Page 1 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, December 2020
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“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen” December 2020
Vol. 19, No. 12
INSIDE Ambassador tours base
StorIES
Remembering
Christmases past, 2
South Korean immigrant
finds future, 3
Salutes and Awards, 4
Royal Netherlands air
force, 5
Load crew competition, 6 Brig. Gen. Gregory Kreuder, 56th Fighter Wing com-
mander, greets Trevor Traina, United States Ambas-
Dirty job, 8/9 sador to Austria during a base tour Nov. 12. Traina
Base access update, 10 visited many agencies on base including the Titan Photos by Senior Airman Caroline Burnett
Sortie training, 12 Arena, Airman and Family Readiness Center and Maj. Kris Elmstedt, 944th Operations Group instructor pilot, dis-
cusses the characteristics of the F-35A Lightning II with Traina,
61st Fighter Squadron. Traina visited Luke to learn
more about Luke’s mission of training the world’s Nov. 12. Elmstedt showed Traina some of the operations of the
greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen. F-35 and spoke to its combat capabilities.
Armament shop maintains F-35 weapons system equipment
Continue to get Luke’s latest by Airman 1st Class
news and information from BRooke MoeDeR
these sources: https://www.
aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/ 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
https://www.luke.af.mil Airmen from the 56th Equipment Maintenance
and social media Squadron F-35A Lightning II armament shop are build-
ing a capability the Air Force may benchmark to store
and maintain alternate mission equipment for the F-35’s
Luke56thFW @LukeAFB weapons system.
While the Air Force has 17 F-35 units, only two have
Date of publication a similar capability, and the 56th EMS is establishing
First Friday procedures for future F-35A units to employ.
of the month The 56th Maintenance Group established the AME
shop in May 2019, in addition to inspecting and ordering
Submission deadline supplies including F-35 adapters, pylons and launchers.
15th day of the month Alternate mission equipment is “basically, any equip-
prior to date of publication ment that’s needed to either launch a missile or drop a
munition — or anything that deals with the gun system
Veterans has to come through us,” said Staff Sgt. Peter Christo-
pher, 56th EMS F-35 AME supervisor. “And there’s quite
a bit among each of the four F-35 squadrons. There are
Tell us Your Story hundreds and hundreds of pieces of equipment.”
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees Before the Luke’s F-35 AME shop was established,
All military branches are included F-35 aircraft maintenance personnel stored weapons
Email name, phone number and a Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder equipment in hangars, warehouses and designated AME
brief description of your service to Senior Airman Janey Sawmiller, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron rooms. While maintenance Airmen stored the equipment
amy@aerotechnews.com F-35A Lightning II maintenance supervisor, adjusts an F-35 bulk loader,
Oct. 20. See MAintAinS, Page 13
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