By Kolby LaMarche

The Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing, based at Burlington International Airport has officially received federal mobilization orders over the weekend, officials say. 

The unit is preparing for a deployment scheduled sometime this month, with a short turnaround time. 

As of today, there is no public confirmation that the F-35A Lightning II aircraft have taken off, and the wing continues readiness activities at the base.

The mobilization affects approximately 1,000 full-time and part-time members of the 158th Fighter Wing, including pilots, maintainers, logistics specialists, and security forces. 

These Airmen will be pulled from their civilian jobs and families on short notice. The wing operates 20 F-35A Lightning II aircraft, the first Air National Guard unit to receive the fifth-generation fighter in 2019. The exact number of aircraft involved in this deployment has not been disclosed nor where they will be headed.

Lt. Col. Meghan Smith, the unit’s spokesperson, confirmed the mobilization but noted that details on the location and duration cannot be shared at this time. “We were federally mobilized, but we can’t talk about the location or the duration,” Smith said in a statement. 

This comes just seven months after the wing’s return from a previous deployment to Kadena Air Base in Japan, where more than 200 Airmen and several F-35s participated in training with Japanese, Australian, and South Korean forces from January through late April 2025. That rotation highlighted the unit’s role in Indo-Pacific security.

Speculation about the current destination includes potential operations related to tensions with Venezuela, such as U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, or a return to Europe tied to the wing’s partnership with North Macedonia and NATO. 

However, officials have not confirmed any location, stating they are “not authorized to share this information yet.”

The 158th Fighter Wing typically conducts flight operations Tuesdays through Fridays, with takeoff windows from 8:30-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-2:30 p.m., averaging two per day. 

Recent activities included night flying training on December 8th. The base shares the airport with commercial operations, and no disruptions to civilian flights have been reported and none are expected.

The mobilization may have significant local impact, however. The wing contributes about $200 million annually to Chittenden County’s economy and employs over 1,200 people. Families are accessing support through the Guard’s readiness center for counseling and resources.