Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The first Royal Australian air force F-35A Lightning II jet arrived Dec. 18, 2014, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The jet's arrival marks the first international partner F-35 to arrive for training at Luke AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Staci Miller)The first Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II jet arrived at Luke Air Force Base
                        
                        
                        The first Royal Australian air force F-35A Lightning II jet arrived Dec. 18, 2014, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The jet's arrival marks the first international partner F-35 to arrive for training at Luke AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Staci Miller)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Australian F-35 lands at new homePublished Dec. 22, 2014
                    
                    By 2nd Lt. Tanya Wren
                    
                    
                    56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) --**The first Royal Australian air force F-35A Lightning II arrived at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona Dec. 18, marking the first international partner to arrive for training.
"Today, we take another tremendous step forward in our transition to the F-35 here at Luke," said Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the commander of the 56th Fighter Wing. "Australia is the first of 10 nations that will not only become part of the Luke community, but will share in calling the West Valley a home away from home."
Some of the other nations that will be joining the U.S. and Australia in the training program here will be Turkey, Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands; in addition to Japan, Korea and Israel -- the foreign military sales countries.
"Welcoming our first Australian F-35 is a special day for Luke and the community that has been so supportive of us," Pleus said.
"The Royal Australian air force is delighted to be the first foreign partner nation with F-35A aircraft arriving at Luke Air Force Base," said Air Commodore Gary Martin, an air attaché. "This is an important milestone for Australia and we are looking forward to the commencement of our fifth-generation pilot training here at Luke in 2015."
Luke will be the central training hub for international F-35A training. In the near future, international and U.S. students will be teamed together learning how to effectively employ the fifth-generation strike fighter.
"Luke's mission has been to train the world's greatest fighter pilots," Pleus said. "We will continue on that legacy as we train the world's best F-35A pilots."
The teamwork on the F-35 isn't the first time Luke AFB has worked with international partners on an airframe. Luke's Airmen currently train on base alongside pilots and maintainers from Singapore and Taiwan on the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Teaming up on the F-35 is another opportunity for Luke Airmen and pilots, and maintainers from other nations to learn from one another.
"The collaborative training we'll be doing here on aircraft designed with stealth, maneuverability and integrated avionics will better prepare our combined forces to assume multi-role missions for the future of strike aviation," Pleus said. "From the bed-down of the F-35 and its infrastructure to the execution of training, our partner-nations have been an important piece of Luke's F-35 team. The relationships we're building now will be invaluable when we deploy together around the world protecting our respective countries."
Australia's training will be conducted in conjunction with the 61st Fighter Squadron. The 62nd Fighter Squadron is expected to stand-up in June, to be joined by partner nations Italy and Norway. Flight operations for the 62nd FS are scheduled to begin in September 2015.Luke Air Force Base 



Arizona 



Joint Strike Fighter 



Australian Air Force 



F-35 Lightning II

Related Links
        F-35A Lightning II
                                April 11, 2014
                                The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. The F-35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations. Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil