A Royal Australian Air Force F-35 Lightning II touched down at Luke AFB, Ariz., becoming the first international F-35 partner to join the pilot training schoolhouse there on Dec. 18. “Today, we take another tremendous step forward in our transition to the F-35 here at Luke,” said 56th Fighter Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus in a release. “Australia is the first of 10 nations. …Welcoming our first Australian F-35 is a special day for Luke and the community that has been so supportive of us, he added. RAAF F-35 pilots will train with the wing’s 61st Fighter Squadron, as well as Italian and Norwegian F-35 pilots whom are slated to begin training under the auspices of Luke’s future 62nd FS by next June, according to the wing. Dutch and Turkish F-35 partners also will eventually train at Luke, in addition to current and potential foreign military sales customers.
Lockheed Martin plans to enter the Advanced Tactical Trainer fray to supply the Air Force with a new jet to bridge between undergraduate flight instruction and fighter training units, but declined to say whether it will offer a T-50A derivative, a different non-developmental airplane, or a clean-sheet design. It's comments…