Luke AFB Thunderbolt – December 2024

“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen”
End of an era: Looking back at F-16
Dec. 2024 Vol. 23, No. 12
INSIDE
StorIES
Desert Hammer ignites readiness, 2
Chief Master Sgt. Williams: Man of iron, 3
New Chief Master Sgt. selects, 11
FEAtUrE
U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Elias Carrero
NASCAR SAluteS militARy
See Pages 6 and 7
By Bruce N. Cox, Lt. Col., USAF (Ret)
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.
The first operational F-16A was delivered to the 388th Tac- tical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, on Jan. 6, 1979. The earliest F-16 student training was accom- plished at Hill, and Capt. Edwin “Skip” Hopler was part of the initial cadre of F-16A instructors. He was one of the first 50 pilots to fly the F-16. Little did Skip know that he would become an integral part of all F-16 training for the next 40 years.
Tactical Air Command soon identified MacDill AFB in Florida to be the “schoolhouse” for the F-16. Starting in 1980, the 56th Tactical Training Wing at Mac- Dill began to convert from the F-4D to F-16A/B aircraft, com- pleting the transition in 1982. Skip Hopler would become the commander of the 63rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at MacDill from June 1984 to May 1986.
The 58th TTW at Luke AFB, Arizona, was also identified as a future F-16 training wing. In April 1982, the 310th and 311th TFTSs at Luke began converting from the F-4C to the F-16A/B. The 310th TFTS began formal student training on Feb. 2, 1983, and the 311th began student training shortly thereafter. A third squadron, the 312th TFTS, joined the wing in mid-1983.
All three squadrons were flying the F-16A (block 10) aircraft. The 58th TTW was quickly growing. The 312th TFTS converted to the newer F-16C/D (block 25) in early 1986. A fourth squadron, the 314th TFTS, became operational in October 1986, also flying the F-16C/D.
TAC managed the F-16 stu- dent training at both MacDill and Luke.
The two TX classes that pre- ceded my class consisted mostly of pilots who were transitioning from the F-4 to become F-16 instructors.
Following my training, I went to Kunsan Air Base in Korea for a year. I returned to Luke in December 1984 and completed an instructor course, again with the 310th. I was attached to the 311th TFTS for flying, but my primary job was chief of the Cur-
rent Operations Division (DOO). This was a very busy job.
The office managed the wing’s programmed flying training com- mitment in addition to managing the daily flying schedule and each squadron’s hour/sortie ac- complishments. DOO was also where the “cats and dogs” of the wing were sent. These requests included static displays, flyovers, speaking to community groups, and many other flying activities that did not deal directly with student training.
At that time, there were two training wings at Luke. The 405th TTW was flying the F-15D, and it was the larger of the two
Courtesy Photo
U.S. Air Force Capt. Bruce Cox wears a survival vest at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 1973. Cox served 21 years active duty before dedicating another 26 years as an Air Force con- tractor supporting F-16 and F-35 training.
Courtesy Photo
Three U.S. Air Force F-16 Falcons assigned to the 58th Tactical Training Wing fly in formation over Monument Valley, Arizona, 1988.
wings. Besides having several F-15 equipped squadrons, the 405th also had the 425th TFTS at Williams AFB, Arizona. This squadron provided training in the F-5 for foreign pilots as part of the Military Assistance Program.
Because of its size, the 405th was considered the host wing at Luke. The 58th was considered the tenant Wing. Both wings fell under operation command of the 832nd Air Division, which was also headquartered at Luke.
The DOO office consisted of myself, three other officers, and four enlisted personnel. In the 1980s, computers were in their infancy, and DOO had the only computer on base capable of managing the F-16 PFT for each squadron. By today’s standards, this computer program was very crude, but it was much better
than manual calculations of sor- tie requirements to meet the TAC training needs. Each squadron was tasked with a PFT loading of approximately 85-87% of their annual sorties.
At some point in my time as DOO chief, the idea of inflight photography of all the Luke air- craft came up during an 832nd Air Division meeting. Personal cam- eras in the cockpit were strictly forbidden, but professional photo- graphs of the Luke aircraft flying together sounded appealing. Our wing director of operations, Col. Joe Rively, offered to turn this desire into reality.
Immediately after the meeting, he walked into my office and said he had a project for me. He and I worked well together, and he fre- quently walked in unannounced to discuss challenging projects. When he brought up the idea of inflight photography, I gladly accepted the challenge.
See F-16, Page 4
LEFT: Maj. Justin Robinson, 61st Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations, flies the 56th Operations Group flagship F-16 as he escorts Luke’s first F-35 to the base for its arrival on March 10. The F-35 was flown by Col. Roderick Cregier, an F-35 test pilot stationed at Edwards AFB, Calif. The jet is the first of 144 F-35s that will eventually be assigned to Luke to replace the F-16.
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U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Hazeltine