LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, AZ (CBS5) -
The Department of Defense has announced that Luke Air Force Base has been selected to serve as the F-35 training center.
With other military bases across the country worried about closing down, the announcement nearly guarantees Luke AFB isn't going anywhere.
"The selection of Luke as the training base for the F-35A ensures the long term viability of our mission of training the world's greatest fighter pilots, which we've been doing for seven decades," Luke AFB Col. Robert Webb said.
The base will receive 72 F-35s that will start to arrive by the end of 2013.
Luke will become an international training site that will continue to boost the state's economy which already receives more than $2 billion a year from Luke.
"What the selection does - it ensures the continued mission of Luke but also ensures continued economic input to the state that Luke AFB brings," Luke AFB's Rusty Mitchell said.
Construction on the base is expected to start in October and is expected to generate approximately $110 million worth of construction projects, many of which will go to local contractors and sub-contractors, officials said Wednesday afternoon during a news conference.
Military officials said bringing the F-35's to Luke would not have been possible without support from local community.
"The support from local officials, civic and business leaders and citizens in the community have been second to none. We are truly the envy of the Air Force when it comes to community support," Mitchell said.
The F-35A Lightning II is a variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, which will replace the F-16 Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt multi-role fighters. It's intended to be the Air Force's premier strike aircraft through the first half of the 21st Century.
The Record of Decision cited several reasons why Luke was the service's top choice, including facility and ramp capacity, range access, weather, as well as capacity for future growth.
There have been concerns raised in the community that these new fighter jets might create more noise, but base officials said it will be no different than the F-16's flying now.
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