AF Undersecretary headlines F-35 unveiling at Luke AFB

By Senior Airman Grace Lee, 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Published March 21, 2014

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- Luke Air Force Base celebrated the arrival of its first F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter with an unveiling ceremony here March 14.

The event was attended by approximately 500 people, including elected officials, community leaders, representatives from partner nation air forces and many Luke AFB Airmen.

"Today's ceremony embodies, to me, commitment," said Eric Fanning, the Undersecretary of the Air Force. "For the Air Force it represents our commitment to the F-35. This weapons system is critical for the Air Force continuing to provide decisive air superiority around the world. This fighter will dominate anything else, anywhere in the world that any other country produces."

Joining the undersecretary on stage was Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer; U.S. Rep. Trent Franks; Gen. Robin Rand, the Air Education and Training command commander; Brig. Gen. Michael Rothstein, the 56th Fighter Wing commander and Lorraine Martin, the vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics F-35 program.

"I'm really honored to be here on such an historic day for Luke Air Force Base," Brewer told the audience, with the aircraft on display behind him.

"I am thrilled for all the military, for the residents of the West Valley and for our state," the governor said. "As a charter member of Fighter Country Partnership, I am immensely proud to stand with you to welcome this incredible aircraft to the Valley of the Sun."

The aircraft, which arrived at Luke AFB on March 10, is the first of what will eventually be 144 F-35s assigned to the base, for a total of six squadrons. The first aircraft is assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, which recently reactivated in October 2013 and traces its lineage back to World War II.

Luke AFB was also named as the F-35 pilot training center for seven partner nations. The first partner nation to train here is expected to be Australia, which should have two F-35s at the base by the end of 2014.

"The F-35 is virtually undetectable to its enemies and will provide the Air Force a decisive edge in battle," Martin said of the jet's capabilities. "It is an agile, versatile, high-performance, nine G-force, multi-role fighter that provides unmatched capability and unprecedented situational awareness."

Rand emphasized the strategic importance of the F-35 for the Air Force.

"The F-35 Lightning II will deliver warfighting capabilities essential to the security of our nation for decades, and we will maintain our Air Force's ability to employ lethal force against 21st century threats," he said. "Folks, here's the truth: this airplane is a war bird, and that's how it will be used. Let's not forget what our Airmen are here to do - they're here to keep our children and our grandchildren safe. And the F-35 is going to be the platform -- the neatest, best machine available to do that."