Posted on July 29, 2010 by Fighter Country
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Arizona’s local and state government officials, as well as the Arizona congressional delegation, are delighted with today’s decision that the Air Force has selected Luke Air Force Base as the preferred location for the new F-35 Pilot Training Center. With today’s decision by the Air Force, Luke is poised to transition from its current F-16 training mission to become the Air Force’s F-35 “school house,” subject to completion of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that is currently underway. “Today’s announcement is great news for our region and our state and represents a major milestone and the…
Posted on July 27, 2010 by Fighter Country
Mayor Barrett and the City of Surprise donates $25,000 to Fighter Country Partnership. FCP CEO & Executive Director Steven Yamamori thanks the City of Surprise for supporting the men, women, families and mission of Luke Air Force Base through their generous contribution!
Posted on July 7, 2010 by Fighter Country
Lockheed Martin has developed the most advanced painting facility in the world. It was created for one single purpose: To make the F-35 Lighting II almost invisible to radar. The facility uses a low observable painting process using laser guides to apply radar absorbent composites to joint strike fighter. The robotic laser guides and paint guns use an infra-red grid to triangulate their position in relation to the aircraft. Original post inspiration credit Gizmodo. Video courtesy of Lockheed Martin.
Posted on July 2, 2010 by Fighter Country
The F-35 — cleared for takeoff By Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) – 06/30/10 07:59 PM ET The F-35 joint strike fighter program has changed significantly during the past year. The Pentagon restructured the program, installed new leadership to oversee it and conducted a thorough review of the entire project. One thing hasn’t changed: America needs the F-35. The Defense Department reaffirmed that fact in a recent report to Congress after taking a hard look at the next-generation fighter. The reassessment concluded the F-35 is vital to national defense and “remains the backbone of the (aviation) inventory.” The F-35 Lightning II…
Posted on June 23, 2010 by Fighter Country
The Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, commonly known as the Thunderbirds, have announced incoming officer selections for the 2011 demonstration season. “Each person and position is carefully selected based on the individual’s record of performance, capabilities in their particular field and a demonstrated commitment to excellence that matches the Airmen we represent every day,” said Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, the squadron commander/leader and Thunderbird No. 1, in an Air Force news release. Pilots selected for the team who currently fly a different airframe will undergo several months of F-16 familiarization training before they begin practicing the aerial demonstrations with the…
Posted on June 19, 2010 by Fighter Country
Posted on June 1, 2010 by Fighter Country
by Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs 5/28/2010 – LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. — Enlisted service members with promotion testing in their near future can take advantage of a free and convenient flashcard study tool recently developed by one of Luke Air Force Base’s own. First Lt. Brian Reese, 56th Mission Support Group Commander’s Action Group chief, is the co-founder of TestSoup, a Web site and mobile application devoted to helping individuals prepare for standardized tests. Although the Web site charges a small fee for civilians ($9.95 for GMAT, GRE, or ACCUPLACER flashcards), Lieutenant Reese…
Posted on May 20, 2010 by Fighter Country
5/18/2010 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. – The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base will soon begin looking for a new wing weapons officer. Maj. Josh Wood, current 56th FW Weapons officer, will soon be departing Luke AFB and no longer fly F-16s, but the next generation aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. With Air Force bases across the globe submitting recommendations, Major Wood is one of five pilots selected out of approximately 150 candidates to fly the F-35. “First off, I’m extremely humbled and it means the world to me,” said Major Wood. “I can’t describe what an unbelievable opportunity this is.”…
Posted on May 19, 2010 by Fighter Country
If you missed Wednesday April 21, 2010′s NewsHour on PBS, watch Kwame Holman’s report on the controversial fighter below in five chapters. The Pentagon’s forthcoming warplane, the Joint Strike Fighter, is intended for use across the different branches of the military but has come under fire in Congress for skyrocketing costs and delays. Skeptics and defenders of the aircraft, which will be called the F-35, express their views in the following extended interviews. Author and journalist Bill Sweetman says for the first time the re-equipment plans of the U.S. fighter force is reliant on one program and one manufacturer: Chapter…
