I AM 479

⚡ Quick Take 2 min read Fort Smith, AR Hey Fort Smith, this is big. The first Finnish F-35 jets touched down at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith Arkansas, and a new era just started in the 479. If you’re new to the Fort, Ebbing sits at Fort Smith Regional Airport off Phoenix Ave and Old Greenwood Road. It’s becoming a hub where allied pilots train on F-35s, starting with Finland. That means more activity at the airfield, more uniforms around town, and more families joining our community. Expect to hear training flights over the River Valley. Most operations stay around the airport footprint, but you’ll notice them from Ben Geren Park to Chaffee Crossing and sometimes over downtown and Garrison Ave. This is strategic, local, and very real for our city. Old timers, you know this part of town well. You remember the 188th jets roaring past Rogers Ave and the quiet after they left. Today’s sound is different, but the pride is familiar. The base is ...

📖 Community Explainer 5 min read Fort Smith, AR Here’s what’s happening and why Fort Smith should care. The first Finnish F-35 jets just touched down at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. This kicks off an international fighter training mission that will change our skies and our economy. If you’re new to the Fort, Ebbing is the military side of our airport. The main gate sits off Phoenix Avenue near the terminal and Old Greenwood Road. The Air Force picked Fort Smith to host allied pilot training for the F-35 and other fighters. Finland is among the first to arrive. They will fly from our runways. They will train in nearby airspace. This effort brings pilots, maintainers, and support crews to the River Valley. Our city becomes a hub for high-tech aviation in the 479. Old timers, you know this part of town well. You remember the 188th’s F-16s and A-10 “Hogs” carving turns over Ben Geren Park and the south side. You remember the jet wash ...