63rd Fighter Squadron stands up at Luke AFB

The 63rd Fighter Squadron was reactivated at Luke Air Force base on August 1st 2016. The squadron will be the third unit to fly the Lockheed F-35AS Lightning II at the Arizona base.

The 63rd will act as a joint training unit between the United States Air Force and the Turkish Air Force, with Turkish pilots trained by US instructors on the type.

The unit joins similar multi-national training units at Luke involving the Norwegian, Italian and Australian air forces.

By 2022 Luke is expected to host 6 F-35 squadrons for a total of 144 aircraft.