Panel highlights success of F-35 training program in Fort Smith
5NEWS
[{'start': '0.000', 'end': '3.840', 'text': 'A major milestone for the Fort Smith'}, {'start': '2.399', 'end': '6.040', 'text': 'community with the arrival of'}, {'start': '3.840', 'end': '8.639', 'text': 'international pilots and cuttingedge'}, {'start': '6.040', 'end': '10.240', 'text': 'aircrafts. Also comes a powerful new'}, {'start': '8.639', 'end': '12.000', 'text': "chapter for the region's military"}, {'start': '10.240', 'end': '14.160', 'text': 'footprint. 5 News reporter Lauren'}, {'start': '12.000', 'end': '16.320', 'text': 'Spencer went to the event hosted by'}, {'start': '14.160', 'end': '18.000', 'text': 'Prime River Valley Professional Summit.'}, {'start': '16.320', 'end': '21.199', 'text': 'And Lauren, you checked in with leaders'}, {'start': '18.000', 'end': '23.640', 'text': 'about how the F-35 project is becoming a'}, {'start': '21.199', 'end': '26.480', 'text': 'key player on a global'}, {'start': '23.640', 'end': '28.800', 'text': 'stage. Yeah, Morgan. They say the major'}, {'start': '26.480', 'end': '31.039', 'text': 'F-35 defense project is taking flight in'}, {'start': '28.800', 'end': '32.880', 'text': 'Fort Smith and bringing big changes to'}, {'start': '31.039', 'end': '35.760', 'text': 'the region, not just for Fort Smith'}, {'start': '32.880', 'end': '37.360', 'text': 'today, but for decades to come. We have'}, {'start': '35.760', 'end': '40.320', 'text': 'the Sound of Freedom flying over Fort'}, {'start': '37.360', 'end': '42.559', 'text': 'Smith.'}, {'start': '40.320', 'end': '44.879', 'text': "Those jets you've probably heard flying"}, {'start': '42.559', 'end': '47.120', 'text': 'overhead are being credited with fueling'}, {'start': '44.879', 'end': '49.600', 'text': 'economic growth, strengthening national'}, {'start': '47.120', 'end': '51.760', 'text': 'defense, and putting Fort Smith on the'}, {'start': '49.600', 'end': '54.480', 'text': 'global stage. There is nothing like this'}, {'start': '51.760', 'end': '56.000', 'text': 'happening anywhere in the United States.'}, {'start': '54.480', 'end': '58.800', 'text': "There's no other guard base that's doing"}, {'start': '56.000', 'end': '60.960', 'text': 'the MQ9, the ISR, and has a a flying'}, {'start': '58.800', 'end': '62.960', 'text': 'training operation like we do on one'}, {'start': '60.960', 'end': '65.360', 'text': 'base. Already a critical center for'}, {'start': '62.960', 'end': '67.920', 'text': 'drone operations and surveillance, the'}, {'start': '65.360', 'end': '70.000', 'text': '188th wing now supports a full-fledged'}, {'start': '67.920', 'end': '73.040', 'text': 'fighter jet training mission, all on a'}, {'start': '70.000', 'end': '75.200', 'text': 'base smaller than most, over 5 years in'}, {'start': '73.040', 'end': '77.680', 'text': 'the making. Commander of the 188th, Jay'}, {'start': '75.200', 'end': '80.560', 'text': 'Spawn, says the project is now marking a'}, {'start': '77.680', 'end': '82.960', 'text': 'major milestone. Yeah, the first two uh'}, {'start': '80.560', 'end': '84.560', 'text': 'Polish F-35 students are actually'}, {'start': '82.960', 'end': '86.159', 'text': "finishing this week. They're kind of the"}, {'start': '84.560', 'end': '88.000', 'text': 'best and the brightest from their F-16'}, {'start': '86.159', 'end': '89.920', 'text': 'operation, and they were chosen to be'}, {'start': '88.000', 'end': '92.079', 'text': 'the first students for that reason. This'}, {'start': '89.920', 'end': '94.000', 'text': "isn't just a win for the military. Local"}, {'start': '92.079', 'end': '95.439', 'text': "leaders say Fortsmith's role as an"}, {'start': '94.000', 'end': '97.759', 'text': 'international training hub could'}, {'start': '95.439', 'end': '100.159', 'text': 'transform the River Valley. The 188th'}, {'start': '97.759', 'end': '102.479', 'text': 'was probably already in the top five'}, {'start': '100.159', 'end': '105.119', 'text': 'economic, you know, uh drivers in the'}, {'start': '102.479', 'end': '107.119', 'text': 'city. And you know, you add the FMS F-35'}, {'start': '105.119', 'end': '108.560', 'text': "and fighter operation to it and it's uh"}, {'start': '107.119', 'end': '112.479', 'text': "it really it's probably going to be the"}, {'start': '108.560', 'end': '114.159', 'text': 'biggest single impact.'}, {'start': '112.479', 'end': '116.079', 'text': 'Tim Allen, president and CEO of the'}, {'start': '114.159', 'end': '119.520', 'text': 'FortSmith Regional Chamber, expects this'}, {'start': '116.079', 'end': '121.840', 'text': 'to add $500 million to a billion dollars'}, {'start': '119.520', 'end': '123.680', 'text': "to the city's economy a year. It could"}, {'start': '121.840', 'end': '125.200', 'text': 'go higher because the mission, as you'}, {'start': '123.680', 'end': '127.200', 'text': 'heard tonight, is actually growing.'}, {'start': '125.200', 'end': '129.679', 'text': "There's more countries coming than"}, {'start': '127.200', 'end': '131.440', 'text': "originally planned, and that's exciting."}, {'start': '129.679', 'end': '133.280', 'text': 'This is all just the beginning. As'}, {'start': '131.440', 'end': '135.680', 'text': 'panelists look forward to what future'}, {'start': '133.280', 'end': '137.599', 'text': 'generations will see, this project will'}, {'start': '135.680', 'end': '139.360', 'text': 'change the trajectory of Fort Smith'}, {'start': '137.599', 'end': '141.599', 'text': 'forever.'}, {'start': '139.360', 'end': '143.520', 'text': 'And that momentum is just beginning.'}, {'start': '141.599', 'end': '145.280', 'text': 'After Polish pilots finish training,'}, {'start': '143.520', 'end': '147.760', 'text': 'Fort Smith is preparing to welcome'}, {'start': '145.280', 'end': '149.840', 'text': 'pilots from Germany and Singapore with'}, {'start': '147.760', 'end': '154.879', 'text': 'their first arrivals expected to touch'}, {'start': '149.840', 'end': '154.879', 'text': 'down in 2026. Lauren Spencer, 5 News.'}]