Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is named for the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor- Lt. Frank Luke Jr. Born in Phoenix in 1897, he scored 18 aerial victories during World War I in the skies over France before being killed at age 21 on Sept. 29, 1918.
In 1940, the U.S. Army sent a representative to Arizona to choose a site for an Army Air Corps training field for advanced training in conventional fighter aircraft. The city of Phoenix bought 1,440 acres of land, which they leased to the government at $1 a year, effective March 24, 1941. On March 29, 1941, the Del. E. Webb Construction Co. began excavation for the first building at what was known then as Litchfield Park Air Base
In 1940, the U.S. Army sent a representative to Arizona to choose a site for an Army Air Corps training field for advanced training in conventional fighter aircraft. The city of Phoenix bought 1,440 acres of land, which they leased to the government at $1 a year, effective March 24, 1941. On March 29, 1941, the Del. E. Webb Construction Co. began excavation for the first building at what was known then as Litchfield Park Air Base
On June 6, 1941, the first class of 45 students arrived and began advanced flight training, flying out of Sky Harbor Airport while Luke Field runways were constructed.
During World War II, Luke Field was the most extensive fighter training base in the Air Corps, graduating more than 12,000 fighter pilots and earning the nickname "Home of the Fighter Pilot." After the war, with decreased demand for fighter pilots, Luke Field was deactivated in 1946.
On Feb 1, 1951, soon after combat developed in Korea, Luke Field was reactivated as Luke Air Force Base and became a critical pilot training base. Flying training progressed from the P-51 Mustang to the F-84, then the F-104 Starfighter. Flying training at Luke changed to the F-100, and on July 1, 1958, the base was transferred from Air Training Command to Tactical Air Command. During the 1960s, thousands of American fighter pilots left Luke to carve their niche in the annals of Air Force history in the skies over Vietnam.
In July 1971, the base received the F-4C Phantom II and assumed its role as the leading provider of fighter pilots for fighter forces worldwide. In November 1974, the Air Force's newest air superiority fighter, the F-15 Eagle, came to Luke. It was joined in December 1982 by the first F-16 Fighting Falcon. At one point, there were 170 F-16s assigned to Luke. The F-15s left Luke in September 1985, and the F-16s left in February 2025, being replaced solely by the newest fighter jet, the F-35. Luke remains the largest training base for F-35s and is expected to have 144 F-35 fighter jets.
During World War II, Luke Field was the most extensive fighter training base in the Air Corps, graduating more than 12,000 fighter pilots and earning the nickname "Home of the Fighter Pilot." After the war, with decreased demand for fighter pilots, Luke Field was deactivated in 1946.
On Feb 1, 1951, soon after combat developed in Korea, Luke Field was reactivated as Luke Air Force Base and became a critical pilot training base. Flying training progressed from the P-51 Mustang to the F-84, then the F-104 Starfighter. Flying training at Luke changed to the F-100, and on July 1, 1958, the base was transferred from Air Training Command to Tactical Air Command. During the 1960s, thousands of American fighter pilots left Luke to carve their niche in the annals of Air Force history in the skies over Vietnam.
In July 1971, the base received the F-4C Phantom II and assumed its role as the leading provider of fighter pilots for fighter forces worldwide. In November 1974, the Air Force's newest air superiority fighter, the F-15 Eagle, came to Luke. It was joined in December 1982 by the first F-16 Fighting Falcon. At one point, there were 170 F-16s assigned to Luke. The F-15s left Luke in September 1985, and the F-16s left in February 2025, being replaced solely by the newest fighter jet, the F-35. Luke remains the largest training base for F-35s and is expected to have 144 F-35 fighter jets.
Luke is home to the world’s largest fighter wing, employs over 7,500 military members and over 2,800 civilians, offers services to over 80,000 retirees, and has a direct and indirect economic impact in Arizona of $2.4 billion dollars per year.