Article by Ron Sites, President and Executive Director of Fighter Country Partnership.

The Sonoran Desert Heritage draft proposal for protecting public lands in western Maricopa County is not simply a conservation effort. It is supported by a broad cross-section of homegrown Arizona public and private interests for a variety of environmental and economic reasons.

Fighter Country Partnership is proud to support the Sonoran Desert Heritage conservation plan because its passage will further protect Luke Air Force Base and its $2.1 billion annual economic impact to our community.

The Sonoran Desert Heritage conservation proposal will protect and maintain the necessary open spaces over which missions are conducted, thereby preserving the vital air corridors necessary for flight operations at Luke. This protection is more critical now than ever because Luke is the preferred alternative for training pilots of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Proactive conservation of this landscape also helps safeguard wildlife species outside of Arizona’s military bases and the Barry M. Goldwater Range, thereby reducing the risk to these species concerned and the financial burden of managing them.

Over the course of more than five years, local organizers for this effort have been reaching out to communities in the West Valley to find partners to help shape this draft proposal into a well-vetted measure to be introduced in Congress. Fighter Country Partnership was one of several stakeholder groups that recently met with our congressional delegation in Washington to support the draft conservation proposal. Other supporters include West Valley churches, like the Avondale Church of God; energy companies such as Abengoa Solar Inc. and NextEra Energy Resources LLC; wildlife and outdoor groups such as the Arizona Wildlife Federation, Arizona State Horsemen’s Association, and Friends of Saddle Mountain; and companies like DMB Associates., and Sunbelt Holdings, residential developers of Verrado and Douglas Ranch, respectively.

Fighter Country Partnership is proud to be part of this collaborative, transparent process to protect Arizona’s heritage.

We encourage the public to offer candid feedback on the Sonoran Desert Heritage draft proposal during a series of open-house meetings in the West Valley. Draft maps and materials will be available for viewing; attendees can submit comments and request additional meetings to address any questions.

Public feedback sought

The public is invited to give feedback on the Sonoran Desert Heritage draft proposal during a series of open-house meetings. All meetings are from 7 to 9 p.m. Additional information is available at www.sonoranheritage.org.

Nov. 10 — Wickenburg Community Center, 175 E. Swilling Ave., Wickenburg.
Nov. 15 — Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce, 16126 N.Civic Center Plaza, Surprise.
Nov. 17 — Buckeye Chamber of Commerce, 508 E. Monroe Ave., Buckeye.

This story published courtesy of West Valley Voices via Arizona Republic.

1. Luke Air Force Base anti-encroachment pact protects base for F-35 mission
2. Luke Forward F-35 Mission Update
3. Support Building for Statewide F-35 Luke Forward Campaign

Commentary by Mayor Elaine Scruggs, City of Glendale

It has been two years since the October 2009 launch of LukeForward.com, a statewide campaign to petition the Department of Defense to select Luke Air Force Base (AFB) as the second active duty training base for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission. Luke is currently the largest active duty F-16 training base in the world, and the Air Force is planning to begin replacing its fleet of F-16s with the new F-35 within the next few years.

The LukeForward campaign was developed by West Valley Partners and Fighter Country Partnership to generate awareness and support of the positive impacts the F-35 will bring to Arizona. Over 22,000 supporters have registered on the site! Fighter Country Partnership Board Chairman Charley Freericks and I serve as the co-chairs of the campaign.

West Valley Partners is the name selected for the organization made up of 14 municipal and county government members. The organization’s sole function is to retain appropriate federal representation in Washington, D.C. Our team of representatives work to secure funding for critical upgrades to Luke infrastructure; monitor legislation that impacts Luke and the military in general, and create awareness at all levels to assist in our goal of preserving current and future missions at Luke AFB. West Valley Partners’ efforts have resulted in federal appropriations to Luke and the Barry M. Goldwater Range of more than $14 million over the last few years.

Since launching LukeForward, the base has been named the “preferred alternative” which means it is the front runner for receiving the F-35 mission. Much work has been accomplished by the communities that surround Luke, as well as by the leadership of Fighter Country Partnership. It is vital that we continue to focus on our ultimate goal of bringing the F-35 mission to Luke.

Arizona’s federal delegation in Washington D.C., Governor Jan Brewer and individual cities and towns throughout Arizona have come out in strong support of basing the F-35 training mission at Luke AFB.

Recently, Senator John McCain brought together several local officials to reiterate his strong support for the F-35 mission coming to Luke, while also sharing his concerns regarding programming costs. In recent months, the Pentagon has asked for funding transfers to avoid cuts to the number of F-35 scheduled to be purchased. Senator McCain intends to analyze the funding transfers very closely for the purpose of not impacting other areas of the defense budget.

The Air Force anticipates releasing the draft Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for F-35 in September 2011 and making its final determination by March 2012. Public participation and support are critical to Luke receiving the F-35 mission. Over the next seven months, your community leaders will be calling on you to make your support for Luke AFB well known.

I want to thank all of you who have been supporting our efforts up to this point and ask that you continue your involvement. You have made a positive impression and have contributed to getting us to this point!

I want to encourage those who may be reading about our efforts for the first time to join with us by signing up at LukeForward.com. Your voices of support for bringing the F-35 mission to Luke Air Force Base will be extremely valuable in the coming months. Registered supporters will have access to the latest information, including the EIS public meeting schedule.

Together, we can help ensure Luke’s best possible future.

This article is made available with permission of Pueblo Publishers, Inc.

1. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base
2. Support Building for Statewide F-35 Luke Forward Campaign
3. El Mirage Residents Support F-35, Future missions at Luke Air Force Base

Congressman Trent Franks commented this week on the mission at Luke Air Force Base and the scheduling of the F-16 squadrons’ move to Holloman Air Force Base once the F-35 Lightning II lands at the base in Glendale.

Upon entering office, Franks said he was part of the delegation that worked diligently to save Luke during the Base Relocation and Closure (BRAC) process.

“Then, we were working hard to get the F-35 to Luke,” Franks said. “.So, those are wonderful successes I’m thankful for.”

Franks said the first F-16 movement, the first squadron, was set to move the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 and now has been rescheduled to the first quarter of fiscal year 2013.

The second squadron was set to move the third quarter of fiscal year 2013, and that has been changed to the third quarter of fiscal year 2014.

The good news, Franks said, is the F-16 will be based at Luke longer.
He said the F-35 is now set to arrive at Luke the second quarter of fiscal year 2013.

“We haven’t seen any delay in the F-35,” he said.

Asked to comment on Sen. John McCain’s statements about the F-16 squadron movement in his Sept. 8, 2011 letter to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Franks said, “I understand Sen. McCain’s perspective very well. I’m not sure with the transition that’s occurring I would be in a mindset to challenge the Air Force at this time.

“It’s important to know the last update I’ve seen, the three squadrons planned to base at Luke are already funded, so hopefully, they are immune to cuts to the initial three squadrons.”

Franks is not so optimistic about future funding for defense.

He said, “After the budget control act and super committee, there’s an ominous willingness to cut the defense budget at a time when we’re penny wise and pound foolish. When those two airplanes hit those buildings, it cost $2 trillion.

“It is vital for America to understand that our critical economic productively depends on a secure environment. And one of the most important things we can do economically is make sure our defense is the greatest in the world.

“One of the most important foundations for Americans to be such a favorable economic investment across the world is the unquestioned nature of our security environment. If we diminish our security in the interest of economic savings, we may do the worst for both.”

This article is made available with permission of Pueblo Publishers, Inc.

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The t

The operations at Luke AFB have impacted people from all walks of life and from every state in the nation. Since 1988, Luke Air Force Base has trained 16,270 fighter pilots to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon and graduated 9,071 crew chiefs. They continue to play a critical role in protecting America’s freedom and security worldwide.

The presence of Luke and other military bases in Arizona contribute significantly to the state and local economies. Luke AFB alone contributes more than 8,000 jobs and $2 billion annually to our state’s economy. Luke’s economic impact is especially critical in light of the current budget crisis facing the state and every community in Arizona.

Our jewel to the south, the Barry M. Goldwater Range, provides highly flexible joint military service training and realistic combat missions. Each year, fighters from Luke AFB conduct more than 30,000 air-to-air gunnery and air-to-ground bombing training at the 1.7-million acre facility located between Yuma and Tucson.

The town of Buckeye and other West Valley communities have revised their development plans and/or set aside property in the area to protect Luke’s training mission. Buckeye is home to many of the brave men and women who support Luke’s current fighter training mission. Buckeye is where their families live and their children are educated. And, we hope Buckeye will be able to welcome a new generation of F-35 personnel and their families to our community as well.

In addition to protecting our nation’s defense and being an economic asset to the state, Luke AFB has a profoundly positive impact in our communities. Base personnel volunteer more than 100,000 hours annually at local schools, churches, youth sports leagues and non-profit organizations.

Our Town Council’s recent resolution illustrates the unwavering support and commitment of Buckeye residents to Luke Air Force Base – for the current F-16 training mission and as the future training site for the new F-35.

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Tuesday night’s meeting in El Mirage and last night’s meeting in Surprise each attracted big crowds of approximately 300 people. Luke supporters donning military hats, t-shirts, pins and stickers could be found everywhere at the meetings, which are being conducted by the Air Force to solicit input from citizens in preparation of the F-35 environmental study at the Glendale base.

Based on reports from other communities, such as New Mexico, Utah and Idaho, which are also under consideration to receive the Air Force’s joint strike fighter program, the Luke meetings are drawing record crowds.

“At last night’s meeting in Surprise, there was a line of people waiting to get inside the meeting room,” said Fighter Country Partnership’s Steve Yamamori, whose organization is working with 12 West Valley cities and Maricopa County to bring the F-35 to Luke. West Valley residents and others are showing up in force at these meetings to express their support for the Air Force to bring the F-35 to Luke. This strong support by local citizens is definitely going to send a clear message to decisions makers back in Washington, D.C. that Arizona strongly supports the F-35.”

Based on the criteria the Air Force will use to evaluate sites for the F-35 mission, Luke is well positioned to receive the F-35 and continue to serve as the Air Force’s “school house” for America’s fighter pilots and maintainers.
Local leaders know, however, that until a decision is made, nothing can be taken for granted, and they urge continued strong support from Arizonans statewide.

Luke has been training fighter pilots since 1941, and Arizona features the ideal climate, land, airspace and training rangers – including the Barry M. Goldwater Range in southern Arizona – that cannot be replicated anywhere in the country.

For more information on the public-scoping meetings, which run through Friday, or to register your support for the F-35 at Luke, visit www.LukeForward.com.

CONTACT: Steve Yamamori, Fighter Country Partnership, 623-882-2191

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As mayor of Surprise, I see the positive difference Luke Air Force Base makes daily in our community. That is why I fully support bringing the F-35 training program to Luke Air Force Base.

Surprise has more flyovers from Luke’s F-16 jets than any other West Valley city. To us, the roar of those fighters is the sound of freedom.

Luke AFB is a true West Valley native. Its mission of defending freedom blossomed decades ago, when it was a training site for young WWII pilots. Many of them loved Arizona and settled here; becoming residents of the cities that eventually sprang up around Luke.

Today, many of the 8,000 active-duty personnel and their 6,700 family members are an important part of our community. We know them as neighbors, business customers and employees, students at our Communiversity, or parents and friends involved in school and community life. Without them, Surprise wouldn’t be the city of opportunity and connectedness we are today.

Luke has a $2.1 billion annual impact on Arizona’s economy. That means one thing above all: jobs. Thousands are directly employed at the base; thousands more support Luke indirectly. These jobs create demand for housing and generate consumer spending. This helps local businesses thrive and helps local governments pay for public safety and roadways. Without the    F-35, the mission of Luke is threatened, and our community could lose jobs at the worst possible time as we work to recover from this severe recession.

Surprise is working closely with Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Gila Bend, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Maricopa County, Peoria, Phoenix, Tolleson, Wickenburg and Youngtown on the Luke Forward campaign to support the new F-35 mission. You can get involved, too. Visit www.lukeforward.com to register your support and get answers to frequently asked questions about the F-35. Look for sign-up support sheets at the many businesses in Surprise that are behind the F-35 mission at Luke.

I encourage you to attend one of the five public meetings being held in Northwest Valley cities, including Surprise, February 22- 26. These meetings are part of the Environmental Impact Statement process, which will help the Air Force decide where to station the F-35. We need to let decision makers at the federal level know we want the F-35 and the mission of Luke to continue for decades to come.
Our economic future and the fabric of our community life will be much richer if Luke receives the F-35 training mission. Together, let’s show support for our brave neighbors and colleagues at Luke who defend America and make Arizona a better place.

Visit lukeforward.com to prefill the EIS comment form if you  are not able to attend any of the public scoping meetings.

About Mayor L.E. “Lyn” Truitt

Lyn and his wife, Donna, moved to Surprise in 1997. They have two children and three grandchildren. Donna has worked at the Dysart Unified School District since 2000 and daughter-in-law, Nicole, is a music teacher in the District.

Lyn has been a self-employed businessman for the past 30 years. As national training consultant for a contract delivery systems company, he trained entrepreneurs in small business ownership, management and operations. Lyn is currently owner/broker of L.E. Truitt & Associates Real Estate Consulting and a Certified International Property Specialist.

Over the years, Lyn coached a youth soccer team to two City of Phoenix titles, obtained three scuba diving certifications and served as Crew Chief on a hot air balloon team.  He traveled to England as part of a Christian outreach opportunity and considers himself a life-long learner, taking classes ranging from Greek to photography.

Lyn is a graduate of Leadership West, Class IX and his commitment to effective and ethical leadership is demonstrated through participation in neighborhood and community initiatives, support for quality education, a willingness to volunteer and dedication to our City and residents.

Participation in neighborhood and community initiatives includes leadership on the Coyote Lakes HOA and work on various community initiatives.  He was presented the Arizona Golden Rule Award for volunteerism by Secretary of State, Jan Brewer. Lyn is active with the Salvation Army Board, organizes an annual drive for St. Mary’s Westside Food Bank, and serves on the Board of West Valley Art Museum.

His support for quality education includes service on committees that worked to pass school bond issues, membership on the Dysart Tax Credit Committee, Chair of the Dysart Wall of Unity Committee and the Community Advisory Team Board.

Lyn’s passion for our community is evidenced by successful campaigns to reduce the restaurant tax in Surprise, improve Bell Road and preserve areas around Luke Auxiliary Field 1.  He served as Surprise Planning & Zoning Committee Chair.

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Unfortunately, there have been many opinions that were misconstrued as facts that could potentially hurt the opportunity to have Luke AFB chosen as the new JSF training base for the Department of Defense.

As mayor of Surprise, I want to state my full support for bringing the F-35 training program to Arizona.  Surprise has more flyovers of aircraft than any other West Valley city and we hear the roar of those jets as the sound of freedom.

Others have misstated the F-35 being twice as loud as the current F-16s that we have at Luke AFB, but the official Department of Defense tests completed in October 2008 at Edwards Air Force Base concluded that the F-35 is approximately 10% louder than the F-16s currently flying at Luke AFB.

The Environmental Impact Statement process that will be conducted at Luke will also consider the noise generated from the F-35 as part of its site-specific data collection.

Beyond the mechanics of the F-35, I also want to highlight the impact of the military on our local community.

With the close proximity of Surprise to Luke AFB, many of the 8,000 active-duty personnel and their 6,700 family members have chosen to live and work in Surprise.  Their impact on our city—through the contributions they make as employees at local businesses, to their children in local schools to their choice to reside in Surprise—cannot be negated and truly shows the close relationship that Surprise and Luke AFB share.

Without these brave men and women serving our country and playing an active role in our community, Surprise would not be the wonderful city that we all call home.  We welcome them as our neighbors, co-workers, students and customers and look forward to Luke AFB being a thriving partner to our south long after the F-16 program is phased out in 2025.

Luke AFB was here in the West Valley long before neighboring cities began cropping up and we should all unite in our support of continuing Luke’s contribution to our region and to the entire state of Arizona.

The economic impact of $2.1 billion annually that Luke contributes to Arizona’s economy cannot be dismissed, as we all benefit through small and large business cultivation, revenue generation and an increase in the quality of jobs created by the presence of Luke in our backyard.  This will only increase in the years to come if we continue to show a united support of our “hometown Air Base.”

It’s been wonderful to hear positive feedback and support from our Surprise-based businesses in the last few weeks. Many of these businesses have voiced their support for the mission at Luke AFB and stated that they would not be in business without the support of the military personnel who have become loyal customers.
Our business community is rising up to show their support for continuing the mission at Luke and bringing the F-35 mission here by writing letters of support, putting support sign-up sheets out for their customers to sign, providing discounts for those with military identification cards and enthusiastically asking how they can continue showing their support for bringing the F-35 to Arizona.

I invite you to join me and these Surprise business owners in voicing your support of the mission at Luke AFB and bringing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission to Arizona by going to www.lukeforward.com.  In addition to adding your support through that website, you can also find answers to questions you may have about the technical aspects of the F-35 aircraft or the JSF mission coming to Arizona.

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That is why we are pleased to see Defense Secretary Robert Gates taking strong steps to revitalize the struggling F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

A cost-effective F-35 is critical to the future combat needs of the Air Force, Navy and Marines. The project already is years behind schedule and nearly 50 percent above its originally estimated cost. That is clearly too much, especially with the Pentagon planning to buy almost 2,500 of the planes over the next 25 years. That comes to a total cost of $300 billion — provided nothing else goes wrong.

Mr. Gates means to see that it does not.

This month, he removed the Marine in charge of the program, Maj. Gen. David Heinz, and said his replacement would be a higher-ranking officer with more authority to keep a tighter rein on private contractors’ performance. Reinforcing that message, Mr. Gates also announced that he would withhold, at least for now, $614 million in progress payments from the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin.

The money should not be released until Lockheed has significantly improved its performance.

This insistence on accountability would be considered normal in most private businesses. But it is virtually unheard of in the cozy world of military procurement. Mr. Gates clearly wants to get the attention of other Pentagon managers and contractors. We hope he has.

The F-35 program was supposed to be the prototype for more effective defense procurement. Like the far more expensive F-22, the plane incorporates stealth technology and can successfully engage enemy fighters in air-to-air combat. But it also is built to support ground combat units in today’s wars, like the Air Force F-16 and A-10 and the Navy F-18 it is intended to replace.

Mr. Gates will have to keep monitoring the performance of Lockheed Martin and General Heinz’s successor and personally intervene again if needed. The F-35 program is too necessary and budget dollars too scarce to permit further waste or delay.  A TIMELY JOLT FOR THE F-35 (The New York Times, New York)

1. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program will be delayed by about one year
2. Pentagon Aggressively Reviewing F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
3. 2011 budget will seek nearly $11 billion for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Local, State Leaders Work Together to Make Arizona A National Model for Protecting Military Bases

West Valley and state leaders have been working together to take proactive steps in preserving and enhancing the long-term mission viability of the state’s military installations.

Their actions may soon pay off as Luke Air Force Base is one of several Air Force bases being considered for the upcoming F-35 training mission.

Since the first successful state legislation was passed in 1978, there has been a coordinated and continuous approach to establishing compatible land uses around military bases in Arizona, including Luke.

State laws establish compatible land uses and other protections within noise contours and accident potential zones that ensure that responsible land-use planning and development occurs around Luke.

The state legislation reflects the tremendous commitment local, regional and state leaders have in protecting military installations statewide from development encroachment, according to Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, who recently traveled to Washington to brief top Air Force officials on Arizona’s strong support for Luke’s mission.

“Luke is a critical economic asset and a point of pride for all Arizonans. I am committed to leading the fight to enforce state laws protecting the base from encroachment and will continue to work with state, local and federal officials to secure the F-35 training mission at Luke.”

The Arizona Legislature has taken a variety of proactive steps in to protect Luke and other military airports in the state, including the establishment of:

• Enhanced notification requirements of proposed development in the vicinity of military airports.
• Increased disclosure on the sale of land within the vicinity of military airports.
• A chart of compatible land uses within high noise and accident potential zones.
• Sound attenuation standards for development near military airports.
• Statutes prohibiting natural gas storage facilities within nine miles of military airports.
• Zoning protections around auxiliary fields to mirror those around primary military airports.
• A “Military Installation Fund” used to buy land near bases or finance infrastructure improvements.
• Notification to potential homebuyers interested in purchasing homes that are under military training routes of military activity overhead.

When state legislation led to the establishment of noise contour lines around Luke, state and local leaders had the foresight to make the area within the noise lines larger in order to provide the flexibility to accommodate new aircraft and changing training missions.

For example, the current noise contour lines are almost twice as large that what is necessary for Luke’s current F-16 training mission.

In addition to the state statutes already in place, West Valley cities surrounding Luke have protected 32,788 acres from development that would be incompatible with Luke’s training mission.

“Goodyear is proud to be known as ‘The Protector of Luke’s Southern Departure Corridor,’” said Goodyear Mayor Jim Cavanaugh. “More than 90 percent of the high noise contour areas around the corridor are in Goodyear and properly zoned now to protect Luke’s mission. We also spent $3.5 million — 10 percent of the city’s operating budget — to buy Duncan Family Farms in 2003 and make sure the departure corridor remains indisputably clear.”

Today, Arizona is recognized as a national model in protecting military facilities. But, in order for this success story to continue, both the public and private sectors must continue to be aggressive in supporting efforts to protect and continue the mission at Luke, Cavanaugh said.

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By Paul Blue

Collaboration and communication are key organizational values at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

As owner and operator of two general aviation airports and a large commercial airport, the city of Phoenix Aviation Department recognizes that delivering world-class customer service to passengers and airport users can only be successful when the community is on our team.

One critical stakeholder to our success is Luke Air Force Base. In any metropolitan area with significant aviation uses, it is important that those users work together.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the sole and absolute discretion for where planes fly. But, if Luke and Phoenix are not discussing common issues and concerns, the potential for an unintended conflict can arise.

To ensure that doesn’t happen, we take a couple of important steps. First, we meet together with all regional aviation users through a forum aptly named the Phoenix Aviation Users Working Group.

Representatives from the airports, military, FAA, general aviation users, commercial aviation users and many other regularly discuss the current status of aviation operations in the Valley. This group has proven to be a good forum to understand and discuss issues important to the aviation community.

Further, as the largest users of the airspace in the community, Luke and the city of Phoenix meet together quarterly to keep the lines of communication open between both organizations. We have dialogue about current operations, growth and any changes planned for our respective facilities and operational areas.

The success of both our respective organizations is greatly influenced by the actions and the operational impacts of the other. We, in Phoenix, believe that Luke and its mission are economically important to the local community and essential to the national defense.  Similarly, Luke has been very supportive of Phoenix Sky Harbor and the aviation operations it serves.

However, communication alone is not enough and collaboration is about action. We have worked actively with Luke, both locally and in Washington D.C., to request that the FAA implement a Special Air Traffic Rule north of Luke that will help create a safer environment for military and civilian aircraft in the Northwest Valley. Also, 10 years ago, the city of Phoenix acquired 925 acres directly off the north end of Luke’s runways to help prevent future encroachment by incompatible land uses.

We have and will continue to work together to ensure that our two operations remain compatible with each other. The FAA has a complex job to manage aviation users in metropolitan Phoenix, including the diverse needs of Sky Harbor and Luke.

The relationship between Phoenix and Luke has been excellent, but only by working together can we continue to achieve the success that the community deserves and expects.

—————

Paul Blue is the assistant aviation director at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

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For Sergeant First Class Jason Jacot, the work he does to restore power to Haiti has a permanence unlike that in Iraq. (David L. Ryan/ Globe Staff)

That sense of making a concrete difference also was evident in the face of Captain Marques Bruce, 29, a two-tour Iraq veteran from the 82d Airborne Division who recently flew to Port-au-Prince from Fort Bragg, N.C.

Brian MacQuarrie can be reached at b_macquarrie@globe.com.

1. Operation Unified Response: Airmen from Hawaii provide relief for Haiti
2. Haiti recovery and relief effort supported by Global Hawk Surveillance and Reconnaissance
3. Missouri Guard sending two airmen to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

State and county leaders put their competing interests aside and agreed on a pact that protects Luke Air Force Base from encroachment and improves the chances of landing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The agreement signed last week by Gov. Jan Brewer and Attorney General Terry Goddard and adopted unanimously by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors largely prohibits new single-family development around the base, its auxiliary fields and other military installations. It ends years of legal wrangling by the state and county.

The deal strikes a balance between property rights and protecting the $2.1 billion economic engine that is Luke. It indemnifies the county against potential lawsuits from property owners. The state will fight the county’s legal battles.

“This is true consensus,” Goddard told an audience of Valley leaders on Thursday. “Let me repeat that because true consensus is hard to come by. This is true consensus.”

The agreement ensures Luke remains competitive as Air Force officials weigh where to land the F-35. Later this month, the Air Force will conduct a series of public-scoping meetings in the West Valley regarding the F-35 at Luke.

Brewer, Goddard and county supervisors sent a clear and well-timed message to Washington, D.C.

We stand ready for the F-35.

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Luke Air Force Base has been home to the “school house” of the Air Force since the 1940’s and has become the premier location for Air Force fighter pilot training in the nation. As the Air Force seeks a second training site for the F-35 or Joint Strike Fighter, Arizona should lead the competition due to a number of key decisions made by the state and local leadership, the vastness of the training environment and a number of variables that make Luke AFB unique among its competition.

Airspace

Arizona is unmatched in its availability of range space and military training routes. With a combination of military operations areas, restricted airspace, Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) and low-level training routes for accessing the entire network, Luke AFB is situated to take advantage of Arizona’s full complement of training environments. In particular, BMGR is a1.7-million-acre open training area that allows for the use of a full complement of the most technologically advanced weaponry in live-fire exercises.

Quality of Life

The Air Force prides itself on ensuring a high quality of life for its airmen and officers, whether on-base activities or in the surrounding communities. Luke AFB is in Glendale, which is located in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. Our metro area features first-class arts and culture, education, family activities, shopping, pro sports and entertainment venues all within a short drive of the base. Additionally, the availability and affordability of housing within the surrounding communities gives Luke AFB an added attractiveness for those service men and women looking to live off base in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Compatible Growth

Luke is and has been the Air Forces’ school house for decades and that mission has been secured through the actions of state and local leaders, who realized the importance of protecting and preserving the military mission at Luke. State statutes locked in protective development land-use requirements that, had development been left unchecked, might otherwise have allowed incompatible development to occur closer to the main fields and auxiliary fields on which Luke depends for its training mission.

These protections, in local zoning and state statute, have been held up around the nation as a model of how to protect a military installation from incompatible development and thus ensure the mission. What Arizona has done will ensure that the current mission of Luke AFB is unaffected and will go a long way towards securing a follow-on training mission, such as the    F-35.

Community Support

Support from the community, elected officials, and support groups — such as Fighter Country Partnership — has been overwhelming throughout the years. Luke AFB and the support it receives from the surrounding community is unwavering and will be beneficial during the environmental impact study (EIS) process for determining the second  training base for the F-35.  Luke is well positioned for that follow-on mission, and the future looks bright for Luke to continue its training mission far into the future.

———

Tom Browning is a retired brigadier general of the Air Force and former commander at Luke Air Force Base.

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The legal agreement to prevent residential encroachment around Luke Air Force Base and its auxiliary facilities represents a major victory for the citizens of Arizona.

The settlement is significant in several respects:

• It brings Maricopa County into compliance with state laws enacted to protect military airports from encroaching development. Those laws were passed to safeguard not only state military installations, but also the health and safety of residents living nearby.
• It improves Luke’s chances to be chosen as a training base for the next generation of Air Force jets, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. That decision stands to have a substantial impact on Arizona’s economy since the base contributes more than $2 billion a year to the State.
• It shows what can be accomplished when a commitment to serve the greater good prevails over political and policy differences. I commend the members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Gov. Jan Brewer for their roles in helping work out the final agreement.

The Luke controversy goes back to 2004 when the State Legislature and the Governor signed into law development requirements to ensure adequate buffer zones around the State’s military bases. All local governments in Maricopa County, with the exception of the county itself, complied with the law. The county continued to issue nearly 100 residential building permits in areas with high accident and noise potential surrounding Luke and its related facilities.

Two years ago, I issued a legal opinion affirming the Legislature’s intent to protect Arizona’s military bases and followed up with a letter to the Maricopa County Board asserting its legal obligation to protect Luke from residential encroachment. When the board indicated it would not comply, I filed a lawsuit asking the court to require the county to take the steps required by state law. The county countersued, asking the court to strike down the 2004 law.

One year ago, Maricopa County Superior Court ruled in our favor on nearly every point in our lawsuit, but the county remained unwilling to give up all aspects of its legal challenge.

The agreement reached this week resolves the lawsuit and should stop residential development near the base. A key to the settlement was the State’s willingness to partner with the county and be the first line of legal defense against any potential lawsuits filed by property owners who still want to build in the high-risk zones around Luke.

Air Force officials have left no doubt that encroachment could trip up Luke’s bid. In a recent letter, Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force Chief of Staff, wrote that continued development within the high noise and accident potential zones “is incompatible with military flight operations” and had “cast a bit of a shadow” on Luke’s otherwise excellent standing.

The criteria set for making the F-35 decision make the importance of this settlement clear. The Air Force created a 100-point system based on the following: weather and airspace (60 points), cost (5 points), capacity (25 points) and environment (10 points). In the latter category are two sub-categories, air quality (3 points) and encroachment (7 points). Resolving the encroachment dispute should enable Luke to gain most, if not all, of those 7 points and could give the base the highest score.

Ever since its opening in 1941, Luke has played a vital role in our nation’s security and our State’s economy. It has trained more than 55,000 pilots during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and more recently, the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, more than 95 percent of the Air Force’s F-16 pilots are trained at Luke, confirming its status as the country’s premier fighter pilot training base.

We don’t want that to change. The settlement reached this week should help maintain Luke’s prominent mission far into the future.

Terry Goddard is the attorney general of Arizona.

No related posts.

One Valley company is already benefiting from the Department of Defense’s plans to replace the military’s existing fleet of fighter jets with the new F-35 Lightning II.

Honeywell Aerospace (NYSE:HON), headquartered in Phoenix, provides critical technology for approximately 14 aircraft systems on the F-35, including the power and thermal management system. This first-ever integrated system combines auxiliary power, environmental controls, engine start and emergency power into a single system with significant weight savings for the aircraft.

A first for any aircraft, the integrated system was developed and produced at one of Honeywell’s Phoenix facilities.

The F-35 also employs more electric architecture developed by Honeywell. This advanced technology offers a dramatic contrast against conventional systems, including:

• Savings in aircraft weight of about 1,000 pounds
• Savings in aircraft length of about 10 inches
• Significantly increased reliability
• Savings in aircraft life cycle cost

In addition, Honeywell is providing a variety of other systems for the F-35, including the on-board inert gas generation system, wheels and brakes, radar altimeter, lighting, inertial navigation system/global positioning system, air data transducers and engine fan duct heat exchangers.
These systems are designed and built by Honeywell employees from more than 17 facilities including Clearwater, Fla., Minneapolis, Minn., Rocky Mount, N.C., South Bend, Ind., Torrance, Calif., Phoenix, Tempe and Tucson.
In addition to Honeywell’s work on the F-35, several small businesses in the Valley were recently awarded approximately $12 million in contracts. The businesses are located in Chandler, Mesa and Phoenix. Most of the work involves repatching cracked runaways and making electrical systems at the base more energy efficient.

Luke is expecting to award an additional $1.7 million in contracts to local businesses by the end of the year to complete three more projects.

The F-35, also known as the joint strike fighter, is designed to replace the military’s aging fighter inventories, including the Air Force A-10s and F-16s, the Navy’s F-18s and the Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F-18s.

The joint strike fighter program is the largest defense program in U.S. history.

1. West Valley cities near Luke make sacrifices to ensure freedom for all Americans
2. Luke’s Future Is Training F-35 Fighter Pilots
3. JEC Innovation Awards in the production of the F-35 stealth fighter

Hearing the stories associated with the military in Arizona, it’s easy to see why we are so eager to support the men and women at Luke Air Force Base.

Beyond what these brave soldiers do in protecting our nation each and every day, their contributions to our state cannot be overlooked. Their operations impact our everyday economic lives; this is the untold, and oftentimes overlooked, Arizona story.

As chairman of the House Military Affairs and Public Safety committee, I am honored to work on these issues and have gained an understanding of the real impacts military installations like Luke AFB have on our state.

The state of Arizona is now being presented with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring the military’s next generation fighter pilot training mission to Arizona – the F-35. It should be the job of every Arizonan to actively support the Luke Forward campaign to bring this joint strike fighter to our state.

Adding this training program to Arizona’s military installation in Glendale will help protect and grow Arizona’s economy, add high quality jobs and increase investments here.

Following World War II, defense industry production and manufacturing companies moved from the West and East coasts and found new homes inland. Arizona earned a lion’s share of those jobs and employers. Decades later, the aerospace and military-related industries in Arizona continue to be a critical platform of our state’s economic engine.

Consider the impact of 45,000 employees around the state. Their home and car purchases, their retail impact, their travel – and each of these multipliers generate state tax revenue to provide families with health care, education and other vital services.
Aerospace manufacturers and all of their supply chain partners add to this ripple effect on the economy.
This holistic viewpoint demonstrates the true value of military installations in Arizona. Beyond the military operations around the state, including civilian employees and the military contractors (such as aerospace manufacturers), there are countless businesses who benefit directly from these activities.

In 2008, the Arizona Department of Commerce commissioned The Maguire Company to study the overall impact of military operations in the state. The study found that:

·        45,000 full time employees work in military operations in Arizona

·        75,000+ military retirees live near our military bases in Arizona

·        $2.1 billion in annual payroll and retirement benefits are added to the Arizona economy
annually

·        $3.2 billion in direct economic output in Arizona

·        $9.1 billion in direct, indirect and induced impacts

The F-16 mission at Luke Air Force Base continues to train and deploy the nation’s best fighter pilots. Training the nation’s best fighter pilots is a long-standing mission at Luke, and it must continue.
All Arizonans have a direct call to action – our citizens and our elected leaders must fight for Arizona to earn the next fighter jet training mission. The F-35 training mission will secure the future of our state’s military operations and create a more robust economy that benefits every Arizonan.

There’s no tomorrow in this effort – Luke and Arizona need our support today.

——————

State Representative Jerry Weiers serves the voters of District 12 in the West Valley and is the chairman of the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee. He also is a licensed pilot and a member of the Civil Air Patrol.

No related posts.

1. City of Surprise Supports the F-35 and the Sound of Freedom from Luke Air Force Base
2. El Mirage Residents Support F-35, Future missions at Luke Air Force Base
3. Support Building for Statewide F-35 Luke Forward Campaign

Goodyear’s City Council has recognized for years the importance of protecting the base from encroachment.

In 1994, the Council adopted a new zoning policy that requires all new residential developers in the city to inform buyers that their property is subject to aircraft flyovers from Luke. But, this was just the beginning of several actions this southwest city has done to help protect Luke’s mission.

During the ‘90s as residential growth continued around Luke, it became increasingly apparent that the Southern Departure Corridor was essential to the future viability of Luke’s mission.

The increased pressure of residential developments north of the base prevented Luke from flying live ordinance off the north end of the runway. As a result, the Southern Departure Corridor became the only route F-16 fighter pilots headed to the Barry M. Goldwater Range could use to carry live ordnance.

This change of live ordnance flights to the south in 2001 caused major safety concerns for Luke and the city of Goodyear.

One such concern centered on Duncan Family Farms, which had become a very popular field-trip destination for many area schools since 1991. With the change in live ordnance flights, the farm was now located directly in Luke’s accident potential zone.

The city worked closely with the farm’s owners and several other nearby property owners to find alternative locations for them to relocate that were outside the accident potential zones. When no sites could be found that were acceptable to all parties, Goodyear became the first city to make a substantial financial commitment to protecting Luke’s interests by purchasing Duncan Family Farms.

Two years later, Goodyear took another major step in protecting the only remaining flight corridor for Luke’s fighter pilots.

In 2003, Goodyear Mayor Jim Cavanaugh and council members partnered with Arizona’s congressional delegation to request money in the federal government’s Military Appropriations Bill for land acquisition to preserve access to the Barry M. Goldwater Range.

On March 18, 2004, a press conference was held to announce that $27.3 million in federal money had been awarded to buy land around Luke to protect the base from residential encroachment.
“This was a great day for Luke Air Force Base and a great day for Goodyear,” said Cavanaugh. “More than 90 percent of the Southern Departure Corridor’s 4,000 acres are located in Goodyear, and this money made it possible for the government to compensate land owners in our city and protect Luke’s mission.”

With the federal appropriation, the threat of residential encroachment south of the base was well on the way to being controlled. But Goodyear officials felt one more bold steps were needed.

The final and arguably the most substantial protection effort was a rezoning decision the City Council made in 2005 relating to 200 acres of property within the noise contour lines.

Robson Properties had sought and received approval from Goodyear in 1998 to use this property for phase two of the Pebble Creek master-planned community.
However, after the noise contour lines were amended into the city’s General Plan in 2000, building residential units on this property was no longer an option. At the city’s request, Robson Properties agreed to move the planned residential units to property outside the noise contours. The developer also agreed to no longer build residential units within the adopted noise contour lines.

“Over the years, Goodyear has demonstrated its dedication and commitment to protecting Luke Air Force Base,” said Cavanaugh. “This not only applies to Luke’s current mission, but its future missions as well. Bold action was required then, and bold action is required now for us to secure the new F-35 training mission.”

As a result of the proactive actions and decisions that Goodyear has made over the last two decades, the city is now known as the “proud home of Luke’s Southern Departure Corridor.”

1. Major F-35 training mission criteria requirement met by Luke Air Force Base
2. City of Surprise Supports the F-35 and the Sound of Freedom from Luke Air Force Base
3. Luke Air Force Base anti-encroachment pact protects base for F-35 mission

The impression is that many El Mirage residents are opposed to Luke being considered for the follow-on mission of the F-35. Nothing could be further from the truth!

There are a great number of El Mirage residents who are not in lock step with those few city leaders who are leveraging the selection process to force payments from the federal government.

A great number of us, a number which is growing every day, are concerned that our leadership may jeopardize the follow-on mission by their antics and paint the entire city as opposed to Luke and the F-35.
Like many of our city leaders’ communications, El Mirage’s messages are mixed, particularly when matched with their actions.

Case in point: the city’s recent “Sustainability Forum,” which was presented as an opportunity for the community to hear about El Mirage development issues, was nothing more than a compare-and-contrast of what El Mirage could be were it not for development restrictions caused by Luke AFB.

The most worrisome part of the meeting was the fact they played a recording inside a concrete room of various aircraft acoustics with the clear intention of stoking the fears of its own citizens over the perceived noise issue.
El Mirage residents and the West Valley need serious discussion about the impacts of a new mission at Luke AFB. We don’t need a self-generated media storm by our elected officials attempting to leverage towards an ill-defined outcome. That is why we formed the citizen group, People Of El Mirage.

The People of El Mirage is a collection of El Mirage residents who will give voice to those within the city who support Luke AFB, who are open to having a follow-on mission of the F-35 and who want open discussion about the impacts of a new mission on our city — not fear mongering and pandering from those we elect to serve us.

We will have a website at www.PeopleOfElMirage.com in the coming weeks, which will help disseminate information and hold our elected officials accountable to the people they serve.
The People of El Mirage citizens group recently hosted a public meeting with representatives from Fighter Country Partnership, Luke AFB, and Dr. Jack Rutherford from Arizona State University to provide a factual basis from which residents could draw their own conclusions.

We had close to 300 people from El Mirage — people who wanted facts about the issues and process. We plan to hold more meetings in the coming months to ensure that the facts and process are clearly understood and not used in some alternative way to damage our city’s reputation any further than it already has been.

The upcoming public process is designed to gather information, relate it to the public and allow communities to assess the impact on their communities. Our intention is to ensure the facts are not skewed, that the process is open and that the real impacts on our city are known and understood.

The EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) process will be open to all residents and groups of impacted communities to show their support and gather/submit information.  We welcome the start of this process.

————————————————–

Ms. Lana Mooks is a resident of El Mirage

1. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base
2. Jim Cavanaugh – The future of Luke Air Force Base
3. Peoria mayor urges Luke Air Force Base support

Presentations have also been made to citizens groups in such communities as Surprise and Sun City West. In addition, Luke Forward representatives have staffed informational tables at events in Glendale and Goodyear.

“The feedback from business leaders and citizens has been extremely positive,” said Jerry McCoy, deputy director of marketing/communications for the city of Glendale, who is helping with the Luke Forward campaign. “We  had 300 people show up for a meeting in Surprise and another 250 people for a presentation in Sun City West. Everyone attending these meetings wants to know what they can do to help us in this effort.”

With the recent announcement that Luke is one of five bases nationwide being considered to receive the new F-35 mission, it is anticipated the Air Force will soon begin holding public “scoping” meetings in advance of its  Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process at Luke and the other candidate bases. Both the scoping meetings and the eventual EIS process will allow citizens and communities around the candidate bases to provide input during the formal assessment of each base. Based on the results of the EIS, the Air Force is expected to announce its F-35 preferred basing locations in late spring 2010 with the release of its draft EIS.
Once that process is completed, the Air Force will issue its “record of decision” and announce its fi nal basing decision. This announcement is anticipated to be made in early 2011.
The Luke Forward campaign was developed by the West Valley Partners and Fighter Country Partnership. The West Valley Partners include Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Gila Bend, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Maricopa County, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, Tolleson, Wickenburg and Youngtown.

For more information on Luke Forward or to schedule a business or community presentation, call 623-882-2191 or visit www.LukeForward.com.

1. Large Crowds in El Mirage Support New F-35 at Luke Air Force Base
2. Peoria Chamber gathers troops to support F-35 mission at Luke
3. LUKE AFB SELECTED AS PREFERRED LOCATION FOR F-35 PILOT TRAINING CENTER

Lt General John F. Regni, USAF (retired)

Alternative Missions for Luke AFB?  Not hardly…

This summer, my wife and I moved to the West Valley after 36 years of commissioned active duty service in the United States Air Force.  I have been following with great interest the deliberate planning process for determining the F-35 Lightning II aircraft base assignment; in particular the issues arising from and by the elected officials and citizens of El Mirage.  While it is both impressive and heartwarming to see the large number of people with genuine and unwavering support for the men and women in uniform–and for continuing the vital training missions of Luke AFB–it has also been rather interesting listening to the public discussion on jet noise.  Now, the latest notion being put forward is rather than have F-35s at Luke, the community should enter a dialogue with the Air Force on altering the mission of Luke AFB to ones that do not have jet noise.  Let me outline why that would be a bankrupt strategy and puts at risk the $2.17 billion of economic impact to the Valley of the Sun and to Arizona.

First on jet noise. There seems to be a significant amount of confusion and misinformation being bandied about at El Mirage town meetings.  For example, a group concerned about jet noise visited Eglin AFB in Florida and obtained a recording of aircraft landing at the end of Eglin’s runway and only 100 feet above ground.  They later played those tapes to the citizens of El Mirage at a town meeting with speakers on full blast—of course, it was ear-splitting.  Next they insinuated that is what    F-35s will sound like over El Mirage. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, you would hear that level of sound if you stood on Northern Avenue at the end of the Luke runway directly underneath jets less than 100 feet overhead.  But El Mirage is 4-and-one-half miles from the end of Luke’s runway, and the pattern for flight overhead is not 100 feet but 1,500 feet above ground level.   In the upcoming months as part of this deliberate process on F-35 basing, there will be a public release of the actual noise level and contour maps for the surrounding communities.  I urge people to wait for the science and the facts; then have productive discussions on the similarities, differences and impacts of moving from F-16s to the F-35.

As to altering the mission of Luke AFB—an established fighter training base continuously since World War II—let me outline a macro view of the United States Air Force and its specific mission areas, and offer my opinion on which alternative missions might instead come to Luke.  The short answer is I see none.  It is F-35 or little else.  Let me explain.

Our United States Air Force provides to our sovereign nation military effects and power across three domains:  air, space and cyber.  Cyber is the Air Force’s newest mission and it entails defensive and offensive measures to protect vital computer networks, communication systems and links so the military would never be blinded by potential enemies and adversaries.   Space missions include the Global Positioning Systems (for example, your navigators in your car, golf cart or cell phones use the constellation of Air Force GPS satellites to determine your location and route), early warning, weather, and reconnaissance satellites, and more.   Air missions include air dominance and air superiority, global reach, global power including close air support to soldiers on the ground, ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and more.  The Air Force has six distinctive capabilities it brings to the joint service fight: Air and Space Superiority, Global Attack, Rapid Global Mobility, Precision Engagement, Information Superiority and Agile Combat Support.

Today, Luke AFB (including its Goldwater Range, Gila Bend and Auxiliary 1 fields) trains fighter pilots and maintenance personnel, and does so from the largest fighter wing in the USAF.  Luke AFB directly supports the capabilities of Global Attack, Precision Engagement and Agile Combat Support and to some degree Air Superiority.

How would Luke fit for other active duty mission areas and capabilities?

- Cyber missions are headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with Cyber Wings at Lackland AFB in Texas and Robins AFB in Georgia.  While the 56^th Communications Squadron at Luke does have the responsibility of implementing directed measures to ensure local computer systems are protected, the headquarters, planning, policy, programming and budgeting of Cyber will come from the Pentagon and San Antonio.  I envision no global Cyber missions for Luke.

- Space Command is headquartered at Peterson AFB in Colorado.  Satellites are controlled from Schriever AFB in Colorado.  On each coast, we have space launch bases—Patrick AFB (Cape Canaveral) in Florida and Vandenberg AFB in California.  Los Angeles AF Station manages a majority of the space acquisition programs.  I see no Space missions for Luke.

- Nuclear missions are in the Global Strike Command with its headquarters at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana.  Nuclear capable bombers are at Barksdale, Minot AFB in North Dakota and Whiteman AFB in Missouri.  Global Strike Command also controls the inter-continental ballistic missile forces with missile silos at Malmstrom AFB in Montana, FE Warren AFB in Wyoming and Minot AFB in ND.  I envision no nuclear assets at Luke AFB.

- Air Mobility Command provides the strategic and tactical airlift with C-17s, C-5s and C-130 aircraft and the tanker refueling force of KC-135s and KC-10s.  While headquartered at Scott AFB in Illinois (adjacent to and part of the US Transportation Command, also at Scott AFB), its bases are logically on the coasts.   Eastern ports of embarkation are Dover AFB in Delaware, Charleston AFB in South Carolina and McGuire AFB in New Jersey.  Western ports and bases include Travis AFB in California, McChord AFB in Washington, Elmendorf AFB in Alaska and Hickam AFB in Hawaii.   Air Mobility Command also maintains an Enroute Structure of bases across the Atlantic, Pacific oceans and into the warzone.  C-130s for tactical intra-theater airlift are often co-located next to Army bases like Pope AFB next to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, as well as in the European and Pacific theaters.  I see no mobility missions for Luke.

- ISR—Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance—involve an array of manned aircraft systems and remotely piloted aircraft (RPA).  Robins AFB in Georgia is home to the JSTARS system, Tinker AFB in Oklahoma (as well as Elmendorf Alaska and NATO Geilenkirchen in Germany) is home to the AWACS system.  Beale AFB in California houses the U-2 system and the Global Hawk RPA while Predator and Reaper RPA are operated from Creech AFB in Nevada, and soon from Cannon AFB and Holloman AFB in New Mexico.  I see no ISR mission for Luke.

- The Air Force’s elite special operations are based at Hurlburt Field in Florida and also at Moody AFB in Georgia and Kirtland AFB in New Mexico.  I see no special ops work for Luke.

- Pushing the envelope with flight test is Edwards AFB across great expanses of flat desert and dry lake beds in California.  I see no opportunities for the Flight Test Center at Luke AFB.

- In Air Superiority, think F-22.  Training for those fighter pilots is at Tyndall AFB in Florida and the operational bases have already been determined at Langley AFB in Virginia, Holloman AFB in New Mexico, Elmendorf AFB in Alaska and Hickam AFB in Hawaii.  The Air Force will only have 186 F-22s and they are all spoken for.  None will come to Luke.

- Precision engagement missions are accomplished with F-16s, F-15Es and A-10s.  Luke, Seymour-Johnson AFB in North Carolina and Davis-Monthan AFB  in Tucson are the respective fighter training bases for those systems. Active duty A-10 bases include Davis-Monthan, Moody AFB in Georgia, Eielson AFB in Alaska, Osan Air Base in Korea, and Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.    Active duty F-15E are based at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho, Elemendorf AFB in Alaska and RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.  Active duty operational F-16 wings are well established at Shaw AFB in South Carolina, Hill AFB in Utah, Aviano Air Base in Italy, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, Osan and Kunsan Air Bases in Korea, and Misawa Air Base in Japan.  The Air Force has already determined the F-16 and A-10 replacement—the F-35—will have operational wings at bases other than Luke.  Eglin AFB in Florida is already designated as a joint training base for the F-35, and Eglin’s proximity facilitates Navy needs.  Luke remains in competition for the second training base.  That flying training mission is the only one penciled in as a possibility for Luke.  Other active bases being considered are Eglin AFB in Florida and Holloman AFB in New Mexico.

The bottom line is Luke’s future is training fighter pilots in the F-35. F-35s at Luke would continue its historical mission, continue the best military-community partnership I have seen across the USA, and from an economic standpoint, continue to provide the $2.17 billion foundation to the West Valley, broader Phoenix and Arizona’s economy—especially important as we work through these toughest of economic times.  The remaining multi-missions of the United States Air Force are well-established at bases and communities and performing superbly.  It would be fiscally irresponsible to relocate well-established infrastructure elsewhere for other than mission-essential reasons.  It would also ask Peter to pay Paul by uprooting missions from other USA communities.  Notions by some to go down those paths of changing the mission of Luke AFB are unrealistic and put much at risk.

Let me close by mentioning several key initiatives involving community leaders and the public, and provide an opportunity to voice support for Luke AFB and the F-35 mission.  The Governor, both US Senators, every US Congressman from Arizona, 14 mayors from the Valley’s cities and many more have publicly stated their strong support for the F-35 and for its basing at Luke.  If you want to also be heard, I suggest you go to LukeForward.com and register.  It is free.  Today, 11,334 people have registered at that site as supporters of Luke and the F-35.  While that is a sizeable number, now is not the time for “The Silent Majority” to be silent—support statistics will be presented to the Air Force team that will visit the Valley over the coming months to evaluate all the factors, including community support.

Another organization and website I call your attention to is Fighter Country Partnership at FighterCountry.org.  They have been a viable organization for more than a decade, and organization dedicated to the men, women, families and mission of the United States Air Force in Arizona.  Fighter Country partnership has been at the leading edge with mayors and business leaders to ensure a living partnership, including bedding down the F-35.  If you agree that Luke is an important element of the Valley of the Sun, please take a look and be involved—now!

By Lt General John F. Regni, USAF (retired)

1. Major F-35 training mission criteria requirement met by Luke Air Force Base
2. Jim Cavanaugh – The future of Luke Air Force Base
3. F-35 To Dominate Future Fighter Market

Jim Click Jr. Special To The Arizona Daily Star

When the United States Air Force announced last October that Tucson International Airport was one of the top five locations under consideration for F-35 Lightning II training, it came as excellent news for our community.

The Air Force initially selected our great city for all it has to offer. In addition to year-round flying weather and Arizona’s plentiful training ranges, Tucson residents are proud Americans who wish to continue their support for our troops, who deserve the best tools and equipment to carry out their important work defending our way of life.

In other parts of the state, communities surrounding Luke Air Force Base and the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma are rallying in support of F-35 joint strike fighter missions. The Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing, currently flying F-16 Fighting Falcons out of the airport, is under consideration for F-35 training independent from, and not in competition with, Luke and Yuma. We must join our neighbors to the north in a collective show of support for the F-35 in Arizona before the Air Force makes its final decision in early 2011.

In these difficult economic times we should secure the future of one of our city’s largest income-generators by letting decision makers know that we welcome the F-35 with open arms. Your voice will give our city the backing it needs as we move to secure a prosperous future for Tucson and our nation’s defense.

As a member of the 162nd Fighter Wing Minuteman Committee, I invite you to join our public support campaign for the F-35. It’s called Tucson Lightning and you can soon learn all about it at TucsonF35.com online. From this new site you can learn about the benefits the F-35 would bring to our city. You can also register your support on the site and be counted as someone who supports the city and our military.

The F-16s at Tucson International Airport won’t last forever. As they age they are quickly being retired from the inventory. The F-35 will enable Tucson to continue its critical role in our nation’s defense long after 2025, which is when the Air Force projects it will finally retire its F-16 fleet.

Collectively, Arizona’s military facilities contribute $9.1 billion annually to the state economy. The 162nd Fighter Wing alone brings $280 million annually to the local economy and employs about 1,450 Tucsonans – more local workers than are employed by Home Depot stores, U.S. Customs and Border Protection or American Airlines.

The new mission will keep those jobs and defense dollars here for decades to come, flowing directly to the continued purchase of goods and services from private-sector companies throughout Tucson.

As an immediate benefit, Tucson’s construction industry would receive a much-needed boost through an initial investment from the federal government of up to $150 million in construction-related projects at the airport.

Through an environmental-impact study, the Air Force will carefully examine all environmental issues related to the F-35 and will work to minimize or eliminate possible impacts of the F-35 on our community. During this process you will hear about upcoming public meetings and I encourage you to offer your support.

In the meantime, consider that the Arizona Air National Guard has safely flown six different single-seat, single-engine fighters from Tucson International Airport since 1956 with little to no impact on residents. This is a source of pride for the Guard and it’s a tradition that it is prepared to continue.

E-mail Jim Click Jr. at jimclick@jimclick.com

1. Marana Town Council announces its support for F-35 training in Tucson
2. Public F-35 Meetings in Tucson
3. Aerospace & Arizona Days 2010 at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson