Welcome to Luke
Welcome to Luke AFB where we take pride in training the world’s greatest F-16 fighter pilots and maintainers, while deploying mission-ready warfighters anywhere in the world when needed to support our national defense.
Located west of Phoenix, Luke AFB is home to the 56th Fighter Wing, the largest fighter wing in the Air Force and the only active-duty F-16 training wing. Each year, we train more than 400 active duty, Guard and Reserve F-16 pilots, and more than 650 maintenance crew chiefs. Nearly every organization on base either directly or indirectly supports F-16 Fighting Falcon operations.
In turn, we take pride in providing outstanding support for the more than 6,400 military and civilian employees on base, as well as approximately 6,700 family members and 65,000 military retirees who live in the Phoenix area. We are especially pleased to welcome you, as a base newcomer, to the Luke team.
Luke has established an enviable training record throughout its history. During World War II, it was the largest fighter training base in the Army Air Force, graduating more that 17,000 fighter pilots from advanced and operational courses. In fact, since 1941, Luke has graduated more than 56,150 pilots.
It began its F-16 fighter pilot training program in February, 1983, and has trained more than 16,650 Fighting Falcon pilots and 9,700 F-16 crew chiefs since that time. In 2010, the Air Force announced that Luke is being considered as a preferred alternative base for gaining the F-35 Lightning II training program. The F-35, or Joint Strike Fighter, integrates stealth technology into a supersonic, highly agile 21st Century fighter.
However, Luke being named as a “preferred alternative” for F-35 training is not a final basing decision until the associated environmental analysis is complete. The final Air Force “record of decision” is not planned until the summer of 2011.
It’s important for everyone at Luke to remain focused on our current mission. Until told otherwise, our job still is to continue training the world’s greatest F-16 fighter pilots and maintainers and to deploy mission-ready warfighters.