The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., conducted its first F-35A student training sortie, announced base officials. Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 56th FW commander and an F-16 pilot, completed the flight on March 18 as part of his upgrade training to join Luke’s F-35A instructor cadre ahead of the first class that the formal training unit there is planning to start in early May. “It’s important that I complete my flying training here with our airmen, in our airspace, so I could help refine and validate our program,” said Pleus. “The F-35 is going to be the backbone of the Air Force’s fighter fleet for decades to come and Luke will play a vital role in producing the world’s greatest, most lethal F-35 pilots,” he said. Luke’s first F-35A arrived in March 2014. There are now 20 F-35s on station, including two Australian airplanes, states the release. Eventually the base will host up to 144 F-35As. The Air Force is working toward having the first combat unit of F-35As available for combat around August 2016.
Three of four congressional committees with influence over defense policy have voted to change the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War—but final approval of the Pentagon rebrand is months away and not yet assured.