The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee will host a press conference on Friday, Oct. 30, at the 148th Fighter Wing to demonstrate strong regional support for the Duluth-based installation’s selection to receive the F-35 Lightning II mission. For more than 20 years, the Chamber’s all-volunteer Military Affairs Committee has advocated for the military installations and personnel that strengthen our region, including longstanding efforts to support the 148th Fighter Wing and its future missions.
The Committee has invited elected officials, representatives from neighboring municipalities, business leaders, and community partners to join in highlighting the Wing’s operational capabilities, its importance to the regional economy, and the broad community support for its continued role in our nation’s defense.
The 148th Fighter Wing is one of the region’s largest employers, with more than 1,000 Airmen and an annual economic impact of more than $100 million. The Wing’s specialized military capabilities, established infrastructure and strong community partnerships position Duluth as a competitive candidate for the next generation of fighter aircraft.
EVENT DETAILS
WHAT: Press Conference Supporting the 148th Fighter Wing’s F-35 Mission Selection
WHEN: Friday, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth Air National Guard Base, Duluth, MN
WHO: Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee leadership, along with invited elected officials, 148th Fighter Wing leadership, municipal representatives, business leaders and community partners.
Here is the U.S. Air Force on the F-35:
F-35A Lightning II
Mission
The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. It will replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years, and bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.
Features
The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A gives the U.S. Air Force and its allies the power to dominate the skies – anytime, anywhere. The F-35A is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9g capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness.
The F-35A’s advanced sensor package is designed to gather, fuse and distribute more information than any fighter in history, giving operators a decisive advantage over all adversaries. Its processing power, open architecture, sophisticated sensors, information fusion and flexible communication links make the F-35 an indispensable tool in future homeland defense, Joint and Coalition irregular warfare and major combat operations.
Because logistics support accounts for two-thirds of an aircraft’s life cycle cost, the F-35 is designed to achieve unprecedented levels of reliability and maintainability, combined with a highly responsive support and training system linked with the latest in information technology. The Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) integrates current performance, operational parameters, current configuration, scheduled upgrades and maintenance, component history, predictive diagnostics (prognostics) and health management, operations scheduling, training, mission planning and service support for the F-35. Essentially, ALIS performs behind-the-scenes monitoring, maintenance and prognostics to support the aircraft and ensure continued health and enhance operational planning and execution.
