KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

F-35 Flights Could Resume Tuesday At Luke Air Force Base

Tuesday is the earliest F-35 fighter jet operations could resume at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, according to U.S. Air Force officials.

F-35 operations have been on hold at the base for about a week.

In a series of incidents that started in May, pilots reported symptoms related to oxygen deprivation. No one was hurt and the F-35’s backup oxygen worked as designed.

The F-35’s manufacturer and medical experts have been working with pilots to find out what caused the incidents, but they have not yet pinpointed a specific reason.

Air Force officials said they do not think there’s a serious flaw in the F-35’s design. They’ve identified five ways to reduce risk going forward but won’t let the F-35s off the ground until they’re confident it’s safe.

Matthew Casey has won Edward R. Murrow awards for hard news and sports reporting since he joined KJZZ as a senior field correspondent in 2015.