Luke AFB Thunderbolt – April 2025

“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen”
Luke AFB divests last F-16
April 4, 2025 Vol. 24, No. 4
INSIDE
StorIES
 Bamboo Eagle 2025, 2 April is SAPR month, 5  Legislators visit Luke, 7  Chaplain’s thoughts, 9
FEAtUrE
Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson
Dining Out
See Page 6
By Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The 56th Fighter Wing flew the final U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon flight out of Luke Air Force Base, March 24, 2025, de- livering it to the 16th Weapons Squadron at Nellis AFB.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Ress, 309th Fighter Squadron commander, piloted the flight, concluding the divestment of the remaining U.S. F-16s and ending this chapter for his squadron as it prepares to tran- sition to the F-35A Lightning II.
“The F-16 has been the back- bone of the Air Force for over 50 years,” said Ress. “Fourth generation aircraft like the F-16 will continue to be the capacity, while fifth generation aircraft like the F-35 is now the capability.”
As a compact multi- role fighter, the F-16 has proven itself op- erational in both air- to-air combat and air- to-surface attack. The F-35 will continue this multi-capable legacy, but with added ad- vanced sensors and data fusion allow- ing for unparalleled stealth and situational awareness.
“Inside the F-35 is technologies that were unimaginable when the F-16 was created,” said Ress. “The two are incomparable, and in 40 years there will be new generation air-
U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson
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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Ress, 309th Fighter Squadron commander, signals farewell in the cockpit of a U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon to a 309th Aircraft Maintenance unit maintainer, March 24, 2025, on the flightline at Luke Air Force Base.
craft that will continue to propel us forward as a warfighting force.”
Luke AFB began transition- ing F-16 squadrons into F-35 squadrons in the early 2000s, the 309th being the last to transition out of the six fighter squadrons on base.
“This is one of the first times the 309th FS has been the last to anything,” said Dr. John Hale, 56th FW historian. “They were the first in combat in World War II and they were the first to navigate across the Pacific Ocean in 1952 using aerial refueling.”
U.S. Air Force 56th Fighter Wing Airmen watch the final U.S. F-16 taxis to the runway, March 24, 2025, on the flightline at Luke Air Force Base, preparing to fly to the 16th Weapons Squadron at Nellis AFB. This flight concludes the divestment of the remaining U.S. F-16s, ending this chapter for the 309th FS as it prepares to transition to the F-35A Lightning II.
LEFT: U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Ress, 309th Fighter Squadron commander, climbs into the cockpit of an F-16 Fighting Falcon to pilot the final U.S. F-16 flight out of Luke Air Force Base, March 24, 2025.
The F-16 pilot training pro- gram began over 42 years ago in 1983 and has graduated over 20,000 pilots since. The final class of F-16 student pi- lots graduated from the 309th FS in September 2024, and the last local training sortie was in February of 2025.
Luke AFB will continue to fly and train F-16 Republic of Sin- gapore Air Force fighter pilots and maintainers from the 425th FS until they transition to Ebb- ing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, in the coming years.
See F-16, Page 4