The Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls is the “preferred location” for the next training squadron of the new F-35A Lightning II fighter.

“Kingsley Field is an integral piece of the Air Force’s modernization plan,” said Col. Lee Bouma, 173rd Fighter Wing commander, in a statement Thursday. “Our vast airspace, a culture of excellence, and unprecedented community support make us a viable fit to continue our legacy of training the next generation of fighter pilots.”

The Air Force said the decision announced on Thursday will be finalized following the completion of an environmental impact statement currently underway.

The F-35A is the Air Force variation on the “fifth-generation” aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin. The Air Force variant has a price tag of about $78 million each. The F-35C flown by the Navy and Marine Corps can operate from aircraft carriers. The F-35B used by the Marine Corps is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL).

Kingsley Field has been a primary training facility and North American air defense base for the Air Force F-15C Eagle fighter. A new version of the Eagle, the F-15EX, is at the center of Pentagon funding debates in Congress. Kingsley Field was announced in 2020 as the Air Force’s training center for the F-15EX. The Air Force has been shuffling base assignments for its new aircraft, with the F-35A expected to eventually take the place of F-15C aircraft in all Air National Guard units.

Lockheed Martin rolled out the first F-35 from its plant in Fort Worth, Texas in 2006. It has delivered 934 variants of the F-35 Lightning II, which the Air Force says “provides next-generation stealth capabilities to the U.S. and many U.S. ally and partner nations.”

“The F-35A is considered the cornerstone of the future fighter fleet and guarantees the long-term viability of the 173rd FW and continuation of its vital air superiority mission for many years to come,” said a press release from the 173rd Fighter Wing on Thursday.

The United States has nine major partner nations in the program: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Norway and Denmark. Additionally, the jet is being sold to Japan, Israel, South Korea, Finland, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland and Singapore.

The VTOL version will replace the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II flown by the Marines. The Harrier was originally designed by British Aerospace.