I this base really needed ?
Good question.... Luke apparently is the training facility for the F-16 which is in the process of being phased out of time. The F-16 is to be replaced by the F-35. There are some 200 locations vying for the honor. So if they don’t get the F-35 it may well be shut down as not needed.
From an article in AZCentral....
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/10/14/20091014luke1015.html
snip
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and West Valley leaders on Wednesday launched a broad public campaign to have Luke Air Force Base named a training location for the new F-35 fighter jet.
The Glendale military installation is the world’s largest training base for the F-16 fighter, which is to be phased out by the F-35 in the coming years.
The stakes could hardly be higher: If the Defense Department
passes over Luke for the new fighter, Brewer warned that the base will “be probably closed down,” costing the state thousands of jobs and more than $2 billion a year in estimated economic impact.....
Luke is expected to be among 200 military bases considered for the F-35 on a preliminary list to be released shortly by the Pentagon.
end snips