WASHINGTON—Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley confirmed F-35 capabilities would help America’s allies deter Russian aggression during questioning by U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) at a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday.

As a result of Boozman’s advocacy, the U.S. Air Force selected Fort Smith’s Ebbing Air National Guard Base as its preferred location for the Foreign Military Sales F-35 Squadron and its accompanying mission to train pilots of allied nations that purchase the fighter jet.

Germany, Poland and Finland recently agreed to purchase F-35s to strengthen their air power capabilities.

The F-35 is the only fifth-generation fighter jet in the world. The Air Force is in the process of completing its Environment Impact Study (EIS) at Ebbing Air Field in Fort Smith.