Aug. 3, 2012 by Sonu Munshi
(Excerpts) U.S. Air Force announced this week that Luke Air Force Base has landed the F-35 pilot-training mission, with jets likely arriving sometime next year…..
Luke has long trained pilots and remains the world’s largest F-16 training base. The jets are a common sight over the base, near Glendale Avenue and Litchfield Road.
But the F-35, billed as the next generation of fighter jet, is seen as security for the base’s future.
The base is expected to get 72 F-35A Lightning IIs, which could begin to arrive as early as fall 2013…..
“The military industry is one of the largest industries in our state, and Luke serves as the anchor,” said Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs, who co-chaired a campaign to land the F-35.
She said the mission “will bring with it decades of tremendous military value to our national security and sustainable economic benefits to our region and state.”
The mission would bring an estimated 1,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs and $17 million annually in local, state and federal tax revenues with 72 jets placed at Luke.
Also see
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2012/08/01/luke-afb-picked-as-f-35-training-hub.html