Hill AFB fighter squadron named Air Force’s best

The 34th Fighter Squadron, known as the “Rude Rams” and part of the 388th Fighter Wing, has been named the winner of the 2025 Raytheon Award, the Air Force’s top honor for a fighter squadron, after a year of near-continuous deployments and combat operations across two theaters, the service said.

“This award recognizes more than just capability – it recognizes a warrior mindset,” said Gen. Adrian Spain, commander of Air Combat Command. “The Airmen of the 34th have demonstrated an unwavering resolve to take the fight to the enemy, generating lethal effects under the most demanding conditions. That is the essence of readiness – not just being ready to deploy but being ready to win.”

According to the Air Force, the 34th FS and its partnered 34th Fighter Generation Squadron spent 11 of 12 months deployed in 2025, flying thousands of combat hours with F-35A Lightning IIs in support of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). Their year included major roles in two high-profile CENTCOM operations: Rough Rider and Midnight Hammer.

In Operation Rough Rider, which targeted the Houthi group in Yemen, 34th FS pilots took part in strikes that destroyed air defense systems, command-and-control nodes, weapons storage facilities, and missile capabilities, the Air Force said. The squadron also recorded what the service described as the first air-to-air kills by an F-35A against one-way attack drones.

“The 34th FS has set a standard for fighter squadrons,” said Col. Charles Fallon, 388th FW commander. “Their achievements in combat and their dedication to advancing F-35A warfighting capabilities are a testament to the professionalism of our Airmen.”

On June 22, 2025, during Operation Midnight Hammer, the squadron escorted a strike package that included B-2 Spirit bombers into contested Iranian airspace to target underground nuclear sites at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, the Air Force said. A formation of F-35s flown by 34th FS pilots was the first to penetrate Iranian airspace, suppressing air defenses and escorting the bombers to their targets in what officials described as a precisely timed mission involving fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft.

“To see the squadron grow and get to a spot where the Airmen are comfortable living and working in a place where they’re being shot at and still be experts … it was impressive to see,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Osborne, 34th FS commander. “It was the maintainers in the 34th FGS, that we deploy side-by-side with, that made all these sorties possible.”

Beyond those operations, the Air Force said the squadron provided defensive air cover for multiple carrier strike groups moving through CENTCOM maritime chokepoints, executed dozens of alert scrambles in INDOPACOM to deter aggression and bolster regional stability, and supported homeland defense with sorties for the President and Operation Noble Eagle.

The 34th FS was the first combat-coded F-35A squadron in the Air Force and is described by the service as the most decorated F-35 unit to date. The unit received a citation for actions in CENTCOM, and Airmen garnered dozens of nominations and awards for heroism and combat achievement, including nominations for the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Bronze Star, according to the Air Force.