On September 19, 2019, the Vermont Air National Guard (VTANG) received its first two F-35A Lightning II aircraft in South Burlington, Vermont, becoming the first Air National Guard unit to base the fifth-generation fighter jet.  

Nicknamed the Green Mountain boys, the 158th Fighter Wing (158th FW) of the VTANG was originally established to fly missions with the F-47, and later became an F-16 unit. But in 2019, they transitioned to the F-35 Lightning II, the most advanced and capable weapon system in the U.S. Air Force. The unit was declared "operational" in 2022, signifying that the FW and its Airmen were qualified to deploy and conduct combat operations.  

Since its transition in 2019, the VTANG has achieved numerous historic firsts. These included welcoming Lt. Kelsey Flannery, the first female F-35 pilot in the Air National Guard (September 2022), and the first ever training sortie between a country and a state Air National Guard unit following the ratification of a state partnership program agreement. The agreement resulted in the first landing of U.S. F-35s in Austria during June of 2023.  

Today, the 158th FW continues to advance the F-35 program forward and maintains the wing’s status as a complete and ready force, one that is prepared for deployment domestically and abroad at a moment's notice.