The city of El Mirage in Arizona has released a noise study it commissioned that states the introduction of the new F-35 strike fighter at Luke Air Force Base might cause property values to drop, reports The Arizona Republic. Although El Mirage officials maintain that they support Luke, they’ve continued to stir fears that the F-35’s presumed greater noise level would pose an environmental and economic concern. Meanwhile state elected officials and those of other communities near Luke have continued to urge USAF to consider Luke a prime candidate for the new fighter. The base recently won a reprieve from housing encroachment, as the state and Maricopa County reached an agreement that would halt construction of new single-family homes near the base.
As the U.S. continues to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Russia over its troop buildup on the Ukraine border, the Defense Department is looking into what capabilities it will need to reassure NATO allies if Russia does launch an invasion, its top spokesperson said Jan. 21.