The US Air Force trained and graduated the 500th F-35 Lightning II pilot across the joint and international enterprise Sept. 19, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base. Eglin AFB is one of two bases in Air Education and Training Command responsible for the F-35 training mission. The 500th pilot, Maj. Chris Campbell, began F-35 Lightning II fighter pilot training at the 33rd Fighter Wing this summer and became the 500th pilot to graduate the program.

Since the first aircraft was delivered in 2011, the F-35 enterprise and integrated training program have delivered more than 200 additional jets, produced more than 4,500 maintainers and flown more than 100,000 hours.