Luke Squadron Receives First F-35A

March 27, 2017

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

The 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB, Ariz., received its first F-35A this week. The jet is the first for the squadron, which is tasked with advanced pilot training, and the 51st jet assigned to Luke, according to a base news release. Squadron commander Lt. Col. Matt Vedder flew the flagship jet to Luke from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas. “It’s a monumental day and a huge milestone for the base,” Vedder said.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Trending Stories

Northrop: ‘Multiple‘ B-21s in Ground Test, Production Increase in Negotiations

Lockheed Says It’s Self-Funding Prototypes. Could a ‘Ferrari’ F-35 Be One?

Air Force to Inspect All Dorms for ‘Clean, Comfortable, Safe’ Living Conditions

Northrop Checks Off Sentinel Milestones While Still Working on Program Restructure

Related

Space Force Plans $905 Million for Maneuverable GEO Program

Oct. 23, 2025
The Space Force expects to award $905 million in contracts over the next five years through a new Maneuverable GEO program, which aims to form a commercial fleet of mobile communication satellites in geosynchronous orbit.  

New Report: Air Force Can’t Afford ‘Runaway’ R&D, Needs More Aircraft

Oct. 23, 2025
For more than a decade, the Pentagon have steadily invested more and more of its budget in research and development compared to procurement—resulting in a “smaller, older, and less capable force than it needs,” according to a new analysis from the Center for a New American Security think tank.