23 June 1956 Phoenix Air Defense Sector, 15 June 1959 Re-designated: 27th Air Division, 1 April 1966 Re-designated: 26th Air Division, 19 November 1969 – 31 August 1983 4629th Air Defense Squadron (SAGE)*, 1 July 1972 Re-designated 26th Air Defense Squadron (SAGE)*, 1 January 1975 – 9 December 1983 58th Tactical Training Wing, 15 October 1969 – 1 April 1994 405th Tactical Training Wing, 29 August 1979 – 1 October 1991 832d Air Division, 1 December 1980 – 1 October 1991 56th Fighter Wing, 1 April 1994–present Note: * Operated DC-21 ADCOM/ADTAC SAGE blockhouse Role and operations Luke Air Force Base is an active-duty F-16 Fighting Falcon training base with 170 F-16s assigned. The host command at Luke is the 56th Fighter Wing (56 FW), under Air Education and Training Command's 19th Air Force. The base population includes about 7,500 military members and 15,000 family members. With about 80,000 retired military members living in greater Phoenix, the base services a total population of more than 100,000 people. F-16 Fighting Falcon operations The host unit, the 56th Fighter Wing, is tasked to train F-35 and F-16 fighter pilots and maintainers. Historically, the wing graduated more than 400 F-16 pilots and 470 crew chiefs annually. The 56th FW is composed of four groups, 27 squadrons, including six training squadrons. There are several tenant units on base, including the 944th Fighter Wing, assigned to 10th Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. The 56th Fighter Wing also trains more than 700 maintenance technicians each year. In addition to flying and maintaining the F-16, Luke airmen also deploy to support on-going operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and to combatant commanders in other locations around the world. In 2004, more than 900 Luke airmen deployed, with most supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 56th Operations Group (OG) has operational control and responsibility for the entire fighter-training mission at Luke. It has the tail code: "LF". It comprises: 21st Fighter Squadron ("The Gamblers", tailband: white & red) 61st Fighter Squadron ("Top Dogs", 1st F-35 Lightning II squadron on base, re-activated October 2013) 62d Fighter Squadron ("Spikes", 2nd F-35 squadron on base, re-activated June 2015) 63d Fighter Squadron ("Panthers", 3rd F-35 squadron on base, re-activated August 2016) 308th Fighter Squadron ("Emerald Knights", 4th F-35 squadron on base, re-activated December 2018) 309th Fighter Squadron ("Wild Ducks", tailband: blue & white) 310th Fighter Squadron ("Top Hats", tailband: green & yellow) 425th