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U.S. Air Force leaders to evaulate Selridge for new F-35 fighter jets

Posted at 6:27 AM, Jul 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-11 17:21:32-04

Leaders from the United States Air Force are expected to visit Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township on Tuesday.

According to Macomb County, 40 officials from the Air Force will arrive at the base to determine if Selfridge is capable of housing the all-new F-35 fighter jets.

The base is one of five national finalists to house the jet, along with bases in Alabama, Idaho, Florida and Wisconsin.

Two sites are expected to split the work.

According to Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter that will replace the A-10 and F-26 for the Air Force.

"The F-35 combines 5th Generation fighter aircraft characteristics — advanced stealth, integrated avionics, sensor fusion and superior logistics support — with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history," Lockheed Martin writes. "The F-35's advanced stealth allows pilots to penetrate areas without being detected by radars that legacy fighters cannot evade."