3 public hearings planned in Tucson for F-35 jet

Environmental impact hearings are taking place this week in Tucson as the Department of Defense decides the best location for a pilot training center for the F-35 fighter jet.

The Air Force is looking at four training sites including Tucson International Airport, Luke Air Force Base, New Mexico and Idaho.

Major Gabe Johnson with the Arizona Air National Guard tells KOLD-TV that Tucson International Airport is not competing with Luke to house the new fighter jet. Instead, it would be a shared agreement between the two. A final decision where the F-35 is housed is anticipated in the fall.

The F-35 is intended to eventually replace the aging F-16.