Page 4 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 8-21-15

Aug. 21, 2015 SPOTLIGHT Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
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Reserve IPs support F-35 mission

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56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Luke Air Force Base 944th Fighter Wing Reserve pilots
have a new mission to not only continue to train F-16 Fight-
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II mission as well.
“Predominantly we’ve been here in the 944th Fighter Wing
training F-16 pilots for the past 20 years,” said Col. Kurt
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sion and role with the F-35, the Air Force’s newest airframe.
We’re not only going to continue to train F-16 pilots like we
have been, we’re now going to do that in the F-35 as well.”
Reserve pilots are excited for the opportunity to work
with the F-35.
“Being chosen as an instructor here is a great honor,”
said Lt. Col. Sean Holahan, 944th FW F-35 instructor pilot.
“I’m really looking forward to learning a new aircraft. The
continuity that the Reserve instructor pilots provide will be
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permanent changes of station, schools and more. Where
they have to leave every two and a half to three years, our
Reserve instructor pilots don’t.”
The task of maintaining the F-35 is welcomed by Luke
crew chiefs.
“Working on the F-35 has been one of the best things I’ve
done in my life,” said Airman 1st Class Teddy Colbert, 61st
Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-35 maintenance crew chief.
“I’ve never worked on anything mechanically, so that was
a challenge, but technical school taught me a lot.” /W&RO6HDQ+RODKDQOHIWDQG0DM(ULF3XHOVWK)LJKWHU:LQJ)LQVWUXFWRUSLORWVVWDQGLQIURQWRIDQ)
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The F-35 is exceptional in that it allows the pilot to VLRQE\WHDFKLQJIXWXUH)SLORWVKRZWRÀ\¿JKWDQGZLQ
spend more time making tactical decisions, since its sen-
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instructor pilot. ´7KH)LVDÀUVWFODVVDLUFUDIWLQWKDWLWKDVDVHQVRU operation,” he said. “The active-duty Air Force has entrusted
fusion, data fusion, radios, armament stealth and is low the 944th FW with running that mission, and it’s going to
“In comparison, the F-16 has upward of 12 or more observable,” Gallegos said. be a Total Force Integration mission where we are going to
sensors the pilot has to interpret individually and make train students from Israel, then Japan and South Korea.
decisions based on each.” The future looks bright for Luke’s incoming foreign When Japan shows up, they’re actually going to bring four
military sales partners, according to Holohan. MHWV KHUH VR ZH·UH H[FLWHG WR KDYH ,URQ RQ WKH WK ):
The F-35 is also upgraded with new avionics, technology, ramp once again.”
lightning pods, and weapon systems. “From a Reserve perspective, one of the things we’re most
looking forward to is standing up the foreign military sales

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