeasure would be more effective than anything else.

      • Carolyn Classen

        Yes, especially as she is up for re-election this year, and politicians tend to listen more effectively in campaign years.  Thanks for adding the link to her website.

  • http://www.thetruthaboutpollution.org/ 9th Grade Water Pollution Reports

    on the F-35 – Carolyn's Community? Seriously? I was searching Google for 9th grade water pollution reports and found this… will have to think about it.

  • Carolyn Classen

    Arizona Daily Star reporting that Luke AFB has been chosen for the F35 Joint Striker:
    http://azstarnet.com/news/local/military/article_0e1eab94-9b44-11df-8329-001cc4c03286.html
     

  • fraser007

    Thanks for posting this Carolyn.
    We never really had a chance to get the plane based here. (Not that all Tucsonans wanted it). McCain gave us lip service but the votes are in Phoenix and he knows who lives here. Tucson looses again.

    • Carolyn Classen

      Thanks for the comments fraser007.  I attended one of the F-35′s open houses in the Spring and there were lots of people there, evenly divided between those who wanted the jet here, and those opposed.  By the way, I haven’t had a chance to get to the Tucson Citizen office, but am headed down there today. So I didn’t forget to thank you for the book donations.  I appreciate them and will let you know what I think once I read them in August.

  • fraser007

    Did you get the books??

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