First Luke Lightning II

Posted 11 March 2014

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Photo by Jim Hazeltine

The first F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona, was delivered 10 March 2014. Col. Roderick Cregier, a US Air Force test pilot stationed at Edwards AFB, California, flew the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to the base near Phoenix. The aircraft (US Air Force serial number 11-5030) is the first of 144 that will eventually be assigned to Luke. Approximately sixteen aircraft are expected by the end of 2014, and the full contingent of aircraft, including those for international operators, should arrive incrementally over the next decade.

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