Southern Oregon & Northern California News
Latest local news from Southern Oregon and Northern California, covering Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Jackson County, Josephine County, Klamath County, Siskiyou County, Del Norte County, and communities throughout the region.
Kingsley Field Cleared for F-35s, First Jets Expected Summer 2027 (UPDATED)
Kingsley Field has received final Air Force authorization for a 26-aircraft F-35A Lightning II training mission. The 173rd Fighter Wing says the transition will include major construction, infrastructure upgrades, maintenance preparation, and new training programs, with the first jets expected to arrive in summer 2027.
‘End of the Eagle’ Honors 27 Years of F-15 Eagles at Kingsley Field
The 173rd Fighter Wing’s new film “End of the Eagle” looks back on 27 years of F-15 operations at Kingsley Field, honoring the pilots, maintainers, support personnel, families and community members who sustained the mission and carried its standards into the wing’s next chapter.
Luke AFB F-35s to Train at Kingsley Field Through Mid-June
A squadron of F-35A Lightning II aircraft from Luke Air Force Base in Arizona will fly with the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field for two weeks beginning Monday, June 1. Officials say the community may notice increased aircraft noise during that time.
Kingsley Field Flyovers Paused During Aircraft Conversion
The 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field says it will be unable to conduct requested flyovers until late 2027 while the base moves through its aircraft conversion process. The wing’s last F-15 Eagle departed in December 2025, and F-35A Lightning II aircraft are projected to arrive in August 2027, pending final Department of the Air Force approval.