Communities Vie for, Oppose Hosting F-35
When it was first constructed, Luke Air Force Base was well outside of the small town that would eventually become bustling Phoenix, Arizona. Now Luke suffers from a severe case of encroachment, with occupied houses literally right off the end of the runway. That encroachment, reflected at many bases across the country, has led to noise complaints and community actions that have impacted the flight operations at major military bases.
Now the Tucson community, just south of Luke, is one among several that is weighing the pros and cons of trying to become host to a major F-35 training base. Tucson hosts Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the current location of A-10 training. The good part of the F-35: Such a training base would likely be a boon to the local economy. The problem: Read more