Luke AFB Thunderbolt – July 2025
P. 1
“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen”
Defense attachés visit Luke
July 11. 2025 Vol. 24, No. 7
INSIDE
StorIES
1,500th F-35 pilot graduates, 2
AFAS helps families, 3 425th Change of
Command, 9
Chaplain’s thoughts, 11
FEAtUrE
Airman 1st Class Belinda Guachun-Chichay
ParalymPics training at luke
See Pages 6 and 7
By Senior Airman Elias Carrero
56th Fighter Wing
Defense attachés from 17 allied and partner nations visited Luke Air Force Base to deepen coopera- tion on F-35A Lightning II train- ing and integration, June 2, 2025.
The visit marked the first of four scheduled stops on a based tour organized by the Secretary of the Air Force International Af- fairs foreign liaison team.
“It was a real privilege to host our international partners and give them a look at what our Air- men do every day,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. David Berkland, 56th Fighter Wing commander. “Our team takes a lot of pride in the mission here, and visits like this are a great way to show how their hard work makes Luke a benchmark for integrated train- ing with partner nations around the world.”
The attachés, representing nations from Europe, the Mid- dle East, Asia, and Oceania, received an in-depth look at how the United States and its partners are advancing fifth- generation fighter integration.
While at Luke, the delega- tion received a wing mission brief, participated in a round- table discussion with Berkland, toured two fighter squadrons, experienced F-35 tabletop simu- lators, visited an F-35 aircraft, and walked the flight line. The roundtable focused on how Luke integrates international partners into F-35 operations and training pipelines.
See VISIT, Page 4
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elias Carrero
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U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elias Carrero
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. David Berkland, 56th Fighter Wing commander, hosts a roundtable discussion with defense at- tachés from allied and partner nations during a base visit, June 2, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The roundtable focused on how Luke integrates international partners into F- 35A Lightning II operations and training pipelines.
ABOVE: Defense attachés from allied and partner nations and Italian F-35A Lightning
II pilots attend an Italian flag raising ceremony during a base visit, June 2, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. June 2 is Italy’s Republic Day, commemorating the 1946 referendum in which Italians voted to transition from a monarchy to a republic. The group of attachés attended
a flag-raising ceremony in honor of the holiday as a show of respect and solidarity with their Italian counterparts, reinforcing the importance
of alliance and mutual recognition among partner nations.
Defense attachés from 17 allied and partner nations and U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing pose for a group photo in front of an F-35A Lightning II during a base visit, June
2, 2025, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The attachés visited Luke AFB to deepen cooperation on F-35 training and integration. The attachés, representing nations from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania, received an in- depth look at how the United States and its partners are advancing fifth-generation fighter integration.
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elias Carrero
