After nearly five decades as a training hub for F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots, the 56th Fighter Wing is shifting to exclusively F-35A Lightning II training for U.S. pilots at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
This change will involve updating programs, remodeling infrastructure, and dismantling F-16 equipment to prepare for F-35 operations. The final U.S. F-16 training mission was flown at the end of September 2024 with the 309th Fighter Squadron. Now the base aims to enhance training capabilities through new simulators and systems, positioning itself as the epicenter for F-35A pilot training.
Robert McCutchen, 56th Training Squadron Networked Training Center operations manager, oversees site management, staff changes, and the withdrawal of F-16 training assets. This includes managing the disposal of F-16 systems and preparing the facility for F-35 training.
“The final F-16 training mission concluded Sept. 30, 2024,” McCutchen stated. “After that, it will take seven months, from October to April, to dismantle the equipment.”…