Luke Air Force Base Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles ( 11 km ) west of the central business district of Glendale , in Maricopa County , Arizona , United States . It is also about west of Phoenix , Arizona . Luke AFB is a major training base of the Air Education and Training Command ( AETC ) , training pilots in the F - 16 Fighting Falcon . On 31 March 2011 it was announced that the F - 35 Lightning II would replace the F - 16 as the primary training aircraft at Luke , although the date of deployment of the new aircraft to Luke and reorganization plans were not announced . On 16 July 2013 , the Air Force announced that Luke AFB would will house a total of 144 F - 35A Lightning IIs . It is a designated Superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminants . Overview . Luke Air Force Base is an active - duty F - 16 Fighting Falcon training base with 170 F - 16s assigned . The host command at Luke is the 56th Fighter Wing ( 56 FW ) , under Air Education and Training Command ' s 19th Air Force . The 56th FW is composed of four groups , 27 squadrons , including six training squadrons . There are several tenant units on base , including the 944th Fighter Wing , assigned to 10th Air Force and the Air Force Reserve . The 56th Fighter Wing also trains more than 700 maintenance technicians each year . The base population includes about 7 , 500 military members and 15 , 000 family members . With about 80 , 000 retired military members living in greater Phoenix , the base services a total population of more than 100 , 000 people . An integral part of Luke ' s F - 16 fighter pilot training mission is the Barry M . Goldwater Air Force Range . The range consists of of relatively undisturbed Sonoran Desert southwest of Luke Air Force Base between Yuma and Tucson south of Interstate 8 . Overhead are of airspace where pilots practice air - to - air maneuvers and engage simulated battlefield targets on the ground . Roughly the size of Connecticut , the immense size of the complex allows for simultaneous training activities on nine air - to - ground and two air - to - air ranges . The Luke Air Force Base Range Management Office manages the eastern range activities and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma oversees operations on the western portion . In addition to flying and maintaining the F - 16 , Luke Airmen also deploy to support on - going operations in Iraq , Afghanistan and to combatant commanders in other locations around the world . In 2004 , more than 900 Luke Airmen deployed , with most supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom . Since June 2012 , Luke AFB has been the permanent home of Naval Operational Support Center ( NOSC ) Phoenix of the US Navy . A NOSC is a facility used to provide operational support for training and administrative services to Navy Reserve Units . NOSC Phoenix supports over 750 Navy Reservists in sixteen Navy Reserve units . The new 32 , 055 square foot , one - story facility is located on a 1 . 85 acre site at Luke AFB with sufficient parking and a secured perimeter to meet current anti - terrorism and force protection standards . NOSC Phoenix serves a full - time command and administrative staff , a medical unit , and reservists during drill weekends . It also has a 4 , 800 square foot drill hall , command staff offices , reserve unit administration spaces , medical and dental examination areas , six classrooms , a distance learning center , a physical fitness room , and a quarterdeck . The $ 11 . 2 million facility is the first LEED Platinum certified building of the US Navy Reserve Force . Units . The host unit , the 56th Fighter Wing , is tasked to train F - 16 fighter pilots and maintainers , while deploying mission ready warfighters . The wing graduates more than 400 F - 16 pilots and 470 crew chiefs annually . Groups : Tenant Units : Autonomous Units : History . Frank Luke , Jr . . Luke Air Force Base was named after Second Lieutenant Frank Luke ( 1897 – 1918 ) . Lt Luke is a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient and the number two United States ace in World War I . Born in Phoenix in 1897 , the " Arizona Balloon Buster " scored 18 aerial victories during World War I ( 14 of these German observation balloons ) in the skies over France . Lieutenant Luke was shot down at Murvaux between Verdun and Stenay , France , on 29 Sep 1918 , after he had destroyed three enemy balloons . Surviving the crash of his Spad , Lieutenant Luke drew two pistols and fired on German soldiers , killing several of them before he was killed . Luke Field , Oahu , Hawaii Territory ( now the Naval Air Station Ford Island ) was previously named in his honor . Origins . In 1940 , the U . S . Army sent a representative to Arizona to choose a site for an Army Air Corps training field for advanced training in conventional fighter aircraft . The city of Phoenix bought of land which they leased to the government at $ 1 a year effective 24 March 1941 . On 29 March 1941 , the Del . E . Webb Construction Co . began excavation for the first building at what was known then as Litchfield Park Air Base . Another base known as Luke Field , in Pearl Harbor , Hawaii , released its name so the Arizona base could be called Luke Field . Advanced flight training in the AT - 6 began at Luke in June that same year . The first class of 45 students , Class 41 F , arrived 6 June 1941 to begin advanced flight training in the AT - 6 , although a few essential buildings had been completed . Flying out of Sky Harbor Airport until the Luke runways were ready , pilots received 10 weeks of instruction and the first class graduated 15 August 1941 . Then - Captain Barry Goldwater served as director of ground training the following year . World War II . During World War II , Luke Field was the largest fighter training base in the Army Air Forces , graduating more than 12 , 000 fighter pilots from advanced and operational courses earning the nickname , “ Home of the Fighter Pilot . ” The base was under the control of the 37th Flying Training Wing ( Advanced Single - Engine ) , Western Flying Training Command , AAF Flying Training Command . During the years of World War II , more than 17 , 000 pilots trained at Luke Field , making it the largest single engine advanced flying training school in the U . S . More than a million hours of flying were logged , primarily in the AT - 6 Texan , along with some transitioning to P - 40 Warhawk fighters and later the P - 51 Mustang and P - 47 Thunderbolt . Although continually modified during the war years , the course of advanced flight training at Luke averaged about 10 weeks and included both flight training and ground school . Approximately 60 hours of flying instruction covered formation flying , navigation , and instrument flying , as well as a bit of aerial acrobatics . About 20 additional hours of flight practice concentrated on aerial and gunnery training . Ground school , or classroom training for the advanced flying course , varied from about 100 to 130 hours and was intermingled with flight time in the aircraft . Cadets flew in the morning and attended ground school in the afternoons , or flew training missions in the afternoon after a morning of ground school . At the peak of the training program at Luke , some students were required to attend night classes . Ground school included instruction in navigation , flight planning , radio equipment , maintenance , and weather . By 7 February 1944 , pilots at Luke had achieved a million hours of flying time . A World War II film " A Guy Named Joe " included some footage filmed at Luke . By 1946 , however , the number of pilots trained dropped to 299 and the base was deactivated 30 November that year . United States Air Force . Air Training Command . Soon after combat developed in Korea , Luke field was reactivated on 1 February 1951 as Luke Air Force Base , part of the Air Training Command ( ATC ) under the reorganized United States Air Force . A steady pipeline of trained bomber - escort pilots was needed by Strategic Air Command , and the mission of Luke AFB was to augment the jet fighter combat crew training in operation at Nellis AFB . The school at Luke was designated by ATC as the USAF Air Crew School ( Fighter Bomber / Escort ) . The program was to be conducted by the Federalized Michigan Air National Guard 127th Fighter Group , which had transferred from Continental Air Command to ATC , effective 10 February . The wing moved from Romulus Airport , Michigan , to Luke on 23 February , and on 1 March ATC established the USAF Air Crew School ( Fighter - Bomber / Escort ) at Luke . Fighter - bomber training began on 1 March 1951 in the F - 51 Mustang , being replaced by early - model F - 84C Thunderjet s . Effective 5 March , the 127th was redesignated as the 127th Pilot Training Wing . On 1 November 1952 , the active - duty 3600th Flying Training Wing ( Fighter ) replaced the Air National Guardsmen . ATC flying training squadrons at Luke included : The 3600th FTW became the dedicated training organization for both USAF and NATO pilots in the F - 84 . The F - 84D began having electrical problems with the hot , dry Arizona air which dried out the aircraft ' s electrical insulation . They were replaced by F - 84E , and shortly afterwards to the F - 84G which was then in use by SAC . In October 1954 , ATC re - designated the 3600th as a " Combat Crew Training Wing " to describe its mission better . In January 1954 , the swept - wing F - 84F Thunderflash began to arrive , and three additional dedicated squadrons were activated : F - 84F ' s replaced the straight - winged earlier models in the original four squadrons by the end of 1956 , giving the wing seven squadrons of twenty - one aircraft each , or about 150 aircraft . Thirty more were received in 1957 as some of the older production blocks were transferred to Air National Guard units or to reclamation at Davis - Monthan AFB . For several years , the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Sandia Base , New Mexico , had provided all atomic , biological , and chemical ( ABC ) warfare training for the Air Force . Beginning in October 1954 , ATC added ABC instruction to its fighter pilot programs at Luke and Nellis . In addition , ATC established six general ABC courses to train aircrews already in the field , using mobile training teams . Formation of the USAF Thunderbirds . On 25 May 1953 the 3600th Air Demonstration Team was officially organized and established at Luke , still officially carrying this designation , now known as the United States Air Force Thunderbirds . At Luke , the squadron initially operated F - 84G Thunderjets , as the aircraft had to be able to show how good training made a typical aircraft easy to handle . The aircraft had to be stable for maneuvers in formation , reliable enough to meet show schedules , rugged for the demonstration team . In addition , the F - 84G was the first fighter in the Air Force with mid - air refueling capability . To convert the aircraft from combat to demonstration , technicians removed the guns and plugged the gun ports . In 1955 , the Air Force selected the swept - wing F - 84F Thunderstreak as their second aircraft . The Thunderstreak was modified for the team by adding smoke tanks for the first time , and red , white , and blue drag chutes . In addition , the extreme heat from the lead aircraft , , required moving the slot ' s radio antenna from the jet ' s fin . For the first time , a solo was added to the diamond displays , increasing the show time to 19 minutes . The unit was reassigned to Nellis AFB , Nevada on 23 June 1956 . Tactical Air Command . F - 100 Super Sabre era By the end of 1957 , ATC basing structure had changed considerably as the result of tactical commitments , decreased student load , and fund shortages . During 1958 ATC discontinued its Flying Training and Technical Training Air Force . As a result , Luke AFB was transferred to Tactical Air Command . This reassignment came about as the result of a USAF - directed study of the feasibility of putting combat crew training under the appropriate zone of interior operational commands . With the transfer to TAC , the ATC 3600th FTW was re - designated as the 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing , and flying training at Luke was changed to the F - 100 Super Sabre . F - 100 training squadrons were : During the 1960s , thousands of American fighter pilots left Luke to carve their niche in the annals of Air Force history in the skies over Vietnam in the F - 100 . In July 1968 , the first " LA " tail codes were placed on the tails of Luke - based aircraft . 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing . F - 4 Phantom II era The 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing replaced the provisional 4510th CCTW on 15 October 1969 . Although Luke remained under the jurisdiction of Tactical Air Command , the HQ USAF - controlled ( AFCON ) 58th TFTW gave the wing at Luke a permanent lineage and history that the TAC provisional wing could not carry . The provisional squadrons of the 4510th were re - designated as follows : Upon activation of the 310th TFTS , the squadron began receiving new A - 7D Corsair II ground attack aircraft from Ling - Temco - Vought , with a mission to train USAF pilots in the new aircraft . Its F - 100s were reassigned to other squadrons which flew the F - 100s of the 4510th CCTS . The 310th TFTS sent its A - 7Ds to the 333d TFS at D - M in July 1971 , and became an F - 4C RTU . The 425th TFTS was assigned to the 58th as a Geographically Separated Unit in 1969 , assigned to Williams AFB . The squadron was established in December 1963 as the 4441st CCTS , with a mission to train South Vietnamese Air Force pilots on the Northrup F - 5A Freedom Fighter . The F - 5 training continued at Williams after the end of the Vietnam War , becoming a squadron to train Military Assistance Program ( MAP ) pilots from over 20 nations on the F - 5 . It was discontinued in 1989 and the 425th was inactivated . In the summer of 1971 , the 58th TFTW received F - 4C Phantom II s , and the wing assumed the F - 4 pilot training role that was formerly done by the 4453d CCTW at Davis - Monthan AFB , when D - M was converted to an operational A - 7D base by the arrival of the 355th TFW from Takhli RTAFB , Thailand . F - 15 Eagle era In November 1974 , the Air Force ’ s newest air superiority fighter , the F - 15 Eagle , came to Luke . To accommodate the F - 15 , the 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron was activated . The early F - 15A ' s , however , were quite troublesome , with engine problems limiting their effectiveness and also their availability . It was not until June 1976 that a second F - 15 training squadron was established , with the 4461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron sanding up on 23 June . The assets of the 4461st TFTS were re - designated as : 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron : 1 July 1977 . The 550th TFTS traded in its F - 4s in August 1977 becoming the third F - 15 training squadron . The F - 15As , which remained troublesome throughout the 1970s , were replaced in 1982 with the updated F - 15D . On 25 August 1979 , the 405th Tactical Training Wing was activated at Luke AFB , Arizona by Tactical Air Command to consolidate the F - 15 Eagle Replacement Training Unit ( RTU ) operations . It took over the 425th , 461st 550th and 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons The 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron converted from F - 4 Phantom II to F - 15 training in January 1981 specifically to support the TAC Air Defense Command ( ADTAC ) training mission inherited from the inactivated Aerospace Defense Command which was merged into TAC . On 19 November 1990 , the 555th TFTS changed its course from air superiority combat training with the Eagle to air defense interceptor training with the F - 15C / D when TAC began assigning F - 15s to interceptor duty , the 426th being inactivated . The 461st TFTS received first F - 15E Strike Eagle , July 1988 , and the 550th TFTS became the second F - 15E Strike Eagle training squadron in March 1989 . On 1 October 1991 , due to the implementation of the Objective Wing at Luke and the " One base , one wing " policy , the 405th TTW was shut down and the F - 15s were reassigned back to the 58th TTW . In 1993 , 1st Lt Jeannie M . Flynn became the first female to complete training in the F - 15E Strike Eagle at Luke . After earning a master ’ s degree in aerospace engineering from Stanford University , she graduated first in her UPT class at Laughlin AFB in December 1992 , and chose the F - 15 after Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak opened the door for women to fly combat aircraft . F - 16 Falcon era The 310th and 311th TFTS retained their F - 4Cs until April 1982 , ending the Phantom era at Luke , receiving Block 1 F - 16A Fighting Falcon s in November 1982 and April 1983 . Luke - based F - 16s began carrying tail codes " LF " . 310th TFTS officially began training fighter pilots 2 February 1983 . In 1990 Luke AFB was placed on the National Priorities List , often called the Superfund list in 1990 . After many years of cleanup and remediation , on 22 April 2002 became the first Air Force base to be removed from the list , after satisfying the requirement to remove pollution dating back as far as World War II . 58th Operations Group . The end of the Cold War in the early 1990s brought significant changes to the base . On 1 October 1991 , the 58th Tactical Training Wing adopted the Air Force Objective Organization Plan , and was re - designated simply as the 58th Fighter Wing ( 58 FW ) . All operational fighter training squadrons were reassigned to the new 58th Operations Group ( 58 OG ) . Training units also re - designated as " Fighter Squadrons " . Units assigned to the 58 OG were : In 1991 , the Base Realignment and Closure ( BRAC ) commission ordered that all flightline activities cease at MacDill AFB by 1993 . The host unit at MacDill AFB , the 56th Fighter Wing , would move its F - 16 training to Luke AFB , and Luke would be an exclusive F - 16 Fighting Falcon training base . The F - 15s would be reassigned to Seymour Johnson AFB , North Carolina in order to accommodate additional F - 16 training at Luke . In addition , the 58th Fighter Wing would be inactivated and moved to Kirtland AFB , New Mexico , with the historical senior 56th FW taking over all assets at Luke . At Kirtland , the wing would be re designated as the 58th Special Operations Wing , leaving all aircraft and equipment at Luke , and be reassigned to Air Force Special Operations Command , replacing the Air Training Command 542d Crew Training Wing . On 1 June 1992 , Tactical Air Command was inactivated , and the new Air Combat Command ( ACC ) replaced it , assuming jurisdiction of Luke AFB . On 30 December 1992 , the 425th Fighter Squadron was activated at Luke AFB . The mission of the 425th was to provide advanced weapons and tactics continuation for Republic of Singapore Air Force ' s F - 16 pilots and maintenance personnel . Aircraft had already arrived for the squadron in October and shortly after in the new year pilot training began in January 1993 . Air Education and Training Command . On 1 April 1994 , after 24 years at Luke AFB , the 58th Fighter Wing was replaced by the 56th Fighter Wing ( 56 FW ) , relocated from MacDill AFB , Floridas due to BRAC action , as part of the Air Force Heritage Program . With the reassignment , jurisdiction of Luke AFB was transferred to Air Education and Training Command ( AETC ) , Nineteenth Air Force ( 19 AF ) as a result of the Air Force deciding to consolidate all Air Force training programs under AETC . The 56th Operations Group assumed control over all operational fighter squadrons . The transfer of Luke to Air Education and Training Command gave the command front - line aircraft , bases and facilities that could be used for realistic operational training . With the return of AETC to Luke , it was possible to produce a task - certified or more mission ready apprentice , operational units could reduce the amount of on - the - job training provided to new airmen . Within a year , the wing realignment to make the 56 OG an exclusive F - 16 group took place . The 555th Fighter Squadron was reassigned to USAFE on 25 March 1994 as part of a realignment of Aviano AB , Italy ; its F - 15C / D Eagles being sent to Tyndall AFB , Florida where F - 15 air defense interceptor training was being consolidated under First Air Force . The F - 15E Strike Eagle squadrons ( 461st , 550th ) were also inactivated , with their Strike Eagles being sent to Seymour Johnson AFB under the 4th Fighter Wing . F - 15 training ended with the last " LA " tail coded F - 15 ( Luke Arizona ) leaving on 26 September 1995 when the 550th Fighter Squadron inactivated , 21 years after the first TF - 15A arrived at Luke . With the transfer of the Eagles , additional F - 16 training units were assigned to the 56 OG , all tail - coded " LF " ( Luke Falcons ) : The 21st Fighter Squadron was activated on 8 August 1996 to train Republic of China Air Force F - 16A / B crews at Luke AFB . Empty hangars were refurbished and aircrews were pulled in from other units on base . By January 1997 several ROCAF F - 16A / B block 20s had been delivered and the first training flights began for their crews . Despite being A / B models , the aircraft were new construction from General Dynamics , with modern avionics and engines , and were considered to be more advanced than the F - 16C / Ds being flown from Luke AFB . The aircraft carry USAF markings and serial numbers , also the " LF " tail code . On 20 September 1999 , an F - 16D crashed at Luke AFB , marking the 56th Fighter Wing ’ s seventh Class A mishap in FY99 . In all cases , the pilots ejected safely . Engine problems caused most of the mishaps . The 56th Fighter Wing commander , Brig Gen John Barry , grounded the wing ’ s F - 16s after the second mishap . Maintenance personnel discovered that engine augmentor ducts had failed in both cases . They developed a new inspection procedure to identify cracks , which was subsequently used throughout the Air Force . A manufacturing defect in turbine blades was responsible for many of the mishaps , and General Barry grounded the fleet a second time to allow maintainers to upgrade the turbine blades , which improved safety . When 1st Lt Joshua Padgett completed the F - 16 basic course on 8 March 2000 , he became the 50 , 000th fighter pilot to graduate from Luke AFB , Arizona , since the Army Air Forces started training there in July 1941 After the 9 / 11 / 2001 terrorist attacks , Luke suspended routine flying training operations , as the Federal Aviation Administration shut down the nation ’ s airways to all but select military flights . Aircraft of the 56th Fighter Wing were deployed to fly Combat Air Patrols over New York City and Washington , D . C . in the immediate aftermath of the attacks in support of Operation Noble Eagle . Although the 56th Fighter Wing does not deploy aircraft to United States Air Forces Central Command Expeditionary units as part of the Global War on Terrorism , Luke Airmen routinely deploy to USAFCENT in AEF deployment cycles , engaging in combat in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ) ; Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF ) , and other expeditionary operations as tasked . In 2002 the 56th Fighter Wing , became responsible for the nearby Barry M . Goldwater Training Range , became concerned that urban development near the base would curtail flying training if left unchecked . In addition , the Munitions Storage Area ( MSA ) stood outside of the base compound , adding a burden to the Security Forces Squadron . In October 2002 , Senator John McCain of Arizona shepherded a MILCON funding insert of $ 13 million to purchase needed to incorporate the MSA into the base perimeter and to acquire additional land in order to preserve access to the Goldwater Range . BRAC 2005 directed that the older Block 25 F - 16s be sent to Air National Guard units , this change reduced the number of fighter squadrons , with the 61st and 63d Fighter Squadrons inactivating in 2009 and 2010 . Air Defense Command . In 1959 Air Defense Command established a Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) Data Center ( DC - 21 ) at Luke AFB . The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force ( and later FAA ) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense , intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack . It was initially under the Phoenix Air Defense Sector ( PhADS ) , established on 15 June 1959 . PhADS was inactivated on 1 April 1966 , and re - designated as the 27th Air Division . DC - 21 with its AN / FSQ - 7 computer remained under the 27th AD until 19 November 1969 it was inactivated and its assets absorbed by the 26th Air Division . DC - 21 was inactivated on 9 December 1983 when technology advances made SAGE obsolete . Air Force Reserve . Air Force Reserve training began at Luke AFB in 1960 with the activation of the 302d Air Rescue Squadron . The 302d had a distinguished heritage and lineage , being formed as the 302d Fighter Squadron , one of four African - American fighter squadrons to enter combat during World War II . It saw combat in the European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) and Mediterranean Theater of Operations ( MTO ) from 17 February 1944 – 20 February 1945 . For many years the 302d operated a variety of Air Rescue helicopters from the base , training for and performing search and rescue ( SAR ) missions , in addition to some medical air evacuation missions . In 1974 , its mission changed to training for a combat SAR role , while continuing to perform some search and rescue . The squadron ' s mission changed again , in 1987 , to a fighter role as the 302d Tactical Fighter Squadron , being assigned to the AFRES 944th Fighter Wing . The 302d TFS was equipped with block 25 / 32 F - 16C Fighting Falcons , carrying tail code " LR " . The 302d TFS trained for counterair , interdiction , and close air support missions . It deployed several times since late 1992 to Turkey to help enforce the no - fly zone over Iraq and to Italy to support UN air operations in the Balkans , The 302d FS was moved to Holloman AFB , New Mexico and converted to F - 22A Raptor s on 2 October 2007 . The 69th Fighter Squadron was activated at Luke on 1 Feb 2010 , equipped with Block 42 F - 16Cs , tail code " LF " , 69th FS carrying a black tail band . The 69th had formerly been assigned to Luke as an active - duty squadron from 1969 – 1983 , flying F - 104G Starfighter s training pilots from the West German Luftwaffe ( See below ) . Luftwaffe at Luke AFB . From 1957 to 1965 830 pilots from the German Luftwaffe ( air force ) were trained on the F - 84 at Luke AFB under Air Training Command . Since Northern European weather and operational restrictions placed severe limitations on the amount of training , Luke AFB was chosen , where flying conditions were ideal for most of the time . On 4 April 1963 the USAF and the Federal Republic of Germany signed contracts for a highly unique pilot training program . One agreement called for undergraduate pilot training for West German Air Force ( GAF ) and West German Navy ( GN ) students in T - 37 and T - 38 jet aircraft at Williams AFB , Arizona . The second agreement provided for advanced fighter training in the Lockheed F - 104G Starfighter at Luke AFB . The two programs were interrelated . Graduates of the basic flight training at Williams were programmed for the advanced training at Luke , resulting in an almost two - year tour of duty in the United States for the young German pilots . The advanced training at Luke was the unique aspect of the program . The host 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing ( CCTW ) at Luke was tasked with providing the advanced flying training . On 20 February 1964 , the 4540th Combat Crew Training Group ( CCTG ) was organized and designated to conduct GAF training at Luke . The group was activated on 1 April . Prior to designating the 4540th CCTG , the 4518th Combat Crew Training Squadron was activated on 1 March 1964 and was reassigned to the 4540th CCTG upon the later ' s activation . A second squadron , the 4519th Combat Crew Training Squadron , was assigned to the group , effective 1 July 1964 . The German unit was named " 2 . Deutsche Luftwaffen - Ausbildungsstaffel F - 104 USA ( 2 . DtLwAusbStff F - 104 USA ) " ( 2nd German Air Force Training Squadron F - 104 USA ) . Although remaining German property , the Starfighters carried USAF insignia and were assigned USAF serial numbers . By mid July 1964 , 23 TF - 104G and 12 F - 104G were assigned to Luke . On 26 August 1964 a total of 14 USAF F - 104 instructor pilots graduated in the second class conducted at Luke . With a sufficient number of aircraft and instructor pilots , preparations were on target to receive the first advanced training class scheduled for October 1964 . Aircraft inventories at Luke peaked in 1967 and 1968 . In 1967 , 100 aircraft were assigned , 62 F - 104G and 38 TF - 104G : The total increased to 102 in 1968 , 61 F - 104G models and 41 TF - 104G models . Major changes occurred in organization on 1 October 1969 when the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing ( TFTW ) was activated , replacing the 4510th CCTW as the host unit at Luke . Concurrently , the 69th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and the 418th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron were activated as F - 104 training units , replacing the 4518th CCTS and 4519th CCTS . By 1975 , a decrease in training requirements was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the fleet size . The two squadrons were consolidated in 1976 with the 418th TFTS inactivating on 1 October 1976 . Also a storage program was started to preserve the lifespan of the aircraft . As of 30 September 1975 some 13 aircraft were in flyable storage . Training of West German Air Force pilots in the F - 104G continued until late 1982 . The Germans flew more than 900 Starfighters totaling an excess of 269 , 750 hours and produced 1 , 868 F - 104 pilots . The 69th TFTS inactivated on 16 March 1983 . NATO F - 104 Pilot Training A third F - 104G squadron at Luke , the 4443d Combat Crew Training Squadron , differed from the West German squadrons in that it was associated with the Military Assistance Program ( MAP ) with students from NATO and other friendly nations being trained in the Starfighter . On 22 May 1964 , TAC relieved the 4443d CCTS from its assignment to the 831st Air Division at George AFB , California , and reassigned it to the 4540th CCTG , effective 1 August 1964 . The move consolidated all F - 104 training at one location . The F - 104s that purchased with MAP funds and were assigned USAF serial numbers for record - keeping purposes although they never carried USAF insignia . On 15 June 1969 the 4443rd CCTS was inactivated . Major Commands to which assigned . The facility was placed on temporary reduced activity status , 6 July 1946 ; temporarily inactivated , 31 October 1946 . It became a sub - installation of Williams Air Force Base , Arizona , 3 Dec 1946 – 5 Mar 1951 . It was removed from inactive status , placed on active status , 1 January 1951 . Major units assigned . Note : * Operated DC - 21 ADCOM / ADTAC SAGE blockhouse