It was never a guarantee, but Panama City community leaders are no doubt disappointed about Thursday’s news that Tyndall Air Force Base will not be getting any of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Air Force officials announced the list of candidate locations Oct. 29 for basing the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. Tyndall Air Force Base is not on the list.

The list of candidate bases was approved by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force and identifies the first group of bases to be considered for joint strike fighter basing decisions. The selection of these bases signifies the determination of Air Force officials that these locations have the greatest potential to accommodate the F-35 training or operational mission.

Eleven bases have been selected as candidate bases and include for training: Boise Air Terminal Air Guard Station, Idaho; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Holloman AFB N.M.; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and Tuscon International Airport Air Guard Station, Ariz.

Once the pilots are trained they'll be assigned to operations squadrons at one of a half dozen bases. The six bases selected as candidate bases for operations are: Burlington International Airport Guard Station, Vt.; Hill AFB, Utah; Jacksonville International Airport Air Guard Station, Fla.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Shaw AFB, S.C.; and McEntire Air Guard Base, S.C.

Tyndall A-F-B officials had hoped to pick up part of the F-35 training mission. The 48 F-35's to be assigned could have replaced the F-15 Eagles that Tyndall is losing next year.

Members of the Bay Defense alliance had been lobbying the Air Force for a share of the F-35 training program. But the effort fell short.

Now, with the loss of the F-15's next year, and no more F-22's coming oiff the assembly line, Tyndall will maintain its one squadron of F-22's starting in 2010.