page_title: 63rd Fighter Squadron
section_title: Fighter training
hierarchical_section_title: 63rd Fighter Squadron / History / Fighter training
caption_attribution_description: English: The tailhook of a 63rd Fighter Squadron F-16 scrapes along the runway before grabbing hold of the arresting barrier Dec 20. The barrier engagement is an annual requirement airfield managers must arrange and perform to ensure the systems are operational. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Raheem Moore)
context_page_description: The 63d Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-35A aircraft, conducting advanced fighter training since its reactivation in 2016.
context_section_description: The squadron was reactivated 30 June 1975 as the 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.  Its mission was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the McDonnell F-4E Phantom II.  It changed equipment to the F-4D in 1978, sending the "E" models to operational squadrons.  General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcons started to arrive for the 63d in 1980 and was active with the F-16A and F-16B by 1981. Squadron aircraft carried the "MC" tail code, with a red tail stripe outlined in white.  On 1 October 1981, the squadron was re-designated the 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron even though it had trained crew when it flew the Phantom II.  Starting in 1988, the 63d converted to the F-16C/D block 30.
  On 1 November 1991, the host 56th Tactical Training Wing at MacDill implemented the Objective Wing organization plan, and the subsequent redesignation of units led to the 63d becoming simply the 63d Fighter Squadron, and being assigned to the 56th Operations Group.  The end of the Cold War led to the BRAC commissions, and the downsizing of the Air Force to a smaller organization.  As a result, it was decided first to close MacDill, although under political pressure later it was realigned to a new mission.
  Like its two sister squadrons, the 61st and 62d Fighter Squadrons, the 63d Fighter Squadron moved to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, but instead of getting F-16 Block 25s the squadron took over Block 42 F-16Cs. The 63d moved to Luke AFB on 25 February 1993. The move was one of the starts to the process of making Luke the main F-16 Replacement Training Unit location.
  On 14 January 2008, the 63d started a course that caught a few aviation headlines. They began training pilots selected to fly the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, pilots who have never flown a fighter before. Up to this point F-22 pilots were hand-picked from the existing fighter community.  Once the training in the F-16 was completed, the student pilots were reassigned to the 43d Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida where they spent the next two years training with the F-22.
  In February 2008, it was announced that the 63d was to be inactivated as a result of BRAC 2005 that Luke give up twenty-five block 25 F-16s. Although the 63d flew the Block 42 it transferred its F-16s to the 61st Fighter Squadron, which did operate the block 25.  The 61st, due to its seniority and historical heritage, would remain active.
  On 4 April 2009, the 63d graduated its last class of F-16 pilots at which time it continued the process to inactivate. Officially the squadron stood down on 22 May 2009 after 68 years of service.
  The squadron was reactivated on 1 August 2016 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Vedder to train Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II pilots as part of a joint effort between Turkey and the United States.
caption: 63d FS F-16D Block 42H Fighting Falcon 90-0783
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