Page 1 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, February 2022
P. 1
“We train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat ready Airmen” Feb. 2022
Vol. 21, No. 2
INSIDE
StorIES
Airmen compete, 3
Painted with honor, 4
Alison Award, 5
Call signs, 12
FEAtUrE
Senior Airman David Busby
Brothers take flight Photo by Ryan Waters
See Pages 8 & 9 Two F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 63rd Fighter Squadron refuel as they pass through a forward armament refueling point
(FARP) before departing from an undisclosed location Dec. 9, 2021. Student-pilots from the 63rd Fighter Squadron recently
completed a mission designed to demonstrate the U.S. Air Force’s ability to quickly compose force packages from any opera-
tional environment.
63rd FS trains F-35 pilots with
Continue to get Luke’s latest
news and information from
these sources: https://www. forward armament refueling point
aerotechnews.com/lukeafb/
https://www.luke.af.mil
and social media
By 2nd Lt. contested environment and gain access to a said Col. Dan Javorsek, commander of
CAmeRon GReeR forward armament refueling point.” AFOTEC Det 6. “This opportunity to both
Luke56thFW @LukeAFB A forward armament refueling point, or assist AETC in developing F-35 pilots, as
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs FARP, is a strategic location at which air-
Date of publication The ability to respond to a threat at any craft can quickly refuel, re-arm, and return well as provide influential Agile Combat
Employment (ACE) data for the F-35 fleet,
First Friday time, from anywhere in the world, is a to combat, with minimal infrastructure or was too important to pass up.”
of the month cornerstone of U.S. air dominance. Student- manpower requirements. According to Lt. Col. Joe Goldsworthy,
pilots from the 63rd Fighter Squadron “What makes this mission unique is the 56th FW chief of safety, the information
Submission deadline recently completed a mission designed to challenge of integrating both high altitude offered by AFOTEC engineers “enabled us
15th day of the month demonstrate this ability, and to push the and low altitude tactics to destroy and to enhance our training level by providing
prior to date of publication boundaries of F-35A Lightning II pilot survive advanced air threats and surface a precedent for dynamic off station events
training.
to air threats,” said Curtis.
typically not achievable in the local training
Veterans FS pilots are trained, and confirmed the along with 56th Fighter Wing leadership, areas on a normal day-to-day basis.”
During the planning process, Curtis,
The mission marked a shift in how 63rd
“Typical student training usually takes
U.S. Air Force’s ability to quickly compose leveraged information and expertise from place in an operating area near base,” said
Tell us Your Story force packages from any operational envi- Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Curtis. “[Because of this,] students get very
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees ronment, no matter how austere. Center (AFOTEC) Detachment 6 based at familiar with the airspace, threat locations,
All military branches are included Mission planners designed the mission Nellis AFB, Nevada. and fight directions, which degrades the
Email name, phone number and a to test how students perform during “full- “Understanding how well the F-35 per- dynamics of the training potential.”
brief description of your service to spectrum, complex mission execution,” said forms in accessing a FARP is a previously Taking those students out of a typical
jenna@aerotechnews.com Lt. Col. Jason Curtis, 63rd FS commander. unexplored component of analyzing how
“The goal of the mission was to survive in a well the aircraft can perform in theater,” See tRAinS, Page 3
