ACC Heritage Flight Program: The F-35 Joins the Program

03/08/2016
03/08/2016: F-35 Heritage Flight Team qualified on March 6th 2016 during the Heritage Flight Conference to join the Air Combat Command Air Force Heritage Flight program. The program features modern USAF fighter aircraft flying alongside WW2, Korean War, and Vietnam-era aircraft in a display of airpower history. The F-35 Heritage team is from…

First Norwegian F-35 Training Sortie

12/18/2015
12/18/2015: LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- The first two Norwegian F-35s arrived here Nov. 10. Shortly after, a Norwegian pilot flew the F-35 Lightning II for the first time, in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Air Force's birthday. The F-35 program took its first step forward, integrating partner nations…

56th Fighter Wing F-35 Refueling Mission

06/15/2015
06/15/2015: F-35's from the 56th Fighter Wing took flight with two KC-135's for an aerial refueling mission over Arizona. Credit:56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs:6/5/15   And the perspective from MCAS Beaufort: Fueling a fighter jet mid-mission isn’t as easy as exiting a highway to top off your tank. It’s really…

Brigadier General Scott Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing commander, Flies first Wing’s Training Sortie

05/04/2015
05/04/2015: Brigadier General Scott Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing commander, Flies first Wing’s Training Sortie According to a story published on 3/19/15 by the 56th Fighter Wing: The 56th Fighter Wing officially began training new F-35 pilots today when the first student, Brigadier General Scott Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing commander, flew…

Luke AFB and the F-35

07/03/2013
07/03/2013: The Air Force announced that Luke AFB has been chosen as the location for 72 additional F-35A Lightning II aircraft, bringing the eventual total number of the fifth-generation fighters expected here to 144. Credit: 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs: 6/27/13 The Air Force's initial decision to establish an F-35…