The 33rd Fighter Wing “Nomads,” a graduate flying and maintenance training wing for the F-35A Lightning II, is organized under 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command. It is a tenant unit on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, which is an Air Force Materiel Command base. The wing has two geographically separated units at Tyndall Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, Florida.
Commander
Col. David M. Skalicky
Mission
Forge Future Combat Airpower
Vision
Building the foundation to win!
Values
Integrity
Service
Excellence
Priorities
Quality Training
On Time Delivery to the Combat Air Forces
Safety and Wellbeing of Airmen and Families
Develop the Skills and Mindset for Future Combat
Personnel and Resources
The 33rd FW mission is accomplished by over 1,400 assigned U.S. military, government civilian, and contract personnel. Annual student training yields on average 59 F-35 pilots, 1,500 F-35 A/B/C maintainers, 140 intelligence personnel in support of Air Force Special Operations Forces, 60 intelligence personnel in support of F-35 operations and 150 air battle managers in support of Air Force operations. The first F-35A aircraft in support of U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine pilot training arrived on July 14, 2011. The wing is authorized 59 F-35A models. The F-35A is a conventional takeoff and landing, low-observable, multi-role fighter aircraft equipped with fifth generation sensors that provide it unparalleled situational awareness making this weapons system optimized to sustain air superiority and execute air interdiction and close air support as part of the DoD fleet.
Organization
The 33rd FW operates six squadrons aligned under the operations and maintenance groups. In addition to these groups, the wing manages the F-35 Academic Training Center, which manages the training systems, support centers, classrooms, simulators and ground training devices to support the F-35 pilot, intelligence and maintenance training for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, and foreign nations.
33rd Operations Group
The 33rd Operations Group is comprised of the 58th Fighter Squadron, the 60th Fighter Squadron, the 337th Air Control Squadron, and the 33rd Operations Support Squadron. The group is also responsible for the F-35 Intelligence Formal Training Unit at Eglin AFB and operates the Air Force Special Operations Forces IFTU at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
The 58th FS "Mighty Gorillas” and 60th FS “Fighting Crows” instruct pilots on the F-35A. They plan and execute a training curriculum in support of U.S. Air Force training requirements.
The 337th ACS is a GSU stationed at Tyndall AFB, Florida, training air battle managers for the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Additionally, its members provide tactical command and control for fighter squadrons along the Gulf and East Coasts and trains international officers for tactical and operational command and control operations.
The 33rd OSS "Jokers" provide wing-level operational intelligence training for both the F-35 and Air Force Special Operations Forces, weapons and tactics, aircrew flight equipment, training and scheduling support for the flying squadron.
33rd Maintenance Group
The mission of the 33rd Maintenance Group is to deliver safe, reliable and on-time aircraft to support
F-35 pilot and maintainer training. The group oversees all aircraft maintenance, sortie generation, weapons loading operations and logistics integration for the 33rd FW.
The group consists of two squadrons, the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 33rd Maintenance Squadron.
The 33rd AMXS "Gorillas" provide safe and reliable on-equipment maintenance for the 58th and 60th FS flying operations with crew chiefs, weapon, and specialist support.
The 33rd MXS "Wizards" provide both on- and off-equipment maintenance and oversight supporting
F-35 flying operations for the assigned Air Force squadrons. Support is provided by the following flights to ensure continued aircraft availability: Accessories (Egress, Fuels); Aerospace Ground Equipment; Armament; Fabrication (low observable, non-destructive inspection metals technician), and Maintenance (wheel and tire).
The Academic Training Center
The ATC is a government-owned, contractor-operated, 260,000-square-foot facility that provides academic and simulation training for F-35 pilots, maintainers and intelligence personnel. The ATC also hosts the Training System Support Center, the nerve center for F-35 configuration management and course materials (syllabi, aircraft training devices, etc.) for the U.S. and partner nations. Students receive interactive and self-paced lectures on modern, hands-on computer-based systems. They also hone their skills on a myriad of advanced training devices, such as the Full Mission Simulator, a 360-degree F-35 flight trainer, or the Weapons Load Trainer, a full-scale mock-up of the F-35 fuselage which maintenance students use to practice hands-on skills.
Associated Units
The ATC is home to other collocated units that participate in F-35 training.
Detachment 1 (Det. 1), is assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing, Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas as an U.S.-based foreign partner F-35 training facility. After Ebbing ANGB was chosen as the F-35 FMS training center, Det. 1 stood up the FMS program integration office (PIO) at Ebbing to handle on-site unit standup coordination and tasks in advance of flying operations. The pilot training center provides training for a set number of pilots and maintainers for the countries participating in the Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16 and F-35A Foreign Military Sales process.
The 359th Training Squadron, is assigned to the 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas. They conduct technical and military training for U.S. Air Force enlisted initial skills for F-35 crew chiefs, avionics, and armament Air Force specialty codes s at Eglin and non-destructive inspection, aircraft structural maintenance, and low observable AFSCs at NAS Pensacola, Florida. The squadron also manages a joint-use $16.5M dormitory for Airmen, Marine and Sailor pipeline students.
Field Training Detachment 19, 372nd TRS, is also assigned to the 82nd TW and provides transition maintenance training to maintainers who are transitioning from other types of aircraft as well as advanced maintenance training for the 33rd MXG maintainers. Additionally, detachment 19 provides the “hands-on” Mission Ready Airmen course to pipeline F-35 crew chiefs after they graduate from the 359th TRS and before they move on to F-35 units throughout the Air Force.
The Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Detachment Eglin is a technical training schoolhouse for the Naval Aviation Enterprise. They develop, deliver, and support aviation technical training necessary to sustain global combat capability for the 5th generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter through a continuum of professional and personal growth for Sailors and Marines.
Current as of Nov 2023