Luke AFB to conduct night flights over Phoenix through Saturday

PHOENIX — People in Phoenix’s West Valley may hear some jets flying around at night for the next few days, Luke Air Force Base said.

The F-16 jets are part of night training missions that are taking place over the Valley.

The pilots will learn multiple skills during the missions, including how to use their night visions goggles.

“When we’re training on night vision goggles, you don’t get very effective training until the sun goes down,” Lt. Jason Cooper, director of staff of the 56th Fighter Wing, said.  “As we get closer to summer, and the sun goes down later, that drives our takeoff times to be later so that we can get effective training for the students.”

Cooper said the night flights will continue through Saturday. Pilots fly routes that aim to reduce noise in Valley neighborhoods, but training at night is essential.

After all, most of the combat missions the pilots will eventually fly will happen at night.

“We don’t go to war in the daytime, we go to war at night,” Cooper said. “The nighttime operations, and the things that we’re capable of doing at night, are a huge force multiplier for us. You don’t see Shock and Awe at 12 noon. You see it at 2 (a.m.), and there’s a reason for that.”

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