Page 6 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, January 2021

6 January 2021 luke’s PartnersHiPs http://www.luke.af.mil
Thunderbolt
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb

Singapore, Luke – partners since 1992 Royal Netherlands air force

Republic of Singapore air force Capt. Tan Wei Yang, 425th conducts F-35 mission
Fighter Squadron pilot, stands beside an RSAF F-16D Fighting
Falcon, Aug. 5, 2020. RSAF pilots receive F-16 training at Luke
AFB for approximately two years—while on base they receive
advanced tactics training and participate in exercises. The
RSAF is among six foreign national partners that train at Luke
AFB, which directly contributes to the mission of training the
world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen.
Republic of Singapore air force
military expert one Staff Sgt.
Concenciao Axel, 425th Fighter
Squadron maintainer, performs
maintenance on an F-16C Fight-
Photos by Senior Airman Leala Marquez
ing Falcon, Aug. 5, 2020. RSAF
personnel have been training at
Luke AFB since 1992, with the
mission of providing advanced
weapons and tactics continua-
tion training for their F-16 pilots
and maintainers.
Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder
A Republic of Singapore air force F-16D A Royal Netherlands air force F-35A Lightning II assigned
Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 425th Fight- to the 308th Fighter Squadron prepares for takeoff Sept.
er Squadron, takes off July 27, 2020. RSAF 15, 2020. The RNLAF arrived at Luke AFB in February 2019
personnel have been training at Luke AFB and shares Luke’s mission of training the world’s greatest
since 1992, with the mission of providing fighter pilots. Luke currently trains with six foreign nations
advanced weapons and tactics continuation and has graduated more than 61,000 fighter pilots since
training for their F-16 pilots and maintainers. 1941.

Joint training makes Australia’s F-35 mission operational

Royal Australian
air force Maj.
Christopher Bak-
er, 61st Fighter
Squadron in-
structor pilot, and
U.S. Air Force Lt.
Col. Tom Hayes,
61st FS com-
mander, pose for
a photo Sept. 9, 2020. The U.S. Air Force is strength-
ening alliances and partnerships by training F-35A
Lightning II fighter pilots alongside the RAAF since
2014. All RAAF personnel are scheduled to return
to RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, by December A U.S. Air Force and a Royal
2020. The first B-course for the student pilots at Australian air force F-35A
RAAF Base Williamtown is projected to launch in Lightning II assigned to the
January 2021 and will be taught by instructor pilots One U.S. Air Force and two Royal Australian air force F35A Lightning IIs as- 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke
that trained at Luke AFB. signed to the 61st Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, fly in formation Air Force Base, fly in forma-
over Humphrey’s Peak during a commemoration flight Oct. 8, 2020, near Flag- tion during a commemora-
staff, Arizona. tion flight Oct. 8, 2020, over
Bagdad, Arizona. The event
celebrated the partnership
between the RAAF and
USAF in their joint efforts
training the world’s most
capable fighter pilots at
Luke AFB. The flight marked
the final sortie between the
two nations before Luke
AFB’s Australian partners
departed.

Two U.S. Air Force and two
Royal Australian air force
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned
A U.S. Air Force and a Royal Australian air force to the 61st Fighter Squadron
F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 61st Fighter at Luke Air Force Base, break
Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, fly in forma- formation during a commem-
tion over downtown Phoenix during a commemo- oration flight Oct. 8, 2020,
ration flight Oct. 8, 2020. Photos by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder / Staff Sgt. Alexander Cook over Bagdad, Arizona.