MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Air National Guard is one of two units that were awarded F-35A Lighting II fighter jets.

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Koob flew the first of 20 jets to Traux Field Tuesday. 

“It was a great day,” said Koob. “You can imagine flying an aircraft built in 2020 almost brand new off the line. I got to come back to Wisconsin today. It’s really exciting for the wing and for our state.” 

The F-35 aircrafts are replacing the older F-16 aircrafts.

“I think of my first car in the 1988, a Pontiac Bonneville. It was the same vintage of our F-16s here. They’re 1986-1988 models. To be in a brand-new F-35 it’s quite a difference,” Koob said.

Major General Paul Knapp said the jets will be ready whenever they are needed by the governor or president.

“As we embark on this ever-changing great power competition, the ability of this fighter wing to deliver reliable combat air power will be vital to our nation’s defense,” Knapp said.

Not everyone is in favor of the jets. More than 2,000 people are a part of a No F-35 Fighter Jets in Madison group — that includes Steve Klafka. Klafka said he thinks training fighter jet pilots is not appropriate because of noise and environmental issues.

“If we’re concerned about Madison and making it a good place to live, this is not a good development,” said Klafka. “It sends us backward. Our quality of life will suffer.”

Koob said there’s a misconception about the jets in Madison. He said he wants the community to know that not only is this a state mission, but it is also a federal mission.

“We’re good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars,” said Koob. “We take the training very seriously we learn in all of these missions. We take those skills that we’ve learned and apply them overseas to support the United States’ strategic interest abroad.”

With the planes now in Madison, the guard is ready for its missions, while some in the community will watch for the impact on their hometown.