Luke Air Force Base News

Luke AFB launches 100,000th F-35 Sortie

Senior Airman Jakob Hambright — Thu, 09 May 2024 22:55:00 GMT

The 56th Fighter Wing produced its 100,000th F-35 Lightning II sortie, May 9, 2024, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Luke Fighters Soar Over Gila Bend

Airman 1st Class Elias Carrero and Staff Sgt. Noah Coger — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:21:00 GMT

An F-35 Lightning II assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, performs an aerial maneuver over Barry M.

In the Wild Blue Yonder: Luke AFB jets in flight

Airman 1st Class Katelynn Jackson — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:47:00 GMT

U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II’s assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron and an F-16 Fighting

The 607th ACS hosts Exercise Desert Vulture

Airman 1st Class Mason Hargrove — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 21:16:00 GMT

Desert Vulture serves as a bilateral military exercise for the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force focused on improving operational readiness and defense capabilities. The RNAF controlled 15 sorties over six fighter squadrons, while effectively integrating with Luke AFB F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons.

Luke AFB graduates 1,000th F-35 pilot

Senior Airman David Busby — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 20:31:00 GMT

The 56th Fighter Wing’s F-35 training program graduated its 1,000th student, U.S. Air Force Capt. Audrey Wilson, on August 3, 2023. The mission at the 56th FW is to train the world's greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen and Luke has served as one of the first bases for student fighter pilots since 1941.

Luke AFB hosts first official F-35 PIFTU course

Staff Sgt. Noah Damon Coger — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 23:37:00 GMT

Five allied nation military personnel successfully graduated from the first official F-35 Partner Intelligence Formal Training Unit class, Nov. 10, 2022, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

Royal Danish Air Force general visits Luke

Airman Mason Hargrove — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 23:50:00 GMT

Royal Danish Air Force Maj. Gen. Jan Dam, Air Command Denmark commander, greets U.S. Air Force Lt.

More than just US; Tyndall supports international training missions

Airman 1st Class Anabel Del Valle — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 20:38:00 GMT

Tyndall Air Force Base’s vast amount of airspace located over the eastern Gulf of Mexico recently supported the 308th Fighter Squadron, assigned to Luke AFB, in their mission to train 5th-generation fighter pilots.

Luke Airmen enhance F-35 communication

Senior Airman Caitlin Diaz-Gorsi — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 19:44:00 GMT

The 56th Maintenance Group Continuous Improvement and Innovation office developed the F-35A Lightning II communication cable rebuild and class tester box, allowing Airmen to rebuild F-35 communication cables at the unit level.

61st AMU uses live GBUs enhancing combat readiness

Senior Airman Leala Marquez — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:30:00 GMT

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Justin Williams, 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit maintainer, finishes

62nd FS pilots, maintainers prepare for Red Flag

Airman 1st Class Dominic Tyler — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 22:57:53 GMT

U.S. and international student pilots enrolled in the F-35A Lightning II B-course are preparing for Red Flag Exercise 21-2, one of the largest aerial combat simulations the U.S. Air Force has to offer.

Luke pilots and Air National Guard complete refueling mission

A1C Leila Marquez — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 21:02:32 GMT

Republic of Korea Air Force, F-35A Lightning IIs fly in formation during a refueling mission March

Luke Conducts Transient Aircraft Training with Mesa Airport

Senior Airman Monet Villacorte, Airman 1st Class Aspen Reid — Tue, 28 May 2019 21:32:00 GMT

Members from the 309th and 61st Aircraft Maintenance Units partnered with the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to conduct transient aircraft training on May 21 for Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport employees.

Metals Technology: Innovating the future of airpower

Airman 1st Class Zoie Rider — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 19:18:00 GMT

From aircraft parts to specialized tools, the Airmen at the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft metals technology flight manufacture and fix any asset that comes their way.

US, Aussie partnership thriving at Luke

Staff Sgt. Jenna Bigham — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 15:24:19 GMT

Since the arrival of Australia’s first F-35A at Luke Air Force Base in December 2014, Australian pilots and maintainers have trained side by side with members from the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin in preparation for the day when Australian F-35s would travel home to Australia.

Air War College international students finish capstone program at Luke

Tech. Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr. — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:06:00 GMT

United States Air Force Air War College International Fellows students visited Luke Tuesday to gain a better understanding of U.S. military operations and see how Luke is building the future of airpower.

Luke begins F-35 MRA course

Staff Sgt. Staci Miller — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 20:12:00 GMT

Five Airmen are a little closer to becoming F-35A Lightning II crew chiefs as Luke began its first

61st Fighter Squadron deploys GBU-12

Airman 1st Class Ridge Shan — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 04:00:00 GMT

An F-35 Lightning II from the 61st Fighter Squadron deploys a GBU-12 500-pound laser- guided bomb for the first time in the squadron's history April 25, 2016, at the Barry M. Goldwater Range in Gila Bend, Ariz. Three F-35s successfully delivered six inert GBU-12s during the practice sortie, making the 61st FS the second squadron at Luke Air Force Base to drop bombs from the F-35. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ridge Shan)

Australian F-35 Lightning II lands at Luke Air Force Base

Airman 1st Class Ridge Shan — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 15:52:00 GMT

An Australian F-35 Lightning II lands at Luke Air Force Base Feb. 2, 2016. Luke conducts a joint

Norway’s first F-35 sortie, jets arrive on air force’s birthday

Senior Airman Grace Lee — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 19:06:00 GMT

Click here for the video storyThe F-35 program took its first step forward integrating partner