A series of public meetings are set to gather more input.

The Air Force will begin a series of open houses Monday as it decides if its newest fighter jet should be based in Jacksonville – a choice that might be vital to the future of the local fighter wing.

Over the next year, the military will look at the environmental impact of putting F-35 Lightning II aircraft at a number of bases, including the Air Guard Station near Jacksonville International Airport.

That facility, which employs about 1,000 people, now serves as a base for F-15s, one of the aircraft types being phased out as the F-35 enters the fleet.

Without the F-35s filling in for those planes, the need for the wing is less urgent, said Jon Myatt, a spokesman for the Florida National Guard.

“If we don’t win this, we believe sometime in the future – and we are afraid that future can be sooner rather than later – that the presence of the 125th Fighter Wing is at risk,” Myatt said. “If you don’t have planes to fly, what’s your mission?”

Guard units in Vermont and South Carolina also are being considered to house one of the operational units using the new aircraft, which is still under construction. Only one of the sites will be selected.

The F-35, commonly know as the Joint Strike Fighter, is a fifth-generation aircraft, meaning it’s stealthier, more highly networked and extremely maneuverable.

The Pentagon committed itself to the aircraft in a big way when it slashed the number of F-22s – another fifth-generation fighter – it planned to buy, opting for the F-35.

Three different versions of the aircraft are in the works, including one that can take off from a carrier for the Navy and one that can land vertically for the Marines. A number of other countries have indicated a desire to buy F-35s.

The overall program has had problems, however, running behind a recently revised timetable and coming in far over budget.

Last week, the secretary of defense fired the Marine major heading up the program in order to replace him with a vice admiral.

One issue that has led to infighting is the desire by some for an alternative engine for the aircraft, a job that local defense contractors would work on. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the president have both fought against a second engine.

The Air Force also has had to deal with pushback from residents near Eglin Air Force Base in Northwest Florida, where the service plans to turn the 33rd Fighter Wing from an operational F-15 unit to the first F-35 training unit.

Valparaiso sued the Air Force over that decision, saying the F-35 is louder, creating noise issues for residents near the base. The military is now looking at a range of options – including relocating runways, building more runways and operating out of different parts of the base – to deal with the issue, said Valparaiso Mayor Bruce Arnold.

Meanwhile, the Air Force is looking for a secondary training base as well as two operational bases. Operational units could begin getting the aircraft as early as 2013.

The decision about where to put those planes should be made by the end of next year, and the Florida Guard is optimistic about Jacksonville’s chances, Myatt said.

“We have some really good operational qualities here,” from fewer flight restrictions to easy access to federal bombing ranges, he said. “There are some categories that the Air Force is looking at that we’ll rank really highly on. We believe Jacksonville is the best choice.”

timothy.gibbons@jacksonville. com,(904) 359-4103