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The 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, made history during a change of command and major command reassignment ceremony held July 17 as the wing officially transitioned from Air Education and Training Command (AETC) to Air Combat Command (ACC) marking a historic milestone for the base while ushering in new leadership for the installation.
Col. Nicholas Ihde assumed command of the 56th Fighter Wing from Brig. Gen. David Berkland, 56th Fighter Wing commander. Maj. Gen. Steven Behmer, 15th Air Force commander, officiated the redesignation portion of the event.
“This community has been amazing and so supportive of Nikki, Mia and Matt; our family, as well as all the families of Luke Air Force base. It’s been an incredible 2 years so thank you all,” Berkland said. “Allies and partners…thank you for your constant teamwork and unbreakable trust. Thunderbolts, our warriors from the 56th Fighter Wing standing in formation; you made my two years in command easy. You are why this wing is successful…Luke fighter pilot graduates are leading major combat operations down range with excellence, precision and courage. Luke combat-ready Airmen are bravely sustaining combat operations and generating airpower under fire…sustained, precision, lethal fire the likes of which our nation has not seen in generations. Thunderbolts, you all did this. You delivered. And I know you will continue to max perform.”
Under Berkland’s command, the 56th FW led 27 squadrons assigned to F-35A Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon missions totaling more than $13 billion in assets and 7,000 base personnel. The wing also supports several U.S. tenant units and multinational partners in fighter pilot training programs. Berkland also implemented Luke AFB’s priorities called the “ABCs” which laser-focus on Airmen, Basics and Culture, which are all aimed at executing the wing’s mission of training the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen.
The ceremony also marked Luke's reassignment to ACC as part of a Department of the Air Force initiative to align Combat Air Forces (CAF) Formal Training Units (FTU) under the command responsible for organizing, training and equipping CAF missions. Luke AFB is one of several CAF FTUs transitioning from AETC to ACC to streamline the fighter training pipeline and strengthen combat readiness.
The reassignment will strengthen the 56th FW’s fighter training mission under ACC by focusing on amplifying connection between operational units and the Air Force's premier 5th-generation fighter training enterprise. As part of the ceremony, the 56th Fighter Wing unfurled its new ACC flag, symbolizing the installation's new major command alignment.
Additionally, the event signifies the beginning of Ihde's tenure as commander of the 56th FW , assuming command of the Air Force's largest fighter wing and its mission to produce disciplined warfighters, and integrated, combat-ready airpower for the U.S. Air Force and partner nations.
“Here’s my three things: Luke is evolving, number two: connection comes full circle, the last one: foundational relationships; that’s what I think Luke Air Force Base is made for and what it is best at,” Ihde said. “Yes, we fly F-35s. Yes, we train the world’s greatest fighter pilots…it’s the first impression, foundational relationships are everything in the Air Force.”
Ihde is a command pilot with more than 2,200 flying hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35A Lightning II. He has served in evaluator, instructor, weapons officer, and operational test pilot roles throughout his career with multiple combat tours in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, totaling over 270 combat hours.
Airmen assigned to the wing also presented a formation for the event. Col. John Ryan, 56th FW deputy commander, called the command to render a final salute to Berkland and to give a first salute to Ihde. Present in the formation were the 56th Operations Group, 56th Maintenance Group, 56th Mission Support Group and the 56th Comptroller Squadron representing the Wing Staff Agencies.
“Today’s formation is comprised of men and women from across the 56th Fighter Wing,” said Maj. Colin Ruane, the 56th FW commander’s executive officer and narrator for the ceremony. “These individuals characterize the exceptional teamwork and professionalism required to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen.”
The dual ceremony represented a transition in installation command leadership and introduced a renewed focus on preparing combat-ready Airmen for Luke AFB personnel. Under ACC’s priorities, the wing will continue to sustain and modernize combat airpower while continuing its legacy as the Air Force's premier fighter training installation.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2026 20:30 |
| Story ID: | 570250 |
| Location: | LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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