Luke

F35s from the 61st Fighter Squadron refuel near Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. (Air Force photo)

Luke stands up new F-35 squadron

By Brian Everstine on June 22, 2015 Air Education and Training Command, Air Force

The Air Force’s main F-35 pilot training base this month activated another squadron of the next-generation stealth aircraft. The 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, stood up earlier this month during an assumption of command ceremony on June 5. Lt. Col. Gregory Frana, previously the F-35A director of operations for the 61st Fighter Squadron at Luke, will command the new unit. The squadron will begin receiving jets next month, and will train alongside pilots from Norway and Italy. “We will focus our efforts on what we’ve been doing for three generations – training and delivering combat…

Staff Sgt. Michael Ensminger, 61st Aircraft Maintenance Unit Staff F-35 dedicated crew chief inspects one of Luke’s 10 F-35s sent to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada for the training deployment April 15, 2015. (Staff Sgt. Darlene Seltmann/Air Force)

F-35s complete training ‘deployment’ for first time

By Brian Everstine on April 21, 2015 Air Education and Training Command, Air Force

Ten F-35s flew from their training site at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for two weeks this month in the first test of how the jets, pilots and maintainers could move and operate from a new base. This first training “deployment” tested half of Luke’s fleet at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, from April 4-18. “Operating away from Luke has been a huge success for the wing, Team Nellis and the F-35 program in general,” Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the commander of the 56th Figher Wing, in a news release. “We are learning lessons that will be hugely important for our pilots…

An F-35 flies over Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, on the 1,000th sortie for the base. (Senior Airman Devante Williams/Air Force)

Luke F-35 squadron hits 1,000 sorties

By Brian Everstine on April 1, 2015 Air Education and Training Command, Air Force, Airframes

The first operational training base for the F-35A this week hit a new milestone: 1,000 flights. Maj. Joshua Arki, 61st Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, on Tuesday flew the 1,000th sortie at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It is now the fastest wing to reach 1,000 sorties in the F-35, according to the Air Force. The flight occurred about one month before the first official class of student pilots is set to get started at the training center on base. The milestone was the second in a week at the base. Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, commander of the 56th Fighter Wing, flew…

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