A settlement reached Tuesday is expected to stop the construction of new single-family homes near Luke AFB, Ariz., and, in the process, remove one factor potentially detracting from the base’s allure as a home to future F-35 strike fighter training. The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday that the agreement between the Arizona state government and Maricopa County will resolve their years-long dispute over residential encroachment of the base, which is an important F-16 fighter hub today and is in the running for the F-35 training mission. The state government had fought in the courts against the construction, while the county had been supporting landowner property rights. County supervisors are expected to approve the settlement Thursday. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) and Attorney General Terry Goddard have already signed it, according to the newspaper.
The Air Force’s top enlisted member told lawmakers last week that the service must demolish hundreds of unneeded buildings, a move that would pay a “10-to-1 return on investment,” particularly for improving quality of life for service members, rather than spending money on their upkeep.