Luke AFB Thunderbolt – December 2025
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“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen”
INSIDE
Luke Spark Cell expands drone programs
By Airman 1st Class Tekorey Watkins
56 FW/PA
Luke Air Force Base is ac- celerating the future of warfare through an expanding suite of Small Unmanned Aircraft Sys- tem (sUAS) programs developed by the 56th Fighter Wing Spark Cell. The team of innovators is reshaping how Airmen train, think, and operate in different environments.
In alignment with the Air Force’s drive to strengthen distributed operations and increase lethality, Spark Cell’s initiatives were created to ad- dress a critical question: How do we prepare Airmen for the rapidly evolving battlespace? For the Spark Cell team, the answer begins with education, hands-on experience, and ac- cessible pathways for Airmen to build technical confidence.
“Expanding innovation and supporting Agile Combat Em- ployment go hand-in-hand,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Deuerlein, 56th FW Fight- er Country Innovation section chief. “Both rely on empowering Airmen to solve problems at the lowest level.”
One of the most significant efforts underway is the develop- ment of Luke’s Part 107 drone course, designed by Michael Williamson, 56th FW Fighter Country Innovation drone in- novation lead, and the aca-
U.S. Air Force Photos by Airman 1st Class Tekorey Watkins
A drone flies around the Fighter Country Innovation work- room, Nov. 21, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. As the Air Force faces rising demands from contested environments and emerging technologies, Luke’s drone initiatives serve
as a reminder that innovation does not begin at the strategic level; it begins with Airmen. Through ongoing research, col- laboration and training, Luke is shaping the future of warfare and strengthening the Air Force’s ability to project combat air- power across the globe.
drone building, flight program- ming, 3D-design, soldering and battlefield survivability. The full-day event highlighted a growing need for scalable sUAS education across the total force.
Looking ahead, Spark Cell is focusing on expanding capabil- ity, strengthening partnerships, and advancing strategic integra- tion. Upcoming collaborations with the 56th Security Forces Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and Airfield Manage- ment are expected to refine operational use cases such as perimeter security, reconnais- sance, rapid damage assess- ment, and emergency response.
“The broader drone curricu- lum expands that foundation into hands-on proficiency,” said Deuerlein. “These skills make small teams more capable, more agile, and more lethal by allow- ing them to sense, understand, and react faster than an ad- versary in complex operational settings.”
As the Air Force faces ris- ing demands from contested environments and emerging technologies, Luke’s drone ini- tiatives serve as a reminder that innovation does not begin at the strategic level. It begins with Airmen. Through contin- ued research, collaboration, and training, Luke is shaping the future of warfare and rein- forcing the Air Force’s ability to project combat airpower across the globe.
StorIES
Knife 13 memorial wall, 2 Royal Canadian AF
visits, 4
Italian AF commander strengthens F-35 alliance, 9
Chaplain’s Thoughts, 11 FEAtUrE
Airman 1st Class Belinda Guachun-Chichay
Phase 2 aircraft Generation
See Pages 6 and 7
demic lesson plan developed by Deuerlein. The course prepares Airmen to test for their Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 certification while introduc- ing foundational sUAS concepts, flight operations, and practical applications.
The program has drawn at- tention from across the Air Force, including the chief of staff’s Strategic Studies Group, which is exploring ways to scale the course across the service.
“Ultimately, the Part 107 pro- gram grows a bench of qualified,
standardized drone operators across the wing,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Brown, 56th FW Fighter Country Inno- vation wing innovation manag- er. “It educates Airmen to safely employ sUAS in any airspace and contribute immediately to mission-generation, readiness, and ACE-style distributed op- erations.”
Spark Cell’s impact extends beyond Luke’s active-duty ranks. During Operation Desert Hammer, the team trained more than 150 Air Force reservists in
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U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean Deuerlein, 56th Fighter Wing Fighter Country Innovation section chief, and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Alaniz, talk about a small unmanned aircraft system, Nov. 21, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Jestes, 56th Fighter Wing Fighter Country Innovation drone innovation lead, flies
a small, unmanned aircraft system, Nov. 21, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Luke AFB is accelerating the future of warfare through a growing suite of sUAS programs developed by the 56th FW Spark Cell.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Jestes, 56th Fighter Wing Fighter Country Innovation drone innovation lead, flies a small, unmanned aircraft system, Nov. 21, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
Dec. 5,. 2025 Vol. 24, No. 12
