This article’s audio content is presented by the Air & Space Forces Association, commemorating and assisting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Discover further details at afa.org
The 34th Fighter Squadron secured the Raytheon Trophy for its outstanding aerial dominance achievements in 2025 across two significant Middle Eastern campaigns and a sequence of interventions in the Pacific region.
The F-35 Lightning II squadron, based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was bestowed this accolade after its involvement in Operation Rough Rider, which aimed at Houthi insurgent missile installations in Yemen. This recognition also accounts for its deep-reaching offensive efforts accompanying bombers during Operation Midnight Hammer to assail Iranian atomic facilities, and numerous rapid deployments to confront hostility in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, as declared by the Air Force on March 24.
“This award acknowledges more than mere aptitude—it commends a combatant’s mentality,” stated Air Combat Command Commander Gen. Adrian Spain in the announcement. “The Airmen of the 34th have exhibited steadfast determination to engage the adversary, producing deadly outcomes amidst the most arduous circumstances. That is the core of preparedness—not simply being poised for deployment, but being poised for victory.”
Originating in 1953, the Raytheon Trophy is presented each year to the foremost aerial dominance or air protection unit in the U.S. Air Force.
In March 2025, the “Rude Rams” were dispatched with minimal warning for an Immediate Response Force assignment to U.S. Central Command, providing aid in Operation Rough Rider.
“We commenced operations with extreme rapidity,” remarked Lt. Col. Aaron Osborne, commander of the 34th Fighter Squadron, in a November 2025 press release. “Less than a day after arriving in the operational zone, we were piloting the F-35 on hostile sorties aimed at Houthi objectives.”
The operation aimed to “dismantle” Houthi capacities in Yemen. Since late 2023, the Houthis had been assaulting maritime traffic in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab el-Mandeb Strait as a retort to the Israeli conflict in Gaza versus Hamas.
Houthi attacks impacted merchant vessels, compelling shipping to bypass the Red Sea and instead navigate via Africa.
The 34th Fighter Squadron carried out assaults in Yemen which obliterated aerial defense networks, command posts and control centers, armaments depots, ground-to-air missiles, and long-range missile capacities, as earlier documented by Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Furthermore, during these engagements, the squadron achieved the initial air-to-air victories from an F-35A over single-direction assault drones.
“This marks the initial instance of anyone being engaged by enemy fire in two decades—effectively executing the Wild Weasel assignment. It’s the first time we’re deploying innovative armaments on the F-35, striking subterranean passages, and engaging objectives twice with formidable penetrating munitions,” Osborne articulated.
The Wild Weasel mission pertains to the neutralization of air defenses, or SEAD. This term originated from the Vietnam War era, when American fighter aircraft would precede attack formations to provoke enemy radar, prompting opponents to launch their projectiles.
On June 22, 2025, an F-35 formation from the squadron cleared the path by neutralizing hostile aerial defenses for the B-2s. These fighters then accompanied the bombers to their designated objective zone, marking the inaugural instance of an aircraft breaching Iranian airspace during Operation Midnight Hammer.
The B-2s released 14 GBU-57 penetrating bombs, hitting profoundly interred objectives within Iran.
“Our weapons officer served as the chief of the entire operation,” Osborne stated. “We utilized armaments with significant impact against ground-to-air missile installations… while they were attempting to engage us using highly advanced systems, and they simply could not. … It was impressive to observe the aircraft identify and overcome threats—to watch it perform precisely as engineered.”
The deployment of the F-35 was deemed essential, as the aircraft’s covert features ensured it remained unattacked during the mission.
“The efficacy of this assault confirmed every one of the proficiencies of the F-35 that we have discussed for an extended period,” Col. Charles Fallon, 388th Fighter Wing commander, conveyed in a statement, further noting that the assault group “relied on our aviators and this airframe to execute, and both demonstrated exceptional competence.”
The efforts of the squadron and its associated 34th Fighter Generation Squadron were not confined to CENTCOM. Prior to that in 2025, the unit was dispatched to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, undertaking “numerous rapid response sorties” to confront hostility across the area, as stated by the Air Force.
A spokesperson for the 388th Fighter Wing failed to provide an immediate reply to an inquiry for remarks.
The wing’s 421st Fighter Squadron was designated as the recipient of the 2023 Raytheon Trophy for two unannounced CENTCOM deployments that curbed Russian and Iranian belligerence, and for logging over 2,300 hours performing defensive counter-air and close-air assistance sorties.
The 34th FS stood as the inaugural operational F-35A squadron in the Air Force, having acquired its initial permanent F-35s towards the end of 2017. It also holds the distinction of being the most highly honored F-35 unit ever. For its endeavors in CENTCOM, the squadron was awarded the Gallant Unit Citation. This commendation represents the second most prestigious unit-level heroism honor in the Air Force, surpassed solely by the Presidential Unit Citation.
Airmen with the squadron were also granted “numerous nominations and accolades for bravery and battlefield accomplishments,” according to the release. These included nominations for the Silver Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Bronze Star Medal.
Recently, the Silver Star was bestowed upon two F-16 pilots who also participated in Operation Rough Rider. From that same operation, two aviators and a refueling boom operator of a tanker crew were presented with Distinguished Flying Crosses.
This article’s audio content is presented by the Air & Space Forces Association, commemorating and assisting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Discover further details at afa.org