International F-35
50 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comAbove: As well as the AFRC’s 944th OG Det 2 ‘Ninjas’, Luke is home to three other USAF F-35A squadrons
(from top to bottom): the 61st FS ‘Top Dogs’, 62nd FS ‘Spikes’ and the 63rd FS ‘Panthers’. The three
active-duty units are assigned 24 aircraft each.56th FW Lightning squadrons
Right: Japanese F-35A 69-8701 (AX-01,
USAF/14-5114) moves in close to the camera
ship. After leaving the 944th OG/Det 2 ‘Ninjas’,
the JASDF jets have established the Rinji F-35A
Hikotai at Misawa – the future 302 Hikotai.
Below: Royal Australian Air Force F-35A A35-
002 ‘02’ under a sun shelter at Luke. The jet
wears the insignia of No 2 OCU, the RAAF’s
Lightning II training unit. The base now counts
six RAAF F-35As among its ranks, the latest
arriving from Fort Worth, Texas, on May 22.